Temporary inability to change aperture

Yes, there was a range of Retina Reflex series cameras including folding models IIc and IIIc with coupled range finders.

For an interesting trip down memory lane, or into history for younger folk, Ivor Matanle’s ‘Collecting and Using Classic SLRs’ is a most rewarding book. You will find some info on Retinas in there.

I always found the SRT101 with its CLC meter very reliable when used with a little nouse. As with any camera mounted meter the trick was to point the camera slightly down to get a reading and set at that. Then adjust by adding or subtracting 1/2 – 1 stop according to sun position if bright. On overcast days there were few issues. I founf Kodachrome II on dull days accentuated the reds something amazing, which could depend on lens in use. This down to red and blue being in sharp focus at different points and thus reds could spread a little.

In 1968 it was really something to have such a reliable meter in the camera and with an auto (stop-down as shutter is pressed) diaphragm lens with a bayonet-fit. This was about as good as it got. Unlike Nikons of the day there was no need to reset the meter as a lens was changed.

Metering, auto-diaphragm and rapid lens changing were the reasons I went for the SRT101 (also it felt good and solid in the hand – today picking one up sans lens one cannot but be impressed by its weight). Canons of the day had not settled into a homogenous design. Pentax had that slow change 42mm thread lens mount and were lightly constructed.

Focusing using a fresnel screen became more difficult as my eyes aged and a split focusing would have helped which to be fair was available in some Minolta X700s.

I recall trying out an uncle’s Edixa Prismat with pre-set lenses. An innovation on that was an accessory which cable connected the shutter button to the lens allowing the lens to be stopped down quickly, but it was a clumsy arrangement.

I used to collect old cameras avidly (and still have some tucked away) and i had a quick trawl thru after my last post – cannot find the camera with the weather symbols as described, but still have both a Retinette and a Retina reflex amongst others…

Best cameras that i ever had, in order of appearance were: an Olympus Pen D half-frame (small and suprisingly good results – cheap to run as well as it was my first ever camera), a Nikon EM (bit simple and limited as i recall, but good results) a Hassablad 500CM (via work – fantastic, but a pain to use) and later a Nikon FM2 (lovely,lovely,lovely – built like a tank – the perfect SLR)

I have just been given a fairly immaculate Pentax ME-Super and lens set by a rel who no longer needs it and it appears to work perfectly once i had fitted a new battery.

Michael

PS appols for wandering off the forum topic of “Tutorial” – i realise i am getting a bit misty-eyed here… 🙂

I once had an old (Kodak Retina ??, i think) camera

Yes, there was a range of Retina Reflex series cameras including folding models IIc and IIIc with coupled range finders.

For an interesting trip down memory lane, or into history for younger folk, Ivor Matanle’s ‘Collecting and Using Classic SLRs’ is a most rewarding book. You will find some info on Retinas in there.

I always found the SRT101 with its CLC meter very reliable when used with a little nouse. As with any camera mounted meter the trick was to point the camera slightly down to get a reading and set at that. Then adjust by adding or subtracting 1/2 – 1 stop according to sun position if bright. On overcast days there were few issues. I founf Kodachrome II on dull days accentuated the reds something amazing, which could depend on lens in use. This down to red and blue being in sharp focus at different points and thus reds could spread a little.

In 1968 it was really something to have such a reliable meter in the camera and with an auto (stop-down as shutter is pressed) diaphragm lens with a bayonet-fit. This was about as good as it got. Unlike Nikons of the day there was no need to reset the meter as a lens was changed.

Metering, auto-diaphragm and rapid lens changing were the reasons I went for the SRT101 (also it felt good and solid in the hand – today picking one up sans lens one cannot but be impressed by its weight). Canons of the day had not settled into a homogenous design. Pentax had that slow change 42mm thread lens mount and were lightly constructed.

Focusing using a fresnel screen became more difficult as my eyes aged and a split focusing would have helped which to be fair was available in some Minolta X700s.

I recall trying out an uncle’s Edixa Prismat with pre-set lenses. An innovation on that was an accessory which cable connected the shutter button to the lens allowing the lens to be stopped down quickly, but it was a clumsy arrangement.

This is called the “sunny f16 rule”:
1. set the shutterspeed closest to 1/ISO (e.g. ISO 100: 1/125, ISO 400: 1/500)
2. aperture: bright sun f16, sunny with clouds f11, some shadows f8

indeed – and it worked remarkably well for decades before lightmeters were either reliable or common. Out of habit, i still find myself glancing down at the floor before taking a meter reading, to see if peoples feet are casting any sort of shadow !!! 🙂

I once had an old (Kodak Retina ??, i think) camera which didnt have a light meter, but instead had a dial on top with weather type symbols ( sunny, raining, cloudy etc) which you matched against the film speed to give suggested exposures !!!

Apropos of exposure, I now have a canon 300d which has good, evaluative, metering, but it does sometimes get it wrong against split-level lighting and i wish it had the ability to switch to proper spot-metering as many of the older film SLR’s had.

I have to use manual mode or the AE lock facility, but they both use center-weighted metering so some guess-timation is required with this.

PS apropos of flat batteries – i just used to work to the rule that i use 125 @ f8 if you can see any sort of shadow, 125 @ f2.8 if you cant see any sort of shadows and 250 @ f11 if you need sunglasses 🙂 . It may be old school , but it generally works (100 asa)

This is called the “sunny f16 rule”:
1. set the shutterspeed closest to 1/ISO (e.g. ISO 100: 1/125, ISO 400: 1/500)
2. aperture: bright sun f16, sunny with clouds f11, some shadows f8

This is an area where I often wonder about today’s all singng all dancing SLR, whether digital or film.

As long as I can get film I will hang on to my old SRT101s which now have a far better range of lenses available for use than when I was on Ark in the early 70’s. Bought one camera body plus standard Rokkor f1.7 lens and a Tamron 135mm in UK before embarking and another SRT101 with standard f1.4 Rokkor in Gib’ plus a 28mm Rokkor wide angle on our way out of the Med at the end of 70. Added a 300mm Tamron whilst in the Caribbean.

No worries if the batteries went flat, if the light was tricky I would use my trusty Weston Master V, which I still have along with its invercone and brown leathger pouches.:D

Considering the conditions that these cameras were used over time the fact that they still work speaks for them.

Such a shame that the digital era has heralded increasing obsolescence.

i agree – i have a canon 300D now and am very pleased with its reliability – it has been all over the world in the last 3 years without any problems – but i would love to find a digital camera that was as compact, light and most importantly rugged as my Nikon FM2 was. there is something inherantly lovely about a mechanical camera.

Michael

PS apropos of flat batteries – i just used to work to the rule that i use 125 @ f8 if you can see any sort of shadow, 125 @ f2.8 if you cant see any sort of shadows and 250 @ f11 if you need sunglasses 🙂 . It may be old school , but it generally works (100 asa)

Inability to change or display aperture does indicate it wasn’t communicating with the lens, unmounting and remounting often fixes that sort of issue.

One of my 1D2s was playing up at Biggin, with button presses being ignored. It had got very hot lying on the ground in the sun, and after a few minutes in the shade it was back to normal…

This is an area where I often wonder about today’s all singng all dancing SLR, whether digital or film.

As long as I can get film I will hang on to my old SRT101s which now have a far better range of lenses available for use than when I was on Ark in the early 70’s. Bought one camera body plus standard Rokkor f1.7 lens and a Tamron 135mm in UK before embarking and another SRT101 with standard f1.4 Rokkor in Gib’ plus a 28mm Rokkor wide angle on our way out of the Med at the end of 70. Added a 300mm Tamron whilst in the Caribbean.

No worries if the batteries went flat, if the light was tricky I would use my trusty Weston Master V, which I still have along with its invercone and brown leathger pouches.:D

Considering the conditions that these cameras were used over time the fact that they still work speaks for them.

Such a shame that the digital era has heralded increasing obsolescence.

It wasn’t unusually hot was it? I think Canon says that the operating range is something like 32-104 defrees and a black camera in the sun can get pretty hot!?!

I have not had heat problems (or at least my camera hasn’t) here in Florida, but it didn’t like northern Norway in January. Things started to go glitchy on me there. Go figure, only 15 below !!

A dirty contact?