One more from the Retina IIIc

Here's one more from the Retina IIIc, inspired by D. Arbus?<p>

 

<p align="center"><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/3251618-lg.jpg"

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<center>Retina IIIc, Kodak Portra 400 VC</center>

Print it big, entitle it "Wishing for a Grenade", and you're in business.

Good job with your kid handling skills on this one and the last one. Many kids (LIKE MINE) automatically crack the worst kind of cheezy smile when the camera comes out. I have to be stealthy and quick, and be ready to put the camera away almost as fast as it comes out.

I have always been impressed by the retinas. It seems as if, as

long as they are in good working order you can produce a nice

sharp and contrasty image. The 3c is a good retina model. I had

a Retina quite a while ago 1976 or so, and I wish I had hung

onto it.

I don't know about anybody else...but I'm scared.

 

Seriously:beautiful image.

I'll put it bluntly. These little Retinas are incredibly well made. If you have Leica thirst there's a good chance the Retina will quench it with ease...

I agree about the Retinas being very-nicely made, but I don't think it will quench the thirst for a Leica. Nice as they are, the Retinas aren't as durable, and the difference in viewfinders is like night and day (unfortunately, so is the difference in price).

Well done!

Wishing for grenade. I like that.

 

Certainly the Retina is no Leica, but it's as close as I'm going to get.

 

The viewfinder is not as bad as it first seems, once you start using it and no Leica

folds up so small, and costs about $80. I got the Retina to replace my old Sure Shot in

which the motor is dying. The Sure Shot took some good photographs, but the Retina

photographs just sing in comparison.

 

Thanks for the comments.

 

-bruce

Of coooourse, as you noted, if I could find a Leica for a Retina price....anway, my IIc as bought is heavily used, parts were missing on the bottom and the lens door is worn smooth, but it works perfectly (love that tiny little "click")...got a clunker from Ebay today to use as a parts donor.

BTW a really great photograph. It reminds of some recent displays of children's images done by a German Photographer who places them in somewhat surrealistic environments...

I've also got a Retina IIIc, and the viewfinder isn't so bad. Until you get used to an M3. It really is night and day.

 

But for the price, the Retina rocks.

Mike,

 

I don't have an M3, but I do have a Fuji GW 690 III with an excellent

rangefinder viewfinder.

 

For me I've learned to pre visualize the image because no rangefinder is an accurate

representation like a ground glass. What's most important is that I can see the

rangefinder spot for focusing and the Retina (at least mine) is not too bad in this

regard. I also shot some frames of this boy with the Fuji, but haven't developed them

yet. I suspect the Retina images are better because I had better lighting when I shot

with the Retina. And the Fuji doesn't have that wonderful Schneider Xenon bokeh...