paul_winter1

<p>I must admit, one of my favourite little cameras.</p>

<p>Like the Fujica rear focus wheel, the front Balda one is a joy to use - surely spinning a wheel is is just as easy as turning a focus ring?</p>

<p>I have a Westanar with a full length Meter window - much more elegant!</p>

<p>Paul</p>

Yefei

If you think the Iloca/Graphic Electric is a challenge, you should try the Iloca Automatic!

1. Little lever on the base of the camera - push to the left (hold it in this position if necessary)

2. Pull out Rewind lever as far as it will come

3. Push in Rewind lever about an 1/8 of an inch - not too far or it locks in again! (this releases a small sprung plate that locks the back in place)

4. The back should then come off if you pull it from the right hand side. It may just come off easily, however if it has not been opened in years, just keep on pulling while you hold the rewind knob in just slightly.

The back is marked with a small red dot. Make sure you place the red dot on the left hand side of the camera when you replace the back or your next voyage of discovery will involve you working out how to force the back off without damaging yourself or the camera. It took me about a fair few days of "fiddling" to resolve this one.

Hope that helps

Paul

N.B. Right & Left with the back of the camera towards you.

My email address is paul dot winter at lycos dot com

Four reasons for buying a IIa

Smaller and neater than a IIc/IIIc

Lever wind on top of the camera.

Much cheaper than a IIC or IIIC

There is no point to the two auxiliary lenses as they are slow in use and you can't shut the camera when they are on it - the whole point of a folding camera is that you can slip it into your pocket!

Three reasons for not buying a IIa

The viewfinder on the IIC & IIIC (not IIc & IIIc which is almost identical to a IIa) is much easier to see if you wear spectacles

The IIIC & IIC hold their value better and seem to always be in demand

The quality of construction and the finish are slightly superior.

My choice - IIIC every time - I wear glasses, so I find the IIa difficult and I really like "brightline" finders. it has been ultra reliable (over 23 years) and produces really excellent pictures - on par with my Nikon FE2.

Heligon v Xenon? No real difference. Heligons were restricted to Europe and the rest of the world and only a few made it across the Atlantic with returning GIs.

My two IIIS are really impressive designs and the lenses fit the Reflexes. However I have never finished a film in either as something always goes wrong.

Best 1960s Retina? Not the Automatic III - getting a good working one is next to impossible (in my experience - I bought five before I got a worker!) Try the Retina IIF - it is a betterr and more versatile design.

I posted a few pictures and comments on various Retina lens issues here on the camera collector board:

http://cameracollector.proboards30.com/index.cgi?board=range&action=display&thread=1137883370

Paul