Argus (camera company)

Argus C3

Argus 21

Argus was an American maker of cameras and photographic products, founded in 1936 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Argus originated as a subsidiary of the International Radio Corporation (IRC), founded by Charles Verschoor. Its best-known product was the C3 rangefinder camera, which enjoyed a 27-year production run and became one of the top-selling cameras in history. The company's Model A was the first low-cost 35 mm camera in the United States. Argus was acquired by Sylvania in 1959 and sold off in 1969, by which time it had ceased camera production (some rebadged cameras continued to be sold under the Argus name through the 1970s). More recently, the Argus brand has been reestablished and is used on a variety of inexpensive digital cameras made by Argus Camera Company, LLC., located in Inverness, IL. Recently, Argus had two cameras for children developed in partnership with TEAMS Design. The cameras, the Bean and Sprout, won a Bronze 2009 IDEA award^[1] from BusinessWeek and the Industrial Designers Society of America in addition to an Appliance Design 2009 EID award.^[2]

Current models

Digital

DCV-011
DCM-098
DCM-099
DC-1088
DC-1500
DC-1512E
DC-2185
DC-3185
DC-3190
DC-3195
DC-3270DV
DC-5190
DC-5195
DC-5340
DC-6340

Historic models

A series

A (1936–1941)
AF (1937–1938)
B (1937)
A2B (1939–1950)
A2F (1939–1941)
AA (1940–1942)
FA (1950–1951)

Argus Lady Carefree, plastic camera for 126 mm film cartridges, c. 1967

C series

C (1938–1939)
C2 (1938–1942)
C3 (1938–1968)
21 (1947–1952)
C4 (1951–1957)
C44 (1956–1957)
C3 Golden Shield (1958–1966)
C3 Matchmatic (1958–1966)
C3 Standard (1958–1966)
C44R (1958–1962)
C4R (1958)
C33 (1959–1961)

Argoflex

Argoflex E (1940–1948)
Argoflex
Argoflex II (1947)
Argoflex EM (1948)
Argoflex EF (1948–1951)
Argoflex Seventy-Five (1949–1958)
Seventy-Five (1949–1958)
40 (1950–1954)
Argoflex Forty (1950–1954)
Super Seventy-Five (1954–1958)
75 (1958–1964)

Autronic

Argus Autronic 35

Autronic 35 (1960–1962)
Autronic C3 (1960–1962)
Autronic I (1962–1965)
Autronic II (1962–1965)

Other models

K (1939–1940)
M (1939–1940)
A3 (1940–1942)
CC (1941–1942)
Minca (1947–1948)
A5 (1953–1956)
A-Four (1953–1956)
C-Twenty (1957–1958)

The Argus camera in popular culture

In High Society, photographer Elizabeth Imbrie (Ruth Hussey) uses an Argus C3 while on assignment to cover Tracy Lord's wedding for Spy Magazine.

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Colin Creevey, the Gryffindor shutterbug, is shown using an Argus C3 with a flash attachment to take wizard photos of Harry Potter. It is shown plainly in a scene in the Great Hall, in the scene in the Hospital Wing where Colin is carried after being Petrified, and at the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin while Harry is being chased by the rogue Bludger.

References

External links

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