View Full Version : New Retina IIa, releathered
FallisPhoto
02-03-2009, 11:56
I just bought another Retina on the big auction site, this one a IIa. It looked like this when I got it (which is probably why the bidding only went up to $12), so I figured it was a prime candidate for releathering:
http://fc29.deviantart.com/fs41/f/2009/034/0/9/Retina__before_by_FallisPhoto.jpg
Anyway, I looked over a few leathers online and finally decided to do it in -- wait for it -- gray giant bullfrog leather. Just in case, I hedged my bets and bought a kit from Cameraleather too. Well, in due course the leather arrived and I started measuring and cutting the frog skin (surprisingly tough stuff). Unfortunately, close to the end, it appeared I was going to come up one panel short. After sulking a few minutes, I took most of it back off, because I couldn't see how I would be able to combine my frog skin with that black leatherette kit in any way that would look good at all. Finally, I decided to just have one piece of frog hide in the middle of the lens door as an accent, to brass the front of the rim surrounding it, and to just do the rest in the black leatherette. this is what it turned out like:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/data/500/Retina_closed.JPG
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/data/500/retina_open.JPG
Retina bumps are for sissies; mine has warts!
oftheherd
02-03-2009, 12:08
Wow! That's a beautiful job there FallisPhoto. The whole restoration I mean. And the hopping skin is definately different. Is that a keeper or are you going to sell it?
I can't wait to see the next one that has a black leather panel on the front for an accent and hopper skin all over the rest of the place. :D
thetooth
02-03-2009, 12:21
nice job !
FallisPhoto
02-03-2009, 12:21
Wow! That's a beautiful job there FallisPhoto. The whole restoration I mean. And the hopping skin is definately different. Is that a keeper or are you going to sell it?
I can't wait to see the next one that has a black leather panel on the front for an accent and hopper skin all over the rest of the place. :D
I'm not sure. I am going to be selling one, but I may just keep this one and sell the Retina II, type 14.
Wow, well done on getting it for $12, and recovering too.
dazedgonebye
02-03-2009, 12:25
I'd like to recover mine, but it came down from my father in law and the spouse would have MY hide if I messed it up.
FallisPhoto
02-03-2009, 12:27
I'd like to recover mine, but it came down from my father in law and the spouse would have MY hide if I messed it up.
Send it here. My rates are reasonable and I don't mess up.
Edit: I still have that big piece of bullfrog hide that I cut for the back of the camera...
sweathog
02-03-2009, 12:34
She sure does look purdy.
Very nice job you've done there.
amazing job FalisPhoto...it would go well with Bob Hope's old golfing outfits ;).
so where are all the retina traditonalists gone, i would think they would be hopping mad, or have they all croaked it :D
i suppose the front door jumps open with a bit more spring now eh
oh i just thought of another one...if it was kissed by a Princess it would turn into a Welta Weltini :D:D
to chip in - nicely done. Stylish :-)
ironically, the leather on mine looks great. But the darn cocking rack is getting really, really, really finicky...
FallisPhoto
02-03-2009, 14:45
amazing job FalisPhoto...it would go well with Bob Hope's old golfing outfits ;).
Could be worse. I could have put one together that would appeal to Liberace, Elvis and/or Elton John.
so where are all the retina traditonalists gone, i would think they would be hopping mad, or have they all croaked it :D
I was expecting to get a few negative responses, to tell the truth, from a few a few of those traditionaists who take it all too seriously.
I have my eye on another classic camera right now that I might be able to get for $1.50. Yeah, it looks pretty bad; you've seen the kind of stuff I like to bid on. It's a train wreck, but it has possibilities.
i suppose the front door jumps open with a bit more spring now eh
that's okay, as long as it doesn't pop any ribbets.
oh i just thought of another one...if it was kissed by a Princess it would turn into a Welta Weltini :D:D
<Sigh> Where's Di when you really need her?
literiter
02-03-2009, 18:39
Very very nice.
Is is a trick of photography or is the chrome a little more sparkly too?
Nice job--where did you get the froggie skin?
ok... I've bit my tongue. Nice job and all, but I kind of hate the frog front... looks tacky to me. sorry.
FallisPhoto
02-04-2009, 08:11
Nice job--where did you get the froggie skin?
There is a guy on ebay who sells them. He has one left in gray and one in black. This link is for the gray one: http://cgi.ebay.com/Giant-Bull-Frog-Skin-Leather-Hide-Slate-Grey-UNIQUE_W0QQitemZ260355922099QQihZ016QQcategoryZ839 38QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262
FallisPhoto
02-04-2009, 08:16
to chip in - nicely done. Stylish :-)
ironically, the leather on mine looks great. But the darn cocking rack is getting really, really, really finicky...
I take it this is not something that can be fixed just by cleaning and lubing it?
Very nice looking.................Robin
FallisPhoto
02-04-2009, 11:01
Very very nice.
Is is a trick of photography or is the chrome a little more sparkly too?
Well, I do believe in metal polish.
FallisPhoto
02-04-2009, 11:04
ok... I've bit my tongue. Nice job and all, but I kind of hate the frog front... looks tacky to me. sorry.
Well, I guess you wouldn't have liked my original idea to do it up in chicken leather either.
literiter
02-04-2009, 11:41
I have a Retina II in pretty good nick, but the leather is bad.
I'll dress it up a bit, tart the thing up like Liberace would own it. No rules!
FallisPhoto
02-04-2009, 13:53
I have a Retina II in pretty good nick, but the leather is bad.
I'll dress it up a bit, tart the thing up like Liberace would own it. No rules!
Here's some inspiration for you:
http://merrillphoto.com/galacollection/galac3.jpg
If that camera could talk, ... well, it would probably just whimper.
Then there's the red fake-suede Petri:
http://www.daniel.mitchell.name/cameras/repaint/petri.jpg
... and the blue Aires:
http://www.daniel.mitchell.name/cameras/repaint/aires2.jpg
If you listen hard, you can hear them faintly murmering "Kill me. Please kill me."
Then there's my very favorite, the upholstery vinyl Kodak:
http://www.daniel.mitchell.name/cameras/folders/autographic.jpg
The guy who did this says it used to be in bad shape, back when he got it.
Could be worse. I could have put one together that would appeal to Liberace, Elvis and/or Elton John.
so we could expect a camera with sequins in the near future :D
I was expecting to get a few negative responses, to tell the truth, from a few a few of those traditionaists who take it all too seriously.
i think they should should speak up! even if they think its hidious!:eek:
that's okay, as long as it doesn't pop any ribbets.
LOL, good one, i nearly popped a ribbet myself laughing
<Sigh> Where's Di when you really need her?
Pricess Mary, the crown princess of Denmark can do the honours, she's a real cutie. An Aussie girl that married Prince Federick after first meeting him at the Sydney Olympics
FallisPhoto
02-05-2009, 08:26
so we could expect a camera with sequins in the near future :D
God no! Well, maybe, but not from me.
i think they should should speak up! even if they think its hidious!:eek:
Me too! Heck, this whole thing started off as a joke.
LOL, good one, i nearly popped a ribbet myself laughing
So, you like puns, just a tad then, huh, Andrew? Well, sorry, but after this, I'm toadally out of frog puns.
Pricess Mary, the crown princess of Denmark can do the honours, she's a real cutie. An Aussie girl that married Prince Federick after first meeting him at the Sydney Olympics
Yeah, but what are the odds of getting her to kiss my camera? Maybe if I hung some mistletoe over it?
as long as it's black! ;)
Well, I guess you wouldn't have liked my original idea to do it up in chicken leather either.
I do love that Argus!!!!! Very dear! :)
FallisPhoto
02-05-2009, 16:59
I do love that Argus!!!!! Very dear! :)
Ack!
Well, you'll love this site then: http://merrillphoto.com/galacollection.htm Once you get there, be sure to click on the pinhole link or you'll miss the unspeakably tasteless ... well, you have to see it.
literiter
02-05-2009, 17:15
Ack!
Well, you'll love this site then: http://merrillphoto.com/galacollection.htm Once you get there, be sure to click on the pinhole link or you'll miss the unspeakably tasteless ... well, you have to see it.
There ya go boys 'n girls. This is what ya get when you start tokkin' them doobees when restorin' cameras.
FallisPhoto
02-05-2009, 18:04
There ya go boys 'n girls. This is what ya get when you start tokkin' them doobees when restorin' cameras.
Well, calling that restoring is kind of stretching it a bit.
Edit: Remind me to never, ever, leave that woman alone with my cameras.
Al Kaplan
02-05-2009, 19:17
I guess it's time to send a Leica to Merillphoto. My CL thinks that she'd just love to be wearing one of those cute outfits!
Fallisphoto:
Wanna share w/ us where you got the froggie skin....or is that a trade secret?
WOW! I haven't been to Marcy's page for a while... fun wild stuff! :)
Ack!
Well, you'll love this site then: http://merrillphoto.com/galacollection.htm Once you get there, be sure to click on the pinhole link or you'll miss the unspeakably tasteless ... well, you have to see it.
FallisPhoto
02-06-2009, 09:12
Fallisphoto:
Wanna share w/ us where you got the froggie skin....or is that a trade secret?
If you go back a few posts, you will see I already did. There is a guy on ebay that sells them. I think he might have two left. If not, just google bullfrog leather and you'll find dozens of places. As long as you're playing with google, you might also want to google things like chicken leather, tilapia leather, snakehead leather, stingray hide, shark leather, eel leather and so on. Use your imagination -- if it has a skin, you can make leather out of it.
FallisPhoto
02-06-2009, 09:21
WOW! I haven't been to Marcy's page for a while... fun wild stuff! :)
Have you seen Dan Mitchell's "Adventures in camera painting" website? It has things like a green-painted Ciroflex that has been "releathered" in red cardboard, and so on. http://www.daniel.mitchell.name/cameras/index.php?page=repaint It's where I got the rest of those photos.
shadowfox
02-06-2009, 13:54
FallisPhoto, I like the Kodak Rana IIa job, very stylish ;)
Btw, do you replace bellows also? I have an Ansco Viking that has a leaky bellow, if you can make a new one out of ... let's say denim, I'm interested :)
FallisPhoto
02-06-2009, 17:23
FallisPhoto, I like the Kodak Rana IIa job, very stylish ;)
Btw, do you replace bellows also? I have an Ansco Viking that has a leaky bellow, if you can make a new one out of ... let's say denim, I'm interested :)
I doubt it would work, except maybe for a large format monorail camera that doesn't have to fold up into itself. Denim is awfully thick, compared to the leather and leatherette used to make medium and small format bellows. About the thickest material I have seen used is that black plastic that comes in boxes of photographic paper. The usual stuff is as thin as a sheet of writing paper. To answer your question, I do replace them, but I don't make them. I bought a lot of new old stock Kodak bellows, back when you could get them cheap. I use those. I have a bunch of 6x9 bellows and one 6x6 bellows left, if you're still interested.
Murray Kelly
03-07-2009, 05:18
Looks really great! Love it, strangely. (not me, the camera! :-) )
Murray
FallisPhoto
03-07-2009, 05:45
Looks really great! Love it, strangely. (not me, the camera! :-) )
Murray
Thanks Murray. I looked at a lot of leather before settling on bullfrog.
Are those box and other camera by macey's far out or what! i would not have believed it if i didnt see em
that frog leather is very strange stuff, i got given a little offcut and it looks a bit different to the shade it appears on my computer on the retina...whats more is the wierd grissle or boney circles that are seen as those dark spots in the leather..its like armour, they should make motorcycle jackets out of it!!! when you fall off no damage haha
FallisPhoto
03-07-2009, 07:45
Are those box and other camera by macey's far out or what! i would not have believed it if i didnt see em
that frog leather is very strange stuff, i got given a little offcut and it looks a bit different to the shade it appears on my computer on the retina...whats more is the wierd grissle or boney circles that are seen as those dark spots in the leather..its like armour, they should make motorcycle jackets out of it!!! when you fall off no damage haha
You should see stingray skin! The whole hide is like that -- like closely packed bits of bone. It's sheer hell to cut it. In japan, the early samurai actually did wear it as armor. As the katana developed over the years, it ceased to be effective though.
Sacrilege! This just makes me hopping mad.
But it does evoke some imaginative prospects for camera coverings...hmm there's a heavily tattooed biker down the road who appears to be on his last legs!!!
You interested in talking to his mama, Fallis?
FallisPhoto
03-10-2009, 08:48
You interested in talking to his mama, Fallis?
Why would I want to do that? I didn't talk to the frog's mamma.
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