Argus Sandmar Wide Angle 35mm f/4.5 for
Argus C3
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Download Argus C3 Manual
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When I learned that there were
interchangeable lenses available for my Dad's Argus C3, I started
watching eBay to see what I could find. Suffice to say both the
35mm and 100mm lenses are abundant. I waited until I found the
most complete examples possible, in good condition. I wanted to
make sure to get the auxiliary finder for this lens because without it,
I would not be able to compose/frame the photos.
I found a pretty good example of the 35mm
though I am now certain if I had waited longer I could have probably
found one with both caps (not just one), the original box and manual,
and the case and caps (which I did get). Here is what the images
from the listing looked like:
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My Dad's C3 does not have an accessory shoe so I had
to watch for an auction that had the clip-on finder. There are
several versions available. The one I got is available in both a
clip-on or "hot shoe" style. It can be hard to tell from the
listings. As can be seen from this photo, only the front part of
the clip is showing, but it was enough for me to know it was the correct
finder.
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When the items arrived I found them in good but tarnished
condition. This is to be expected from 60-year-old aluminum!
I just spent a couple minutes with a handful of Q-tips and aluminum
polish to remove the oxidation carefully from the lens, making sure not
to allow any of the cleaner to seep into the lens parts (which would
cause high friction and problems later with the lens operation).
The lens cleaned up well:
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The head-on view is
surprisingly pleasing, with the auxiliary finder repeating the
rectangular motif nicely. It is also quite functional and offers a
view for both 35mm and 100mm lenses. That's handy... Here it
is set for the 35mm. The photo below shows the finder attached an
the clip that goes around the rangefinder eyepiece. This was the
part of the finder that was visible in the auction photo.
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Here are some shots from
overhead showing the finder set for the 35mm lens. With the 100mm
lens, the mask would be flipped down in front of the finder to frame the
view for a 100mm lens.
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More
gratuitous shots...
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