Anyone know about King's Regula Cita III?

[samsayso]

Hi, new here, fairly new to rangefinders.
I read that this camera has a real high quality lens and shouldn't be too expensive (10-15 year old book said $35-50). With these characteristics I'd expect it to be a bit more talked about but I can't find much about it online or any listings for sale on eBay/CL. Just wondering if anyone knows if it's indeed high quality and why, if as rare as it seems, it's listed as so cheap. It looks amazing. If that price is outdated, what would you think it's worth now?

EDIT: I just realized that it uses 127 film. This probably makes it a bit of a pain to use, since it's only made in one factory?

 

[elekm]

The camera that's picture is a 35mm camera, because it has a rewind knob. Roll film cameras don't have rewind knobs, because you can't rewind roll film without risking damage to the film.

 

[samsayso]

Oh, that's good to know, thanks. I was getting that information from this French site, where it says "Format de film: 127" in the tables on the left and bottom. Then again, I see that it says "Celui-ci est un 35mm..." (this one here is a 35mm) in the camera description text. I guess they made both?

Any leads on the lens quality would help; although I know it's old and rare I'd like to know if it's worth picking up on the off chance I bump into it.

 

[Time Bandit]

I have this one too

My father traded a carton of cigarettes for it when he was stationed in Germany, it takes awesome photographs. I rarely use it due to the cost of developing the film, I use my Nikon Digital SLR. Glad to see someone else has one.

 

[elcabezagrande]

Beautiful cameras. They made a gold-plated model (Citalux 300) that is a real stunner:

http://www.ukcamera.com/classic_cameras/king1.htm

 

[Jeff Kubach]

It looks like a great camera. Neat looking.

Jeff

 

[mike c]

I've got the next model down,Regula RM which has the same lens and shutter.Its a 35mm range finder,lite meter.A little awkward to use but takes good pictures,nice Stienhell lens,2.8, 45mm.Have not used it much but when I have its a fun camera to use for its novelty.Don,t know what they cost these days,rescued it at the city land fill.

Mike

 

[Morinaka]

I had one of these, i've got several other Regula's as well, i wrote this page with the info i had and experience of handling them, http://www.camerapedia.org/wiki/Regula_III_series

My experience with it, it's a solid camera externally, the III series was probably the best built of the King cameras, which is nearly a compliment, but they normally are broken in some way. It has flaws, the film counter on the advance lever is prone to breaking, so is the uncoupled light meter metal cover, and the light meter itself. The focus ring is a bit too stiff and ergonomically a pain to use, so are the f-stop and shutter speed rings, light meter isn't very clear to read, the view/rangefinder window lacks frame lines and the internal semi-silvered mirrors it uses are normally deteriorating from age.

Mike, the RM isn't a step down, in fact it fixes several flaws from the Cita III, and eventually replaced it, my RM has a Zeiss Tessar lens in it. I'd rather hunt down a RM than use the Cita III, i'd rather use the original Cita over it.
If you want the best rangefinder from King it has to be the Regula Super/Regula Super Automatic or failing those a Regula IIId.

Anyway, the quality of pictures is normally very good from the Steinheil Cassar 45mm f/2.8 (or f3.5) found on most King's in the 1950's, the lens is probably the best part of most of the King cameras.

 

[mike c]

Morinaka,I agree on your assessment of the camera,the range finder did fade in mine so put a tinted piece of old color correcting filter material in the main view window to increase the contrast,the focusing is painful at times,the film advance is funny,and it has a great lens.

Mike

 

[BobD]

Most of the fixed lens Regulas were sold with f/2.8 triplet Steinheil Cassar or
Cassar-S lenses but higher grade versions of some models were also available
sporting Zeiss Tessar or Enna f/1.9 lenses. These cameras are hard to find and
little has been written about them.

I have two Regula RMs, one with the 50/2.8 Tessar and one with the Enna
Ennalyt 45/1.9. They are both very good picture takers and pretty cameras too.

Regula also made some interchangeable lens cameras which usually bring higher
prices. These are the IIIc & IIId and the Super & Super Automatic models. I'm still
looking for one of these at a good price.

 

[mike c]

BobD am here in so.Cal,do you know of anyone that works on them?

Mike

 

[Morinaka]

Any camera repair person who knows how to fix film cameras should be able to fix one Mike, my local guy has repaired two of mine now, he even swapped over the rangefinder from a IId i had into the Cita (original Cita, not the III) i was having fixed, only cost me £25 for the shutter repair and rangefinder fix, and only £10 for the IId on ebay.

The King rangefinders I own are a RM, Cita, LE and IIId, i did own a Cita III and a IId (weird uncoupled rangefinder model). Out of all of them the LE is probably the nicest to use, it's the only fixed lens rangefinder King with the focus ring on the front of the lens, also has bright frame lines in the viewfinder, not bad looking either. The IIId is next because the focus ring is on the front of the lens as well, although the camera is quite heavy, it does share a fair amount of the other problems of the Cita III though, still worth a go if you can find one cheap enough, i was lucky and got mine for £20 on eBay. After that the Cita then the RM, the RM is best on paper and is certainly a very capable camera but i just prefer the others for some reason. The Cita does have a body hugging focus ring but it's much smoother than ones on the Cita III and RM, it's also probably the prettiest of all King cameras.

Haven't used any of my King's for a few months now, though i'm going to put a roll through the Olympia Auto-Set II i have in the cupboard when i get the chance; it's the only King i own with a coupled light meter, it's a fully auto camera as well, it picks the aperture and shutter speed for you.

 

[mike c]

Thanks Morinaka,my RM is a user too but offend takes me about 20 or 30 frames before I can really coordinate with the camera.After that its pretty fun using a 50"s type camera,keeps you on your toes.

Mike

 

[BobD]

BobD am here in so.Cal,do you know of anyone that works on them?

Mike

Yes, Ken Ruth works on them. He is in California too (cameras can be mailed to him @ minimal cost).

See:
http://www.baldmtn.com/AINFOSHT2.htm

 

[mike c]

Thanks BobD