Hi Peter, Greetings from Australia!! my wife and I love your video so much, we watch it over and over again, thank you so much for uploading new amazing videos, we are a big fan of vintage film cameras.
I’d just like to echo some of the other comments and say it’s good to see a new video from you. It’s great (and appreciated) that you take the time to share knowledge in an interesting and entertaining way. Just getting into film, your videos have been very interesting.
Lovely old Kodak Pete and your usual entertaining and informative dissertation. Great to have another chance to see one of your ‘treasures’. Keep ‘em coming won’t you.
Always fun and interesting to see your presentations. I briefly owned a similar Retina but not your exact model. I seem to remember that the film counter counted backwards from 35 back to 1.
If it is a camera built for export to France as hinted by the french depth of field scale, then you've been lucky with the A (advance) and R (rewind) letters. I suspect A is for Avant, and R is for Rembobiner, the french for advance and rewind. If it was a german camera, it may have had V and Z, for Voraus and Zuruckspulen. Those xenar's were based on the Tessar design, which was always being pushed a bit when made to produce f: 2.8. They were really more happy at f:3.5 as you have found Pete.
Nice review and unlike almost everyone else who reviews old cameras, you actually make prints to show the results. For guesstimating minimum distance on these old folders, I take a measurement on my body for future reference. In my case the fingertips of my left outstretched arm to my right ear is one metre!
Are you familiar with card rangefinders? That could easily be applied to the folds on your hand and fingers as reference. You need to train first of course, but then you’d have a reasonably accurate rangefinder with you always.
Welcome back and hope you are well. As ever a great and informative video however, I'd not had painted it myself I prefer a camera to show signs of use and love.
THIS is the real start of 35mm or 135 film for stills. Not Leica. It’s was the camera that made it easy to load the film and a camera that is eminently portable. I’d take this any day with an external range finder, over a Leica I or II for actual practical photography. August Nagel was the real genius, not Barnak. ;-)
Looks great. The system with the lever seems a bit confusing at first but is actually very useful. I have a Balda Jubilette with a similar function that ultimately prevents double exposure.
Peter Elgar Good luck for Friday it’s not much fun getting old is it? I know how you feel and share your apprehension of hospitals. I think that your love of photography and all its paraphernalia is a real help, and as you say takes your mind off the lady surgeon and that’s a good thing. Now here’s a quiz question- if you were to be cast adrift on a desert island, apart from your darkroom you are only allowed one camera - what would you choose?
Hello Peter came across your Channel. I like it I like your collection of cameras. I recently picked up a Minox EC from eBay it started out at $29.00 I think the seller kind of ran me up to $45.00 dollars But that's okay Amazon has the same camera for sale without a flash asking for $300. I don't think he knew if it worked or I substituted the batteries for four button size batteries. Open the camera light up, with a little red light and I had some old flash bulbs clubs. I fire it off. Works still. Have to check the mechanism to see if it's rotating around but we'll see. Forgot how much the film cost. You're up an age and so am I. It amazing the cameras that are out there still. They were invented before we were even born or teenagers, didn't even know they existed then. A lot of them and still work. Enjoyed watching your video keep up the good work have a Great New Year 2020
The paint on these is notorious for flaking off. Probably one owner just decided to finish the job to get a cleaner finish. Not only is the camera nice in itself, it also bears signs of an interesting history.
I had a Retina 1a with a 50mm 2.8 Schneider xenar which was very sharp. I regret that I sold it to a student who was just starting out in photography. I have a Retinette 1a now with a sharp coated 50mm 3.5 Schneider Raomar. It has a cold flash shoe which I use for my separate rangefinder. It also is flash synchronised and has a delayed action function for selfies.
I've just got my mits on a Retina 1a, with the 2.8 lens, the focal lengths are in meters, which suits me down to the ground as I have a laser measuring device, so I should be accurate. It came with a box of 35mm negatives, which I have digitised and they're from ww2 or national service, the late 50s.. over 300 snaps! Submarines, mosquitos, sea furys, ansons, ships, all sorts! Im giving it a road test tomorrow. Anyway, I hope you're really well Sir.
You'll have to be careful with your diet, white carbs are best avoided. I'll tell you what works wonders with my dad and that's any baking using spelt flour, white, granary or wholemeal, all keeps his blood sugars in good shape. We have a breadmaker, it's simple to use.
Hi Peter, i commented at length on your photo on Flickr but just wanted to say thanks for sharing this fascinating camera! BTW, i meant to say on the flickr photo but forgot, the front door catch would have originally been infilled with black enamel so that the Kodak lettering would be silver letters on black. Later 'chrome top' retinas had this scheme replaced with black lettering on silver. I have always had a soft spot for the warm nickel plating on the black versions though. If interested in Retina/Retinette cameras consider taking a look at the 'Kodak Retina & Retinette Camera Lovers' group on Facebook - it contains lots of interesting information and discussion on these wonderful cameras: facebook.com/groups/KodakRetinaRetinetteLovers I also have a Flickr group for all things Retina/Retinette: www.flickr.com/groups/kodakretinaretinette
Hi Peter, Greetings from Australia!! my wife and I love your video so much, we watch it over and over again, thank you so much for uploading new amazing videos, we are a big fan of vintage film cameras.
So Kind -- ! I read your comment with my attempt at an Australian Accent ! ( Cor Blimey Guvnor- you're a Toff ! -- London accent ! )
Splendid little camera, Peter! I love Chris’s repair videos and have restored two of this model and my Retina IIIc using them. Cheers! Andy
I’d just like to echo some of the other comments and say it’s good to see a new video from you. It’s great (and appreciated) that you take the time to share knowledge in an interesting and entertaining way. Just getting into film, your videos have been very interesting.
Those Retinas are pure gold. Beautifully engineered and ageing well. Thank you Peter from Ireland.
Glad to see you back on here. Hope all goes well for you. Can’t begin to tell you how much I enjoy and appreciate your videos
Lovely old Kodak Pete and your usual entertaining and informative dissertation. Great to have another chance to see one of your ‘treasures’. Keep ‘em coming won’t you.
Good on 'yer Peter, Well done!
I love those Little Retinas. Great cameras
You’ve been missed Peter! Lovely camera.
Very enjoyable and informative video, Peter. What a cracking little camera you have there, with a lovely sharp lens. Thank you for sharing with us.
Always fun and interesting to see your presentations. I briefly owned a similar Retina but not your exact model. I seem to remember that the film counter counted backwards from 35 back to 1.
A proper entertaining camera review. Great video Peter.
Loved this m8 :-) I have a Retina but not as old as this..... She's an awesome bit of engineering :-)
If it is a camera built for export to France as hinted by the french depth of field scale, then you've been lucky with the A (advance) and R (rewind) letters. I suspect A is for Avant, and R is for Rembobiner, the french for advance and rewind. If it was a german camera, it may have had V and Z, for Voraus and Zuruckspulen. Those xenar's were based on the Tessar design, which was always being pushed a bit when made to produce f: 2.8. They were really more happy at f:3.5 as you have found Pete.
I am just about to post a review of one of these similar cameras.Great review as always.
Thank you, I would like to start repairing mine. Great video :) You helped me a lot.
Nice review and unlike almost everyone else who reviews old cameras, you actually make prints to show the results. For guesstimating minimum distance on these old folders, I take a measurement on my body for future reference. In my case the fingertips of my left outstretched arm to my right ear is one metre!
Are you familiar with card rangefinders? That could easily be applied to the folds on your hand and fingers as reference. You need to train first of course, but then you’d have a reasonably accurate rangefinder with you always.
Welcome back and hope you are well. As ever a great and informative video however, I'd not had painted it myself I prefer a camera to show signs of use and love.
Nice review Peter glad you found a use for the trusty Neatsfoot Oil 👌
THIS is the real start of 35mm or 135 film for stills. Not Leica.
It’s was the camera that made it easy to load the film and a camera that is eminently portable.
I’d take this any day with an external range finder, over a Leica I or II for actual practical photography.
August Nagel was the real genius, not Barnak. ;-)
Well done Peter, and that's a great gift you've restored. Looks like you have received some good karma. Hope you are doing well, cheers.
Looks great. The system with the lever seems a bit confusing at first but is actually very useful. I have a Balda Jubilette with a similar function that ultimately prevents double exposure.
Really glad to see you back on the scene, Peter :-)
Keeps my mind off HOSPITAL things but a I have to see the Lady Surgeon on Friday -- wish me luck !
@@theoldfilmbloke Best of luck Peter!
@@theoldfilmbloke I certainly wish you great luck and lots of energy, Peter. It would be nice to see another video of your life experiences.
Peter Elgar Good luck for Friday it’s not much fun getting old is it? I know how you feel and share your apprehension of hospitals. I think that your love of photography and all its paraphernalia is a real help, and as you say takes your mind off the lady surgeon and that’s a good thing. Now here’s a quiz question- if you were to be cast adrift on a desert island, apart from your darkroom you are only allowed one camera - what would you choose?
Wishing you the best on Friday...
Hello Peter came across your Channel. I like it I like your collection of cameras.
I recently picked up a Minox EC from eBay it started out at $29.00 I think the seller kind of ran me up to $45.00 dollars But that's okay Amazon has the same camera for sale without a flash asking for $300. I don't think he knew if it worked or I substituted the batteries for four button size batteries. Open the camera light up, with a little red light and I had some old flash bulbs clubs. I fire it off. Works still. Have to check the mechanism to see if it's rotating around but we'll see. Forgot how much the film cost. You're up an age and so am I. It amazing the cameras that are out there still. They were invented before we were even born or teenagers, didn't even know they existed then. A lot of them and still work. Enjoyed watching your video keep up the good work have a Great New Year 2020
The paint on these is notorious for flaking off.
Probably one owner just decided to finish the job to get a cleaner finish.
Not only is the camera nice in itself, it also bears signs of an interesting history.
I had a Retina 1a with a 50mm 2.8 Schneider xenar which was very sharp. I regret that I sold it to a student who was just starting out in photography.
I have a Retinette 1a now with a sharp coated 50mm 3.5 Schneider Raomar. It has a cold flash shoe which I use for my separate rangefinder. It also is flash synchronised and has a delayed action function for selfies.
I've just got my mits on a Retina 1a, with the 2.8 lens, the focal lengths are in meters, which suits me down to the ground as I have a laser measuring device, so I should be accurate. It came with a box of 35mm negatives, which I have digitised and they're from ww2 or national service, the late 50s.. over 300 snaps! Submarines, mosquitos, sea furys, ansons, ships, all sorts! Im giving it a road test tomorrow. Anyway, I hope you're really well Sir.
How Interesting !!! well -- I have been Diagnosed now with type 2 Insulin Resistant Diabetes on top of all my Cancer things ---
You'll have to be careful with your diet, white carbs are best avoided. I'll tell you what works wonders with my dad and that's any baking using spelt flour, white, granary or wholemeal, all keeps his blood sugars in good shape. We have a breadmaker, it's simple to use.
Hi Peter, i commented at length on your photo on Flickr but just wanted to say thanks for sharing this fascinating camera!
BTW, i meant to say on the flickr photo but forgot, the front door catch would have originally been infilled with black enamel so that the Kodak lettering would be silver letters on black. Later 'chrome top' retinas had this scheme replaced with black lettering on silver. I have always had a soft spot for the warm nickel plating on the black versions though.
If interested in Retina/Retinette cameras consider taking a look at the 'Kodak Retina & Retinette Camera Lovers' group on Facebook - it contains lots of interesting information and discussion on these wonderful cameras:
facebook.com/groups/KodakRetinaRetinetteLovers
I also have a Flickr group for all things Retina/Retinette:
www.flickr.com/groups/kodakretinaretinette
👌👌