Vintage Kodak 35mm Camera Retina Reflex III Xenon 1. 9 50mm Lens Germany
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:49936388 | Country/Region of Manufacture: Germany |
| Brand: Kodak |
Vintage Kodak 35mm Camera Retina Reflex III Xenon 1.9 50mm Lens Germany. Lens is marked Schneider-Kreuznach 7962166. Camera is serial number EK822664. Untested but appears fine complete condition - see my 10 detailed photos.
The Kodak Type 025 Retina Reflex is a 35mm SLR camera produced by Kodak AG Stuttgart in West Germany, between the spring of 1957 and October 1958. It was sold with either the Schneider Xenon C or the less common Rodenstock Heligon C 50mm f2 lens. This was Kodak'...s response to the quite successful range of leaf shuttered Zeiss Ikon Contaflex cameras introduced in 1953. By doing so, Kodak expanded their Retina range to include SLR cameras.The Retina Reflex body is based on the Retina IIIc, and they share the same range of lenses with an interchangeable front component, which can also be used on the Retina IIc, IIC, and the IIIC rangefinder cameras. Also the base mounted advance-lever, the frame-counter, the film channel, the selenium meter, and the lens focusing mechanism, are very similar to those on the viewfinder camera, while the Synchro-Compur shutter is of the SLR variety, which stays open prior to releasing the shutter.The camera lens is a converter-based system, consisting of a fixed rear group and a bayonet mounted interchangeable front-component, the latter determines the compound focal length. This concept was introduced in 1954 with the Kodak Retina IIIc. The focusing mechanism moves the rear lens group and the Synchro-Compur shutter with the integral diaphragm together. A similar interchangeable component system was introduced on the Zeiss-Ikon Contaflex III in 1956.Three accessory lens components were available, manufactured by both Schneider and Rodenstock; the 80mm and two alternative 35mm components. The Schneider and the Rodenstock front components are not interchangeable though, and they do not share the same bayonet mount, they only fit the camera equipped with either manufacturers own original standard lens. Care must be exercised using the accessory lens components, since the aperture control is not limited to these lenses' maximum aperture of either f/4 or f/5.6, but rather stops at f/2, not giving the expected exposure.The Retina Reflex camera has an automatic lens diaphragm that stays wide open until the shutter is released. After exposure, the mirror stays up until the bottom-mounted single-stroke advance lever is operated. Focusing is on a ground glass screen with a central split-image rangefinder.Most camera controls, except the wind-on lever, are found on the top plate. The manually set frame counter, which blocks the camera at the end of the film, has a reset-button in its centre, and a slide-button to turn the dial at the camera back. Also the shutter release, the film rewind knob with a film reminder dial, the exposure readout window, the meter adjustment knob with EV and ASA/DIN scales, as well as the accessory shoe are at the top. The tripod socket, the advance-lever, the film-rewind release-button, and the tiny backdoor release-button, found under a twist-cover, are all at the camera base.In use, the Retina Reflex frame counter counts down from 36 (or 20) to 0, at which point the film advance locks. While this is convenient for the user and does prevent torn film sprockets at the end of a roll, setting the counter up properly at the beginning of a roll is complex, awkward, and time consuming. This is a typical example of much of the Retina engineering - complex and ingenious, but not always convenient.The non-coupled selenium cell exposure meter shows exposure values (EV) only. The value is set on the EV scale found on the underside of the lens assembly. Once the aperture release tab is set and released, the shutter ring is interconnected with the aperture ring - the one automatically moves the other, so that the same exposure value is maintained. This was a quite common arrangement, found on many cameras at the time, like Hasselblad and some Rolleiflexes. It may be a bit confusing to those unfamiliar with the system.All the Retina Reflex cameras are quite complex instruments and heavy, but still reasonably reliable, although the lever wind mechanism tends to wear out. The repair is considered complex and many repairmen refuses to work on them. It is however, usually possible to repair the mechanism without spare parts for a handy repairman.The Retina Reflex originally sold for $215 USD (app. $1570 USD in 2007). Approximately 65, 000 were made.A later variant is the Type 041 Retina Reflex III. It was made from 1960 to 1964.Its match-needle meter instrument scale is visible in the viewfinder as well as on the top plate. The camera was originally equipped with the same coupled selenium meter as the Reflex S, but after 1962 a larger one was fitted, again made by Gossen. The Reflex III features the same "setting wheel" and interlocking aperture/shutter rings as the Reflex S. As it was fashion in the early 1960s the shutter release button on top was replaced by a shutter release shifter beside the lens mount. The film advance release button was eliminated, that function being incorporated in the frame reset slider, which was moved to the bottom plate along with the (still) manually reset frame counter. The ASA setting button was moved from the ASA dial to the spot vacated by the release button.This redesign made a new camera case design necessary, leaving additional space for the frame counter, and the frame reset slider. The Retina Reflex cases were already something special before since the film advance lever (Reflex) and aperture/shutter setting wheel (Reflex S) are located on the bottom. The photo shows just how complex the Retina case had become.The Reflex III features the same aperture/shutter setting wheel (which Kodak called simply the "setting wheel") and interlocking aperture/shutter rings as the Reflex S.The Retina Reflex III originally sold for $248.50 USD (app. $1720 USD in 2007). Approximately 116, 000 were made.
The Kodak Type 025 Retina Reflex is a 35mm SLR camera produced by Kodak AG Stuttgart in West Germany, between the spring of 1957 and October 1958. It was sold with either the Schneider Xenon C or the less common Rodenstock Heligon C 50mm f2 lens. This was Kodak'...s response to the quite successful range of leaf shuttered Zeiss Ikon Contaflex cameras introduced in 1953. By doing so, Kodak expanded their Retina range to include SLR cameras.The Retina Reflex body is based on the Retina IIIc, and they share the same range of lenses with an interchangeable front component, which can also be used on the Retina IIc, IIC, and the IIIC rangefinder cameras. Also the base mounted advance-lever, the frame-counter, the film channel, the selenium meter, and the lens focusing mechanism, are very similar to those on the viewfinder camera, while the Synchro-Compur shutter is of the SLR variety, which stays open prior to releasing the shutter.The camera lens is a converter-based system, consisting of a fixed rear group and a bayonet mounted interchangeable front-component, the latter determines the compound focal length. This concept was introduced in 1954 with the Kodak Retina IIIc. The focusing mechanism moves the rear lens group and the Synchro-Compur shutter with the integral diaphragm together. A similar interchangeable component system was introduced on the Zeiss-Ikon Contaflex III in 1956.Three accessory lens components were available, manufactured by both Schneider and Rodenstock; the 80mm and two alternative 35mm components. The Schneider and the Rodenstock front components are not interchangeable though, and they do not share the same bayonet mount, they only fit the camera equipped with either manufacturers own original standard lens. Care must be exercised using the accessory lens components, since the aperture control is not limited to these lenses' maximum aperture of either f/4 or f/5.6, but rather stops at f/2, not giving the expected exposure.The Retina Reflex camera has an automatic lens diaphragm that stays wide open until the shutter is released. After exposure, the mirror stays up until the bottom-mounted single-stroke advance lever is operated. Focusing is on a ground glass screen with a central split-image rangefinder.Most camera controls, except the wind-on lever, are found on the top plate. The manually set frame counter, which blocks the camera at the end of the film, has a reset-button in its centre, and a slide-button to turn the dial at the camera back. Also the shutter release, the film rewind knob with a film reminder dial, the exposure readout window, the meter adjustment knob with EV and ASA/DIN scales, as well as the accessory shoe are at the top. The tripod socket, the advance-lever, the film-rewind release-button, and the tiny backdoor release-button, found under a twist-cover, are all at the camera base.In use, the Retina Reflex frame counter counts down from 36 (or 20) to 0, at which point the film advance locks. While this is convenient for the user and does prevent torn film sprockets at the end of a roll, setting the counter up properly at the beginning of a roll is complex, awkward, and time consuming. This is a typical example of much of the Retina engineering - complex and ingenious, but not always convenient.The non-coupled selenium cell exposure meter shows exposure values (EV) only. The value is set on the EV scale found on the underside of the lens assembly. Once the aperture release tab is set and released, the shutter ring is interconnected with the aperture ring - the one automatically moves the other, so that the same exposure value is maintained. This was a quite common arrangement, found on many cameras at the time, like Hasselblad and some Rolleiflexes. It may be a bit confusing to those unfamiliar with the system.All the Retina Reflex cameras are quite complex instruments and heavy, but still reasonably reliable, although the lever wind mechanism tends to wear out. The repair is considered complex and many repairmen refuses to work on them. It is however, usually possible to repair the mechanism without spare parts for a handy repairman.The Retina Reflex originally sold for $215 USD (app. $1570 USD in 2007). Approximately 65, 000 were made.A later variant is the Type 041 Retina Reflex III. It was made from 1960 to 1964.Its match-needle meter instrument scale is visible in the viewfinder as well as on the top plate. The camera was originally equipped with the same coupled selenium meter as the Reflex S, but after 1962 a larger one was fitted, again made by Gossen. The Reflex III features the same "setting wheel" and interlocking aperture/shutter rings as the Reflex S. As it was fashion in the early 1960s the shutter release button on top was replaced by a shutter release shifter beside the lens mount. The film advance release button was eliminated, that function being incorporated in the frame reset slider, which was moved to the bottom plate along with the (still) manually reset frame counter. The ASA setting button was moved from the ASA dial to the spot vacated by the release button.This redesign made a new camera case design necessary, leaving additional space for the frame counter, and the frame reset slider. The Retina Reflex cases were already something special before since the film advance lever (Reflex) and aperture/shutter setting wheel (Reflex S) are located on the bottom. The photo shows just how complex the Retina case had become.The Reflex III features the same aperture/shutter setting wheel (which Kodak called simply the "setting wheel") and interlocking aperture/shutter rings as the Reflex S.The Retina Reflex III originally sold for $248.50 USD (app. $1720 USD in 2007). Approximately 116, 000 were made.
