# Colin Creevey's pick: the Argus C-3 Match-Matic



## invisible (May 29, 2012)

New blog post: federico buchbinder / shadows and light | Colin Creevey's pick: the Argus C-3 Match-Matic

If anybody finds anything that needs to be corrected, please let me know


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## BlackSheep (May 29, 2012)

Nice shot, and I enjoyed reading your blog too - looking forward to seeing more.

You said you have 30 vintage cameras? Sweet!


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## invisible (May 29, 2012)

BlackSheep said:


> Nice shot, and I enjoyed reading your blog too - looking forward to seeing more.
> 
> You said you have 30 vintage cameras? Sweet!


Thank you  Yes, I have about 30 cameras, maybe more. I think I'm going to start selling some of them, though.


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## BlackSheep (May 29, 2012)

Collecting them is easy to do, eh? Before you know it you have a room full of them 

We have just under 20 in the house right now, not quite as many as you but we're getting up there too.


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## o hey tyler (May 29, 2012)

That looks like a pretty cool unit. A little dirty (or moldy, can't really tell), but it looks like it could clean up nicely! I see that it's not your camera, though. It's nice that you got the opportunity to shoot it, and nerd out with some Harry Potter knowledge.


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## invisible (May 29, 2012)

BlackSheep said:


> Collecting them is easy to do, eh? Before you know it you have a room full of them


That's exactly how it was! eBay, Kijiji and flea markets may look like friends, but they really aren't 



BlackSheep said:


> We have just under 20 in the house right now, not quite as many as you but we're getting up there too.


Just say 'no' and keep it under control!



o hey tyler said:


> That looks like a pretty cool unit. A little dirty (or moldy, can't really tell), but it looks like it could clean up nicely! I see that it's not your camera, though.


The ad included photos of a camera that looked impeccable, including the selenium meter. When I met the guy (local sale), the camera seemed a little different, more dirty and worn out, but I wanted it so bad that I still took it home. Once back here, I went back to the ad and realized that the photos were of a different unit. Did some quick searching with TinEye and found the photos on eBay (a seller hundreds of miles away). So I quickly took these shots (no time for cleaning) and then returned the camera. The guy kicked and screamed a little bit, but in the end he realized that this is a small market where everybody knows everybody and calmed down. He said that he never had the selenium meter that the ad mentioned, but never apologized for wasting my time 



o hey tyler said:


> It's nice that you got the opportunity to shoot it, and nerd out with some Harry Potter knowledge.


I've no clue about anything Harry Potter, but one of the collectors' sites that I visited while researching mentioned this nugget. I should've remembered Gwyneth Paltrow and Sky Captain without Wikipedia's help, though.


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## Buckster (May 30, 2012)

Nice writeup and a fun read.

The first antique camera I ever bought to put up on a shelf just because I thought it looked cool was a C3.  It was at a flea market for $5.  That was in 1978, and it started something... I couldn't stop, and now I'm surrounded by dozens of antique cameras!  LOL!

Last Christmas, my daughter gave me another C3, with the flash attachment, so now I've got two.  Neither are the Match-Matic model though.


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## OLDSKEWL (May 30, 2012)

My addiction also started with a C3 Matchmatic. I have a unit in real nice shape with flash, bulbs, Meter, Case, and 3 lenses. It takes some pretty nice pictures!


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## dxqcanada (May 30, 2012)

Derrel has a nice C-3 ... in pristine condition ... he offered it as a trade for my Bessa 66 ... but I declined.


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## dxqcanada (May 30, 2012)

invisible said:


> BlackSheep said:
> 
> 
> > We have just under 20 in the house right now, not quite as many as you but we're getting up there too.
> ...



Not easy to do ... though we are cleaning and keeping the ones we want to shoot with ... just placed 3 on eBay to relieve the GAS.


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## compur (May 30, 2012)

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqkLZ5orp5M[/video]


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## BlackDog's (May 30, 2012)

:thumbup: Love the blog!  Looking forward to reading more.


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## BlueMeanieTSi (May 30, 2012)

The wifey gave the ok for decorations around the house of vintage cameras...lol she likes them too.


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## invisible (May 31, 2012)

dxqcanada said:


> Derrel has a nice C-3 ... in pristine condition ... he offered it as a trade for my Bessa 66 ... but I declined.


How could you not? Unless it's in bad shape, your camera is worth at least three C-3!



compur said:


> [video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqkLZ5orp5M[/video]


That was VERY cool. Thanks for sharing the link.

Thanks all for the feedback!


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## Dr_Totenkopf (Jun 10, 2012)

invisible said:
			
		

> Thank you  Yes, I have about 30 cameras, maybe more. I think I'm going to start selling some of them, though.



Have any Argus C3's with the extra lenses?


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## invisible (Jul 9, 2012)

Dr_Totenkopf said:


> invisible said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Sorry, no, this was the only Argus I've gotten my mitts on.


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## The Barbarian (Jul 17, 2012)

I have the cintar W/A  and 100mm tele lenses.   They are both worth much more than the C-3.    The "problem" if you want to call it that, is that the C-3 was immensely popular and made for decades.   There are a lot of them around, and they are built like tanks, and so don't break much.  Oh, and they are exceedingly easy to repair and adjust.  

They were the first quality 35mm rangefinder made in any quantity in the US, and they were a booming success.  Several times they announced that the line was going to be discontinued, and people bought up all the stock in camera stores, which caused the model to be continued further.

They are great to use, although the cocking mechanism and the rather small viewfinder take a little getting used to.

And if you're in a tough part of town, the sharp-cornered and massive camera on a wrist strap makes a formidable weapon.   You could take down a mugger, and the camera would be intact, allowing you to photograph him laid out on the ground.


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## invisible (Jul 17, 2012)

The Barbarian said:


> And if you're in a tough part of town, the sharp-cornered and massive camera on a wrist strap makes a formidable weapon.   You could take down a mugger, and the camera would be intact, allowing you to photograph him laid out on the ground.


I can only agree with this


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