Pictures with old cameras: working to scale

[heqm]

<p>For the third installment of "Pictures with old cameras" I present two scale-focusing Kodaks. Both have the full range of f-stop and shutter speed adjustments, in contrast with the bellows Kodaks of the last thread (with a few choices) and the boxes of the first (with none at all). This, along with the much better lenses, means far more flexibility and picture quality. The biggest remaining difficulty about them is the lack of any kind of focusing aid. You have to estimate the distance to your subject and set it on the scale. Below, the first of the pair, a Retina Ia.</p><div></div>

[heqm]

<p>I admit I only got interested in this one through comments by Karen Nakamura on her website (http://photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/index.html): she was amazed at the idea of a <em>high-quality</em> Kodak. And it is: quite a decent lens, mechanically neat and well-functioning. It is also small, even for a 35mm, and inconspicuous, with a quiet shutter. There are two quirks to watch out for: the focus must be set at infinity in order the close the camera up, and when the exposure counter (which counts down) reaches the last one, it locks the shutter.<br>

The picture below (a hasty scan of the print) was taken of co-workers just before a meeting. The f/3.5 lens with fast film can clearly handle well-lit interiors, and I managed to guess right on the distance. The shutter speeds go up to 1/500, and for that you can feel the engagement of a stronger spring as you go past 1/250.</p>

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[heqm]

<p>The blurriness above is almost certainly due to camera shake with a slower shutter speed.<br>

Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of the second camera, my father's Kodak Duo Six-Twenty; stupidly I let it get away from me some years ago. It looks similar to the Retina in body shape, also a collapsable folder, and not much larger. But as its name implies it takes 620 film: medium format in a camera smaller than most 35mm! The "duo" in the title must refer to the fact that it has two red windows for checking the film winding; you put the number in each in turn, getting 16 pictures on a roll. <br>

The small size means you can take it almost anywhere, for instance on a visit to Palermo (below), and still get nice big negatives.</p><div></div>

[heqm]

<p>Again this was a hasty scan, showing lots of dust on the negative. But you can see the potential in the camera.<br>

If I find another Duo-six-twenty in good shape, I'd snap it up in a heartbeat. Below, another view of the cathedral.</p><div></div>

[heqm]

<p>Here's a better example of what the Retina can do: Scott Circle, in Washington DC.</p><div></div>

[Greg M]

<p>Retina's are wonderful little picture takers. I've never had a 1A, but have owned a later version 1b with the Xenar with the thumb advance on the bottom, the rangefinder IIA version with Xenon f2 and, best of all, the rangefinder and no metered IIc with Xenon f2.8.</p>

<p>The 1/500 high spring tension of the 1A/IIA models is quite the tight spring to set, and you need to set the 1/500 setting on the shutter first before cocking the shutter. The later version of the Synchro Compur shutter set in the b/B/c/C series is definitely improved in not having to deal with that extra tight high-speed setting.</p>

 

[JDMvW]

<p>Enjoying these posts. Keep it up.<br>

With modern films almost all above ISO 100, depth of field does make scale focusing easier.</p>

<p>However, for people who were not confident of their distance estimates, many camera companies and others offered more-or-less separate rangefinders, many of which mounted to the accessory shoe.</p><div></div>

[Andrew in Austin]

<p>A small camera with big results. I sold mine and kept a less well made Rollei 35 S.</p>

<p>The above photo doesn't do justice to how small and compact a Retina Ia really is.</p>

<p>Also, its smallness does not do justice to the quality of the images rendered by either the coated 3.5 or 2.8 Xenar.</p>

<p>I had totally forgotten about the frame counter until you mentioned it. Correct me, if I am wrong - but to load a roll of 24 frames, one has to set the counter to 27.</p>

[Mike Gammill]

<p>Nice results. Thanks for posting.</p>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>Excellent little folders; I've always thought of them as European rather than good ol' American Kodak, designed and produced as they were by Nagel in Germany. These and the Retinettes mus be one of the most long-lived and successful lines of cameras ever. Thanks for the post, <strong>Alan</strong>.</p>

[heqm]

<p><strong>Andrew, </strong>the frame counter has a little diamond at about 39 and again at 23, clearly where you set it for 36- and 20-exposure rolls before winding out the leading frames. Nothing at 27; so either the standard (Kodak) rolls weren't sold in 24-exposure rolls, or maybe there was a line in the owner's manual telling you what to do. You can pull out the 37th frame, if you want to, by shifting the dial manually.<br>

On the rewind knob there's a film reminder setting, listing Plus X, Pan X, Super XX, Kodachrome A, Kodachrome Daylight, and Infrared. The camera has outlived all of them, of course, though Plus X lasted until a short time ago. I find it interesting that Infrared was apparently popular enough to make it worth putting on the camera.<br>

On one of my other cameras, I developed the habit of giving the winding lever an extra push just to make sure it had wound a full frame; it wouldn't move if the film had gone far enough. On the Retina, however, there is no lock when you've gone far enough, so if I forget I lose an exposure.<br>

This model has a flash synch (M or X), which I've never used.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Butkus has a manual for the Retina Ia at<br>

http://www.butkus.org/chinon/kodak/kodak_retina_ia/kodak_retina_ia.htm <br>

If you use it, PayPal him a donation to support his good works.</p>

[tony_lockerbie]

<p>Good post again Alan, we all love a good Retina or Retinette. Nagel made some of the prettiest cameras around and all the Retinas look and perform well.<br>

A hard and fast guide to guesstimating distance is a full length shot of an adult is around 10 feet with a 50mm lens, and around three for a portrait. Of course when using a 120 folder the dof becomes much more critical.</p>

[chuck_foreman1]

I have wanted t oshare my expereicnes wit hthe Nagel cameras .. They are really well built.