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Tagg
Tinkerer
Username: Tagg
Post Number: 19
Registered: 09-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 07:12 am: | 
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I recieved a Kodak Retina II in the mail yesterday and was not very impressed with its condition. The focus did not respond at all and the shutter stuck on the slower speeds, needless to say, I went in.
The shutter problem was solved easily enough with some lighter fluid, that is not a concern. However, the focus issue was only partly solved, apparently the ring attached to the knob on the outside had slipped free (or someone even worse than I took it apart) and the reason why nothing happened when I moved it back and forth was because it was just sliding back and forth, it was not interacting with the ring. I slightly unscrewed a couple screws and slipped the ring attached to the knob back underneath so it could be screwed back down, problem solved.
Now, when I focus at infinity at a far away object, the rangefinder works the way it should; problem is that when I put a slide of frosted glass on the rails to see how the actual picture would turn out, everything is extremely blurred. From 3 feet to infinity, nothing comes into focus. Now, this is my first rangefinder camera, so I may have messed something up or whatnot, I do not think I broke anything, so why will the picture not come into focus? I have the lenses screwed in well, nothing is loose. Does this camera also have a multi-threaded screw to where I should have marked the unscrew point before I actually unscrewed it?
Does anyone know how to get the focus to come in? Thanks!
Neil |
Tagg
Tinkerer
Username: Tagg
Post Number: 20
Registered: 09-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 08:11 am: |
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I believe I might have stumbled upon the problem. I took a picture just to see if anyone could confirm this, but is the front lens element missing in the picture? If that be the case... *sighs*
[IMG]http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h230/Taggerung17/Retina.jpg[/IMG] |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 296
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 05:32 pm: |
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by jove, i think it is. that looks like the second element and the threads to receive the first. i assume you don't see any engraving around that glass? |
Tagg
Tinkerer
Username: Tagg
Post Number: 21
Registered: 09-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 05:54 pm: |
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No, I do not see any engravings around the glass. However, I have sent an email off to Chris Sherlock, and I think he will be able to help me out. I am also getting some information on a lens that is currently up for auction on eBay, it is useless by itself, and it comes from the same time period as my Kodak Retina II. Right now my camera is in good condition with the exception that it is missing the front lens element. Another $20 would be more than justifiable considering the price I paid for it and the price most of these cameras fetch on auction.
Thanks for confirming the problem, hopefully Chris can help me out, because if he cannot, I do not know who would be able to! |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 297
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 06:32 pm: |
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Make sure you get an entire lens, swapping front elements is likely to be a problem because without the engraving you don't know what lens it had. Some had Schneider Xenons, some had Kodak Ektars... I don't recall if there were also Rodenstocks. |
Tagg
Tinkerer
Username: Tagg
Post Number: 22
Registered: 09-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 07:06 pm: |
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I don't think this will help any, but on the underside of the middle lens element the numbers 7871 can be seen. Again, it is only a serial number or the equivalent of one, so I doubt it will help any.
And in regards to your advice on buying an entire lens set: will do. Thanks again for the help! |
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