Looking for a good vintage RF

[lotech]

The IIIS can use the same 45mm f/2.8 xenar as the IIs, as well as 28, 30, 35, 50, 85 and 135mm lenses. (although the DKL mount 45mm f/2.8 xenar was designed for the Instamatic reflex and does not couple to the rangefinder in the IIIS. In my experience, the 50mm f/2.8 Xenar is a superior performer, but that is based on my sample size of one each). The 35mm f/2.8 Curtagon is also a lovely 5 element design lens.

The IIS does not have parallax adjusting framelines, it has projected framelines, but just with parallax correcting marks visible in the frame. The IIS is reputably more difficult to service than the IIIs, because while it has a simpler RF/VF system, it's compressed into the smaller retinette sized body.

Both the IIS, IIIS and Retina Reflex S, III and IV models use an EV lock system without any EV numbers essentially. The two knurled knobs around the lens mount adjust the shutter speed, but couple the aperture to it to keep consistent exposure. So when the shutter speed gets faster the aperture gets wider and vice versa. The wheel on the bottom adjusts only the aperture unless you hit the end range, in which case it will then bump the shutter speed one click.

So basically, if you want to use it by ignoring the meter you can, you just need to set the shutter speed first using the winged knobs and then set the aperture with the wheel. There's no way to disable this system without significantly modifying the camera.

OIC thanks for the detailed explanation, but without RF coupling the 45mm is no use to me, what I like about RF was how the parallax correction works, and it may sound silly that I don't want the IIIS/C simply bcoz of the lens ! First I thought the IIIS/C can only fit a 35mm which is a little too wide for everyday use, I want something in between 40-45mm, and I found few other fixed lens models came with 45mm like the Retina Automatic III, plus some Japanese Leica copies. It's strange that, from what I can see, most reviewers did not mention, or don't even know about the parallax correction thing, so rarely mentioned in their post. To me parallax correction is the most important part in a rangefinder camera, it's the heart and soul of it, especially when you are shooting at close range. Beside Kodak I am also considering Voigtländer and Zeiss Ikon, but again very little info. about that I can find.

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[Cascadilla]

OIC thanks for the detailed explanation, but without RF coupling the 45mm is no use to me, what I like about RF was how the parallax correction works, and it may sound silly that I don't want the IIIS/C simply bcoz of the lens ! First I thought the IIIS/C can only fit a 35mm which is a little too wide for everyday use, I want something in between 40-45mm, and I found few other fixed lens models came with 45mm like the Retina Automatic III, plus some Japanese Leica copies. It's strange that, from what I can see, most reviewers did not mention, or don't even know about the parallax correction thing, so rarely mentioned in their post. To me parallax correction is the most important part in a rangefinder camera, it's the heart and soul of it, especially when you are shooting at close range. Beside Kodak I am also considering Voigtländer and Zeiss Ikon, but again very little info. about that I can find.

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If you really need perfect parallax compensation then an SLR is the only way to go. Even the best of RF parallax compensation won't be as good as an SLR, and to be practical about it, a more complicated finder design in a 60 or 70 year old camera is likely to have more problems that need repair to work as intended. Unless you are shooting slides with the intent to project them, a little judicious cropping either in a darkroom or in Photoshop with scans isn't that big a deal. And even if you're projecting slides, not all slide mounts have the same area of the film exposed, so you may still have unintentional cropping of your images.

 

[lotech]

Well SLR doesn't have parallax problem so no need to correct, parallax compensation or correction is only a problem on rangefinder cameras, no matter how effective it is.

 

[Tomazagato]

Konica Auto S2 fits all these, a little larger than a QL17, but they are dirt cheap, and has a great lens.

I have this, and bought it as you say dirt cheap, and in superb condition, sent it off for cla and after one film the advance film lever is jammed, I just feel it’s a bummer of an example of this rangefinder camera that has top glass.

 

[tortellini_man]

I have this, and bought it as you say dirt cheap, and in superb condition, sent it off for cla and after one film the advance film lever is jammed, I just feel it’s a bummer of an example of this rangefinder camera that has top glass.

i got one for pretty cheap a couple of years ago, and the shutter got stuck after ~2 rolls

the quoted repair price was far more than the camera costs, so it's currently a brick on the shelf until im rich

 

[santino]

It is actually quite easy to access the shutter from the front. I guess it is just a cla thing… The hardest part are the wires to the light meter.