The Secrets of the Brick

When one of my blog readers, Dave Stewart, gifted me an Argus C3 camera (the “Brick”), I was very happy to add the camera to my photographic arsenal of gear.  I may not use the camera very often, but it’s nice to take it out for a few shots here and there.

The Argus C3 might be one of the boxiest, most utilitarian cameras ever made, but damn it was popular and effective in its day.  You might recognize the camera as one that one of the Harry Potter characters uses in the movies; fans of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow would also know this camera as the shooter used by Gwyneth Paltrow’s character.

When I first acquired the camera, I double-checked to see if the camera held any film inside.  I’ve had rotten success with film left in old cameras – the film’s either deteriorated to the level of undevelopability, or the lab I send it to simply never sends the film back (yeah, Rocky Mountain Film Lab, it’s now five years since I sent you that one roll).  The last time I tried this, I found out that the previous owner of a camera had loaded the film inside – but never took a shot with it.

So I checked the Argus camera.  I twisted the film advance knob.  There’s resistance.  That’s a sign that there’s film inside.  I rewound the camera.  There’s substantial film inside.  Finally.  Finally, I can take this orphan camera and find the last photos taken by the camera operator.  I can do this.  Yes, yes, yes, I could hear the film rewinding back into its original canister.  All right, now I’m getting excited.

I open the camera.  And inside –

Aw, nertz.  Crumbs.  Dang it.

You know what was inside?

A roll of this.   Kodachrome.

I was five years too late.  Developing Kodachrome as a color formula is impossible.  Kodak doesn’t make the dyes any more.  The last lab that could process the film – Dwayne’s Photo in Parsons, Kansas – ceased development way back in December 2010.

And then… I thought and thought.  Even if there’s not a way to develop the film as a color construct…

Maybe I can still get this film developed as black-and-white images.  Better something than nothing.

And I know one lab in the country who can develop the film in that manner…

Film Rescue International.

I boxed up the Kodachrome roll and sent it off to FRI.  And if they are able to pull anything off that cartridge… I’ll share it with you, my loyal blog readers.

But what about the Argus today?  Does it still work?

I tried fiddling around with the camera, but it looks as if years of inactivity may have taken its toll on the unit.  Only way to make sure is to drop the camera off at CameraWorks in Latham and let Allen Wade, my camera tech, take a look at the Argus.

And after that, I’ll pack a roll of film into it and see if I can add the Brick to my photographic arsenal.

We shall see, won’t we?