Argus Sandmar Wide Angle 35mm f/4.5 for Argus C3

Download Argus C3 Manual

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:

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.

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:

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.

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.

More gratuitous shots...