Kodak Retinette 1A Film selector help needed!!! NEW QUESTION!

[Pippy_Neville]

Hello to the the film & conventional forum! Not somewhere I've spent a great deal of time as yet, but that's hopefully about to change!

I've decided to put some film through an old camera (I think it's from 1959?) and after doing a bit of reading on here I chose Fujifilm Velvia 200. But they didn't have that in my local Jessops so I ended up with a 36exp roll of Velvia100. For £9.00! God, I didn't realise film was that much! Anyway, I digress.

My problem is this:
On the camera instead of ASA/ISO numbers it has types of film listed:

I can set the film speed pretty much anywhere in this circle and any variant in between.

So where should I set the film speed selector then?
Many thanks,
Pip

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

You don't need to set it at all It is simply a reminder of the film you have loaded it does nothing else.
The camera does not have an exposure meter built in you must either estimate the exposure or use a hand held exposure meter.

 

[CT]

Hello to the the film & conventional forum! Not somewhere I've spent a great deal of time as yet, but that's hopefully about to change!

I've decided to put some film through an old camera (I think it's from 1959?) and after doing a bit of reading on here I chose Fujifilm Velvia 200. But they didn't have that in my local Jessops so I ended up with a 36exp roll of Velvia100. For £9.00! God, I didn't realise film was that much! Anyway, I digress.

My problem is this:
On the camera instead of ASA/ISO numbers it has types of film listed:

I can set the film speed pretty much anywhere in this circle and any variant in between.

So where should I set the film speed selector then?
Many thanks,
Pip

Nice camera!

There's no metering in the camera, that dial is just a reminder to yourself of what film type you have in there- it isn't connected to anything within the camera.. I wouldn't bother setting it at all. All you need to remember is the ISO rating of the film you have loaded. If you're using a separate meter just set that ISO on the meter.

 

[TheBigYin]

£9.00 a roll for Velvia??? are you sure it's not process paid??? (I know-it's not, but at that price it should be!) Last couple of rolls of Velvia I bought from Discount Films Direct were around £6.00 - and i'm fairly sure that someone on here will know of a cheaper source!

 

[Pippy_Neville]

You don't need to set it at all It is simply a reminder of the film you have loaded it does nothing else.
The camera does not have an exposure meter built in you must either estimate the exposure or use a hand held exposure meter.

Oh I see, I'm gonna have to dig out one of the old light meters as well then! Or get good at estimating... Thanks Terry!

Nice camera!

There's no metering in the camera, that dial is just a reminder to yourself of what film type you have in there- it isn't connected to anything within the camera.. I wouldn't bother setting it at all. All you need to remember is the ISO rating of the film you have loaded. If you're using a separate meter just set that ISO on the meter.

Thanks CT, I'll certainly be seeing what I can get out of it. Just got to find the old lightmeters now, I know I've got several of them floating aroudn somewhere!

£9.00 a roll for Velvia??? are you sure it's not process paid??? (I know-it's not, but at that price it should be!) Last couple of rolls of Velvia I bought from Discount Films Direct were around £6.00 - and i'm fairly sure that someone on here will know of a cheaper source!

I know BYin! I mean I know Jessops are expensive most of the time, but I was shocked to pay £9 for a roll of off the shelf film. It's not like they were even keeping it in the fridge or anything, and they had some that was much older date stock with different packaging! And the poor girl in the shop didn't have a danny about any aspect of film so I just had to guess!

 

[Pippy_Neville]

Would I be better of using the Retinette or do you think I may be better off with an old Voigtlander Vito C?

Thanks
Pip

 

[CT]

I don't think the Vito C has metering either? You're not going to see a difference whichever you use quite honestly, just pick your preference and try to get the exposure right.

 

[donut]

i think i'd have put a print film through it to start with ,wouldnt want to try and guess the exposures on reversal .

 

[Yv]

Oh I see, I'm gonna have to dig out one of the old light meters as well then! Or get good at estimating... Thanks Terry!

I have the 1b, which does have a meter, but its not working, so guestimated everything anyway and most of it turned out pretty ok. If you have a digitial camera anyway, use that for a test roll as a metering tool and maybe even take the same shots so you have comparisons as well.

 

[Pippy_Neville]

I don't think the Vito C has metering either? You're not going to see a difference whichever you use quite honestly, just pick your preference and try to get the exposure right.

Correct CT, no metering, that's part of the fun of what I'm trying!

i think i'd have put a print film through it to start with ,wouldnt want to try and guess the exposures on reversal .

I may be being a bit thick but don;t know what you mean donut?

I have the 1b, which does have a meter, but its not working, so guestimated everything anyway and most of it turned out pretty ok. If you have a digitial camera anyway, use that for a test roll as a metering tool and maybe even take the same shots so you have comparisons as well.

Good idea Yv, think I'm gonna be seeing what the sunny 16 rule comes up with.

Oh well, in for a penny in for nine pounds. About to load some film up!
pip

 

[TheBigYin]

I may be being a bit thick but don;t know what you mean donut?

Good idea Yv, think I'm gonna be seeing what the sunny 16 rule comes up with.

I think Donut's referring to the fact that print film has a lot wider exposure lattitude than slide film (will still get an okay picture maybe a couple of stops out, whereas even +/- 1/3rd of a stop on slide will affect the picture noticeably.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Would I be better of using the Retinette or do you think I may be better off with an old Voigtlander Vito C?

Thanks
Pip

It depends which lens and shutter each has fitted they both came with a range from reasonable to excellent.

The Retinas usually had lenses from the Schneider and Zeiss ranges whilst Voigtlander made their own lenses, many of which were excellent.

Cameras from both ranges sold in England mostly with the less expensive lenses.

 

[Pippy_Neville]

I think Donut's referring to the fact that print film has a lot wider exposure lattitude than slide film (will still get an okay picture maybe a couple of stops out, whereas even +/- 1/3rd of a stop on slide will affect the picture noticeably.

Oh I see, thanks for explaining that BigYin.

It depends which lens and shutter each has fitted they both came with a range from reasonable to excellent.

The Retinas usually had lenses from the Schneider and Zeiss ranges whilst Voigtlander made their own lenses, many of which were excellent.

Cameras from both ranges sold in England mostly with the less expensive lenses.

Terry, I decided to go with the Retinette, just because it's older.

I've also dug out an electronic Sunpak auto140 flash and I'm just charging up a metz mekablitz 217Ts - which has a telecomputer built into it! Although maybe I should go with one of those old fashioned fan flashes that I have around somewhere that you have to pop bulbs into?
This is fun! Just hope I loaded the film ok...

 

[donut]

sorry P.N ,,,,the film you have is a slide film ,,,,with those you need the exposure to be pretty well spot on,not much room for error,, with a print film,you have a lot more latitude ,and adjustments can be made at the printing stage , ( which velvia dosent have ) you do realise that you wont get any pictures on paper back dont you ?

 

[Pippy_Neville]

sorry P.N ,,,,the film you have is a slide film ,,,,with those you need the exposure to be pretty well spot on,not much room for error,, with a print film,you have a lot more latitude ,and adjustments can be made at the printing stage , ( which velvia dosent have ) you do realise that you wont get any pictures on paper back dont you ?

Oh well, it'll be interesting to see how good my exposures are then. And really I want scans rather than prints, although as they'll be colour positives I may just scan them myself.

 

[donut]

and dont forget ,,,no chimping ( it wont help )

 

[Pippy_Neville]

and dont forget ,,,no chimping ( it wont help )

Haha, yes I did catch myself doing that! It's making me think about things a lot more that's for sure, which must be a good thing in the long run. My biggest issue is remembering to sort the focus out as looking through the viewfinder of course gives no indication!