The Argus C-3 was born in the 1930s during the worldwide Great Depression. The entire camera is made of metal, it is a rangefinder camera that focuses using a split image and has interchangeable lenses. At the time in the U.S., its nickname "Brick" was very well-known. Between 1938 and 1966, total sales exceeded 3 million units, making it arguably the best-selling 135 film camera in history.