Retina II exercise
Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2020 6:50 pm
Back in 1962, my late father gave us (my twin brother and me) a used but well kept Retina II. It was the first serious camera that I ever used extensively, after a few rolls in a Brownie Hawkeye. I still remember loading it for the first time, with great care and Plus-X, while my father kept watching and making the point that it was a delicate precision instrument.
We shot a lot of bulk-loaded Plus-X in that little camera. Some years later, the Retina II went on a trade for my first SLR.
Just a few years ago I found the exact same model offered locally, and got a Retina II for the second time.
To me, this model is the top of the Retina series. Although probably the III types are better cameras in a technical sense, they are also larger and heavier; the often-preferred IIa is less reliable, because of a more delicate film transport mechanism.
I had not used my new Retina II very much, because with a deteriorating eyesight it was becoming difficult to focus and operate. But after cataract surgery, I was elated to find that the difficulties were gone. Therefore I loaded a roll of FP4+ from bulk and went to exercise the little camera. Here are a few results.
Central crop, about 1/4 of area
A group doing a coreography, probably for some birthday video
Trees with a family pattern
Tones and textures, in an old bus that has been fashioned as a mobile home
The bliss of line fishing
Cars coming up an exit
Thanks for looking!
We shot a lot of bulk-loaded Plus-X in that little camera. Some years later, the Retina II went on a trade for my first SLR.
Just a few years ago I found the exact same model offered locally, and got a Retina II for the second time.
To me, this model is the top of the Retina series. Although probably the III types are better cameras in a technical sense, they are also larger and heavier; the often-preferred IIa is less reliable, because of a more delicate film transport mechanism.
I had not used my new Retina II very much, because with a deteriorating eyesight it was becoming difficult to focus and operate. But after cataract surgery, I was elated to find that the difficulties were gone. Therefore I loaded a roll of FP4+ from bulk and went to exercise the little camera. Here are a few results.
Central crop, about 1/4 of area
A group doing a coreography, probably for some birthday video
Trees with a family pattern
Tones and textures, in an old bus that has been fashioned as a mobile home
The bliss of line fishing
Cars coming up an exit
Thanks for looking!
