Re: filmscanners: open and control

[Richard.Starr@valley.net (Richard Starr)]

--- You wrote:
Richard wrote:

> What was that monster Kodak 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 rangefinder (220 film) that they
sold during the war and possibly before?  Beautifully built in the US,
uncoatedoptics that were quite good, it looked like a kid's toy on steriods.


Oooh, that's a toughie. The Medalist was a 620, but it looks and sounds like
you describe. Right years, too--1941-1946. Could also be a Duex, also 620,
1940-1946, but cheap, probably not as heavy as you describe. If you have one
and send it to me, I could get a much better fix on it--I'd pay the shipping
one-way. Don't ever expect to get it back, OTOH. ;-)

The Retina IIIc was in fact one of the last really good cameras Kodak made,
from about 1960. German-made largely, certainly the optics with a Compur
shutter. Kodak also made some reasonably good reflex cameras about then.  I
don't have any of them, but I know of a lake where there's one at the bottom
of. :-)

Best regards--LRA

Of course it was the Medalist and 620 film is right.  I don't know if you can
even get that stuff anymore and it's no fun rewinding 120 on 620 spools.  I
sold mine eons ago.  Sorry.  But it was a very neat camera and I believe they
can be had still.  have you looked at ebay?

The last Retina was in fact the IIIC (capital C) which had a superior
viewfinder to the III small c, a meter without the flip up door and, if I'm not
mistaken, lines in the finder for each of the aux lenses.  I still have mine,
fire damaged and lacking the removable front element.   Shutter still works.  I
wish I could justfy buying another, but I wouldn't use it as much as my current
cameras, an Olympus XA4 and a Minolta Explorer (both with 28 mm lenses.)  The
Retina would get lonely along with my old NIkon bodies.  If I can't slip it in
my pocket, it stays home.  The Medalist would be a doorstop.

Rich