Arrgus C-4... should I or shoudln't I ?

[Luddite Frank]

Was out spelunking today, and ran across a fairly decnt looking C-4.

The camera is cosmtically nice, and shows little to no wear across the film gate / pressure plate.

The glass looks good, although dusty.

Nice ER case.

Now the issues...

1 ) Focus us frozen - not sure if this is at the lens helical or at the finger-wheel around the RF window.

2) Shutter doesn't fire.

Asking price is $35, could probably get it for $25.

Or is it a doorstop ?

( no, it does not have the Geiss interchangeable lends conversion... )

[Steve M.]

With those problems, it's a door stop. I have one here that I overhauled with basically a screwdriver (seriously), and it takes nice enough photos, but it also weighs a ton and has no strap lugs, so make sure you buy a case for carrying it around. The sound of the shutter is hilarious. It sounds like a coiled spring in a toy unwinding rapidly, and is quite loud.

On the other hand, mine has one of the brighter viewfinders of any camera I've used, and focusing it is a snap. I'd want to pay $15 to $20 on auction for one that is working perfectly.

[Luddite Frank]

Originally Posted by Steve M.

With those problems, it's a door stop. I have one here that I overhauled with basically a screwdriver (seriously), and it takes nice enough photos, but it also weighs a ton and has no strap lugs, so make sure you buy a case for carrying it around. The sound of the shutter is hilarious. It sounds like a coiled spring in a toy unwinding rapidly, and is quite loud.

On the other hand, mine has one of the brighter viewfinders of any camera I've used, and focusing it is a snap. I'd want to pay $15 to $20 on auction for one that is working perfectly.

As in, "Boing-oing-oing-oing" cartoon SFX ?

I'll sleep on it...

[unixrevolution]

Originally Posted by Luddite Frank

Was out spelunking today, and ran across a fairly decnt looking C-4.

The camera is cosmtically nice, and shows little to no wear across the film gate / pressure plate.

The glass looks good, although dusty.

Nice ER case.

Now the issues...

1 ) Focus us frozen - not sure if this is at the lens helical or at the finger-wheel around the RF window.

2) Shutter doesn't fire.

Asking price is $35, could probably get it for $25.

Or is it a doorstop ?

( no, it does not have the Geiss interchangeable lends conversion... )

I have one with working focus and a broken shutter I'd let go for $20. Includes case.

[rjbuzzclick]

Just to chime in...I bought a C4 off of ebay (yes, I actually said "ebay") and the shutter quit working soon after. The spring for the shutter that is coiled up vertically on the sprocket side inside the camera body had slipped off it's hook at one end and was a fairly easy fix.

[Roger Hicks]

Shouldn't, without answering these two questions.

(1) What is it going to do for you?

(2) If it is going to do something for you, how important is the 'something'?

Cheers,

R.

[Vics]

One of my co-workers boughtr me one at a flea market about five years ago for $2.00. It seems to be perfect, except for the slow speeds. Everything works. I just now loaded it with HP5. ! thought I'd shoot a roll to see haw it goes. My Leica IROOA lens shade fits it perfectly, by the way. DO NOT pay $25.00 for one of these.

[Dave Jenkins]

I had one once, with, I think, three lenses. Nice camera, sharp pix. Wish I had kept it.