[WPRESTO]

You would know this, but for others who don't, when using interchangeable lenses on these, one can not use another brand lens. My only Rodenstock lens is on a Retinette 1B. Let us know how you find using the Retina in regard to handling.

---------- Post added 02-11-15 at 08:54 ----------


I think anything after the war had X sync as well. One plug-in with a selectable switch. (see top picture right bottom of lens - green switch - was also the timer switch)

V-A-V handling: I think the one design flaw in the non-reflex Retinas was the bottom-mounted wind lever. Upper right became the standard position for good reason. Canon made the mistake of placing the wind lever on the base plate on their original Canonflex. Located there it can be operated with the right middle finger, but it's clumsy compared to using the right thumb.

[Swift1]

You would know this, but for others who don't, when using interchangeable lenses on these, one can not use another brand lens. My only Rodenstock lens is on a Retinette 1B. Let us know how you find using the Retina in regard to handling.[COLOR="Silver"]

I've had the Retina IIIc for about 2 years now. I can't really comment on the handling because I can't really use it like it's meant to be used.
From my use of it though, here are my thoughts,

Things I really like,

The lens is superb
The compact collapsible design
Everything operates very smoothly
The rangefinder


Things I really don't like,

The frame counter
The coupled exposure settings
The tripod socket

I found the viewfinder to be quite good even though slightly small, ad the bottom mounted wind lever is quirky but doesn't bother me.

[arnold]

I've had the Retina IIIc for about 2 years now. I can't really comment on the handling because I can't really use it like it's meant to be used.
From my use of it though, here are my thoughts,

Things I really like,

The lens is superb
The compact collapsible design
Everything operates very smoothly
The rangefinder


Things I really don't like,

The frame counter
The coupled exposure settings
The tripod socket

I found the viewfinder to be quite good even though slightly small, ad the bottom mounted wind lever is quirky but doesn't bother me.

Yes, the frame counter could be simpler. It locks at #1 on count down, hoping, I suspect, to prevent ripping the film off the spool. I'm with you on coupled exposure settings. The Light Value system seems to work this way. The Yashica Ministers put me off with this system, getting in the way of freely selecting speed or aperture without first setting the LV. It is why I love the Lynx - no impediments.

[Digitalis]

I recently acquired a 30cm(12") beauty dish for my on-location Godox flash studio set up.



It is a sand blasted solid aluminium Beauty dish, that comes with a 30 degree clip on grid and a diffusion shower cap. The specular surface of the reflector means it gives about an extra stop and a half of light than you would get from a standard double diffused softbox.

Just for comparison, with the watch I wore today:


Pentax 645Z - Pentax HD D-FA 645 90mm F2.8 ED AW SR Macro - 1/125th f/11 ISO 100

60cm Softbox left, 30cm Beauty dish right - the increased reflectance of the beauty dish means that the light from it has visibly greater contrast than a standard softbox, specular highlights really pop.



The 30 degree grid is a real boon, and it is made of metal too. It allows for great control over the spread of light, and it reduces the chance of lens flare if you have the reflector aimed at or near the camera.Too many manufacturers don't make them for their beauty dishes (I'm looking at you Bowens, Mola and Elinchrom) and even if they are available, they are extortionate in price.

---

Last edited by Digitalis; 11-02-2015 at 05:40 AM.

[45 Mike]

I just got a Olympus 35 RC for about $20.
It has a serious aperture problem, as in the blades don't move. The ring turns, but the blades are stuck closed at like f:22 or so.
That seems like stuff is likely broken inside. Bummer. the shutter seems to work good.
sigh.
Anyone know of a competent person who might be willing to work on this??

[arnold]

I just got a Olympus 35 RC for about $20.
It has a serious aperture problem, as in the blades don't move. The ring turns, but the blades are stuck closed at like f:22 or so.
That seems like stuff is likely broken inside. Bummer. the shutter seems to work good.
sigh.
Anyone know of a competent person who might be willing to work on this??

It is common for the shutter blades to stick over time. If you can get access to them either through the front or back (I believe it is a element lens), you may be able to unstick them. I dip a Q tip in pure isopropal alcohol, remove excess fluid, and apply it to the blades and allow to 'soak'. A little gentle pressure on one of the blades may then allow them to snap open. Repeat if necessary.

[45 Mike]

It is common for the shutter blades to stick over time. If you can get access to them either through the front or back (I believe it is a element lens), you may be able to unstick them. I dip a Q tip in pure isopropal alcohol, remove excess fluid, and apply it to the blades and allow to 'soak'. A little gentle pressure on one of the blades may then allow them to snap open. Repeat if necessary.

Thanks. The shutter works just fine. The aperture blades won't open. I shot a couple squirts of brake parts cleaner in there and the focus ring freed right up. but the aperture remains stuck on f:22. Pretty sure something is broken, or mangled in there.

It may be no more than a spring tension that is missing, but it needs to come apart to be fixed.

[Jean Poitiers]

Well, it looks like I might make a stab at medium format, Pentax 67. (xpost)

These two arrived today for 110€ delivered thanks to an ad I found on the French site, "Le Bon Coin". The SMC Tak 90/2.8 Leaf was 60€ and the SMC Tak 75/4.5 was 40€.

I am going to get a Fotodiox type adapter for fun and while I search for a decent 67 type body ... I know, I'm nuts. I bought the lenses before the camera

Any suggestions on what 67 body to get ... and where to look for one? No hurry here and any advice would be appreciated.

[g026r]

The cheapest one you'll be able to find is the original, pre-MLU 6x7. Be advised that they're the oldest and therefore are the likeliest to have problems.

The 6x7MLU (an unofficial model designation) is the same as the original 6x7, but with an extra switch for mirror lock-up. If you're likely to be doing tripod work with lenses other than the 90/2.8LS -- though you'll still need one very sturdy tripod -- then this is the cheapest option.

The 67 is just the 6x7 MLU with some purported improvements in film transport. Other than that, its main selling point vs. the previous models is that the camera will be newer.

The 67II is, without a doubt, the best camera in the bunch. Better metering prism (6 segment plus spot and centre-weighted, as opposed to the old TTL prism's average). Aperture priority mode. (Slightly) lighter. Produced within the last 20 years. The downside is that it's still fairly expensive and non-lens-related accessories for the previous models don't fit due to changes in the body. (Namely: different prisms and a different grip.)

Worth noting that the 67II does have one issue with the 90/2.8LS: you'll note a U/S switch on the bottom of the lens. The S stands for "Special", which is for a multi-exposure and reduced camera shake mode that requires use of an unmarked "S" position that's not present on the 67II's speed dial. (It's located between 1000 and X on the earlier models.)

[Jean Poitiers]

The cheapest one you'll be able to find is the original, pre-MLU 6x7. Be advised that they're the oldest and therefore are the likeliest to have problems.

The 6x7MLU (an unofficial model designation) is the same as the original 6x7, but with an extra switch for mirror lock-up. If you're likely to be doing tripod work with lenses other than the 90/2.8LS -- though you'll still need one very sturdy tripod -- then this is the cheapest option.

The 67 is just the 6x7 MLU with some purported improvements in film transport. Other than that, its main selling point vs. the previous models is that the camera will be newer.

The 67II is, without a doubt, the best camera in the bunch. Better metering prism (6 segment plus spot and centre-weighted, as opposed to the old TTL prism's average). Aperture priority mode. (Slightly) lighter. Produced within the last 20 years. The downside is that it's still fairly expensive and non-lens-related accessories for the previous models don't fit due to changes in the body. (Namely: different prisms and a different grip.)

Worth noting that the 67II does have one issue with the 90/2.8LS: you'll note a U/S switch on the bottom of the lens. The S stands for "Special", which is for a multi-exposure and reduced camera shake mode that requires use of an unmarked "S" position that's not present on the 67II's speed dial. (It's located between 1000 and X on the earlier models.)

Thanks a lot. I am pretty much a novice in this area ... other than what little I have read.

Thanks for the heads-up on the 67II + 90/2.8LS ... I would have not realized that one very easily ... Merci bien !

[g026r]

There are also a few things to watch out for when using the leaf shutter on the 90/2.8LS and the camera is not in "Special" mode:

• Make certain that the lens is set to "U" (for "Usual"). If it's set to S then the leaf shutter won't fire correctly.
• There's a cable release socket on the lens. It only works in "Special" mode; don't use it otherwise. (If you're using the leaf shutter then the flash sync on the lens can be used safely regardless of the U/S switch position.)
• If the camera has a mirror lock up switch, do not use it. MLU can trip the leaf shutter.
• Make certain the camera's shutter is set to 1/8. This ensures that shutter is completely open before the leaf shutter fires and doesn't close until afterwards.

All of the above can of course be safely be ignored if you're not using the leaf shutter and just using it as a normal lens. (Which I do not infrequently, since the leaf shutter only goes up to 1/500.)


---------- Post added 2015-11-04 at 11:15 ----------

Thanks for the heads-up on the 67II + 90/2.8LS ... I would have not realized that one very easily ... Merci bien !

Truth be told, I don't know if I've ever used the "S" setting on my 90/2.8LS except by accident. (Which I'd discover due to blank frames on the roll. ) It's a very specialized setting, and I'm guessing it wasn't a popular one; the 165/4LS doesn't have it, from what I recall.

(The 67II replaced the space used for the unmarked setting with options for 2s, 4s, and Av, for the record.)

[45 Mike]

Check the archives of the Classic Camera Repair forum, or its successor at rangefinderforum.com. You might find the answers you are looking for there.

Not sure how similar the construction is, but here's a teardown of the aperture for the 35RD.

Thanks. I may attempt a repair myself, if I can get one that is working. Otherwise I will pay to have someone else work on it. :-)

[aurele]

Any suggestions on what 67 body to get ... and where to look for one? No hurry here and any advice would be appreciated.

If you decide to go with the older model of 6x7 : I advise you to get a body that was used often recently.

As you know, i got a 6x7 (oldest version) and i had some "sticky" mechanism at the begining, because it wasn't enougt used recently.

After few rolls i don't have problem for operating it. Well, except the 1/30 speed that sticks.

[Jean Poitiers]

If you decide to go with the older model of 6x7 : I advise you to get a body that was used often recently.

As you know, i got a 6x7 (oldest version) and i had some "sticky" mechanism at the begining, because it wasn't enougt used recently.

After few rolls i don't have problem for operating it. Well, except the 1/30 speed that sticks.

Merci bien, aurele.

I may have to come up to Paris and get you to give me a few lessons on 67 shooting ...

[aurele]

Merci bien, aurele.

I may have to come up to Paris and get you to give me a few lessons on 67 shooting ...

it will be a great pleasure !