# Added a new camera to my collection :)



## AaronLLockhart (Aug 19, 2012)

1959 Kodak Retinette IA

Although she's very clean and pretty, she certainly didn't start out this way. This camera is truly a survivor. This camera belonged to the grandfather of my girlfriend. Last year, our hometown area suffered from an F4 tornado and it wiped out his house completely. This camera was among a few other things in a box that survived the tornado. The viewfinder glass was knocked in, and it looked like it had been thrown into a mud pit, inside and out. The focus was locked, the shutter and aperture would not work. After completely disassembling this unit, cleaning it thoroughly and putting it back together, she seems to work perfectly now.

I'm actually very proud of myself, because this was the very first camera that I have ever disassembled and reassembled. I'm glad I could get it working. Can't wait to send some film through it, and I'll be sure to post the scans when finished


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## dxqcanada (Aug 20, 2012)

Great restoration job.

Now, this will not be the last ... since you know what to do ... hmm smell some G.A.S.


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## MLeeK (Aug 20, 2012)

Ohhh! It's a pretty one too!


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## SamSpade1941 (Aug 20, 2012)

Amazing job. Kudos !


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## DScience (Aug 20, 2012)

So amazing, great job! I have been curious about this, as I am unfamiliar with vintage cameras. What powers these old things???


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## AaronLLockhart (Aug 20, 2012)

DScience said:


> What powers these old things???



a ton of little gears, springs and levers.

I definitely have a new found respect for camera manufacturers. I had no idea there were so many moving parts until i started on this.


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## The Barbarian (Aug 20, 2012)

Powers them?   Unless they happen to have a CdS meter, (which is powered by the light it measures), they are powered by levers, gears, and springs.   

A few years ago, I took a Contax IIa on a flight and asked to have it inspected instead of X-rayed.    The officer looked it over a bit, and asked how to turn it on.   He was skeptical when I told him there was nothing to turn on.


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## DScience (Aug 20, 2012)

So there are no batteries??!?!


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## AaronLLockhart (Aug 20, 2012)

DScience said:


> So there are no batteries??!?!



None what so ever. Everything is mechanical


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## PhotoWrangler (Aug 21, 2012)

AaronLLockhart said:


> After completely disassembling this unit, cleaning it thoroughly and putting it back together, she seems to work perfectly now.
> ....Can't wait to send some film through it, and I'll be sure to post the scans when finished




I was just about to say.... "seems to work" and actually "working" are two completely different things, and you wont know until you run film through it. You could have more light leaks than a slice of swiss cheese.


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## PhotoWrangler (Aug 21, 2012)

DScience said:


> So there are no batteries??!?!




Can you believe it! There's no LCD panel either...


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## AaronLLockhart (Aug 21, 2012)

ChristopherCoy said:
			
		

> I was just about to say.... "seems to work" and actually "working" are two completely different things, and you wont know until you run film through it. You could have more light leaks than a slice of swiss cheese.



Already done! She works perfectly 

Now im afraid I will start pawning myself into other peoples junk cameras to fix. Hahaha


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## gsgary (Aug 21, 2012)

The Barbarian said:


> Powers them?   Unless they happen to have a CdS meter, (which is powered by the light it measures), they are powered by levers, gears, and springs.
> 
> A few years ago, I took a Contax IIa on a flight and asked to have it inspected instead of X-rayed.    The officer looked it over a bit, and asked how to turn it on.   He was skeptical when I told him there was nothing to turn on.



I would love a Contax II, i think it is what Capa used on D-Day, just check on ebayi'm so tempted *EX+* Zeiss Ikon Contax IIa Rangefinder + Sonnar 50mm f/1.5 red T 50/F1.5 | eBay


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## Ysarex (Aug 21, 2012)

Congrats on the restoration job. Kodak's Retina line of cameras holds a special place in the history of photography. Kodak introduced the 35mm film cassette to the world with the first model Retinas. Every time any photographer picks up a roll of 35mm film to put in any camera there's a little bit of Retina there in the background. I still shoot a Retina lens on my Canon dSLR via an adapter.

Joe


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## timor (Aug 21, 2012)

Looking forward to a slew of pictures !


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## PhotoWrangler (Aug 21, 2012)

AaronLLockhart said:


> Already done! She works perfectly
> 
> Now im afraid I will start pawning myself into other peoples junk cameras to fix. Hahaha




Uhhh... I've got two you can play with now. A Super Richoflex TLR and a K1000... LOL


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## The Barbarian (Aug 21, 2012)

> I would love a Contax II, i think it is what Capa used on D-Day, just check on ebayi'm so tempted *EX+* Zeiss Ikon Contax IIa Rangefinder + Sonnar 50mm f/1.5 red T 50/F1.5 | eBay



Just a hint:
You can save a lot of money and get essentially the same thing if you can find an early Russian Kiev.   They pretty much packed up the factory and parts from the Zeiss factory after WWII, and the early Kievs are every bit as good as the Contax IIs from Germany. (a lot of the technicians went with the factory).

Later on, that's another story.   I'm told that those built in the 80s were very poorly made.

Be aware that the Contax II is a very complicated machine, with a lot more parts and therefore a lot more to go wrong than the Leicas of the same age.   However, they are also much better cameras in terms of usability.    You don't have to trim the film leader, as you have to for most of the screw-mount Leicas, for example.    And the Contax has a better rangefinder, with a longer base, and it's integrated with the viewfinder.


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## dirquist (Aug 22, 2012)

Super nice job on that one!


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## AaronLLockhart (Aug 23, 2012)

Here is a picture of a picture that I have taken from my iphone with one of the results from the camera. It has a tendency to over expose. However, at least I know I can use a faster shutter speed 




No light leaks... it focuses correctly... I love it.

True settings were :

200 speed film
f/8
1/125 shutter
focused to infinite.


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## AaronLLockhart (Aug 23, 2012)

ChristopherCoy said:


> AaronLLockhart said:
> 
> 
> > Already done! She works perfectly
> ...




I love my K1000. It's probably my favorite SLR... even over my D5k.


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