[The Barbarian]

Barbarian here. I like making images of anything with light on it. Digitally, I use a Pentax *istDS, or a Canon Powershot.

I really love classic rangefinder cameras and 120 folders, even though film is such a mess to deal with now that we have digital. My dream is that someone will develop digital backs for old Contaxes, Leicas, etc.

[smarti77]

Hi 'Barbarian'! I use the DS. Its a great camera. I'm looking forward to seeing your shots...

[EnglishBob]

Welcome to shuttertalk

I know a few years ago I saw a digital device offered that droppedinto 35mm camera and replaced the film cartridge... as I remember it was very pricy and very poor quality images.

[The Barbarian]

Yeah, "Digital Film". One megapixels. Company badly operated, and it died. I have many of the classic mechanical cameras, and I love them. If only they could be converted to digital. Here's a shot from the much-underrated Voigtlander Perkeo a (pocketable!) 120 rollfilm camera.



This a scan from a print, so the quality is not quite what it might be, but you get some feel for the way a large negative gives you a greater shot.

Can you get that in digital? Yep. Check out what a medium format digital back costs today. If anyone knows an inexpensive way to get a digital picture from a 120 negative, I'd like to know about it.

[Banded Drake]

Welcome !!! and it nice to see another film shooter here LOL. I dont have any of the equiptment that you have but i am still shooting film LOL . Glad you are here and i love all your shots!!!


...... Shawn

[shuttertalk]

Hey Barbarian... welcome to Shutttertalk! Love your avatar!

I used to collect classic rangefinders too ... I had a couple of canonets and olympus ones...

Anyway, hope you enjoy your stay here... if you need anything, feel free to ask.

[The Barbarian]

Some of my favorites. The Voigtlander is particular good, with it's superb 1.5 Nokton.

[Keith Alan]

Welcome, Barbarian.
If you have any old Kodak tips to share with me, I would appreciate it.
Mine's the Retinette IIB. Not a rangefinder, but a light meter that still works counts for something.
The lenses are supposed to be really good, right?

Despite an early fascination upon finding it in my parent's things, so far I haven't run any film through it sucessfully.
(First try, the roll was blank, no idea why)
Keith

[The Barbarian]

Not bad. NIce Schneider-Kreuzenach 40mm Reomar lens. Synchro-Compur shutter. Those two little red tabs on the top of the lens show your depth of field, and change automatically when you change f-stops.

Fairly unusual to see one with the meter still working, although the selenium cells in Retinas and Retinettes are a bit more durable than most. (Retinettes were a lower-cost verion of Retinas, with few features, like rangefinders) The Retina and Retinette lines were high-quality cameras.

My guess is that this one was sold in Germany in a PX.

Edited to add:
If you didn't get anything at all on your film, most likely you didn't get the leader tucked tightly in the take-up spool. Wind once to be sure it's tight before closing the back. The other potential problem is the shutter. Open the back, and look in as you trip the shutter at a light source, to be sure it's working.