Stephen
Lifetime Member
Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Dec 12, 2014 12:33:47 GMT -5
Just arrived in the Christmas Post from Ebay, a nice condition Kodak Retina lla, type 016, with a brown leather case, camera is in full working order, nice leather and embossing, F2 Schneider Xenon lens, working rangefinder, all speeds correct, lens clean etc. Produced by Kodak AG in Stuttgart, Germany, from 1951 to 1954.
It needs a check over on the lens, it was not screwed in tight on the front element. Maybe the seller thought it took the extra lens elements like the later models, and tried to unscrew it. It can be checked with a piece of fine ground glass to check infinity, and an 8 metre focus to check it is within acceptable limits.
The rangefinder works OK, the whole lens is moved by the focus ring. Pictures and sample shots coming.
The Retina was always a popular camera in the Photographic shops, both new and especially secondhand, commanding a loyal following.
Stephen.
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hansz
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Hans
Posts: 697
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Post by hansz on Dec 13, 2014 6:55:57 GMT -5
Although being a diehard Zeiss Ikon fan, I also like the Retina's. Got a couple, Ia(?), IIc, IIIC, the 'foldability' is a great asset. Xenon 2,0 and 2,8 are good performers, although a bit less sharp at full aperture than a contemporaneous Tessar, but who cares. Hans
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Stephen
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Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Dec 13, 2014 8:49:19 GMT -5
It was a great pity Kodak never got the marketing quite right, they spent to much time selling the Bantams, Brownies, Instamatics and cheaper cameras, and did not really push the more expensive models. As soon as the Japanese cameras were widely available they did not improve the models fast enough and lost out in the end. At the time each model was on the market they always looked a bit old fashioned.
After all the point of selling cameras was to promote the developing and printing services, and Retina owners were far more likely to use film than the owner of a holiday snap camera. Many owners of this Retina and other quality German cameras brought in film each week!, far more than reflex owners, who tended to be more into slides. The Kodak reps use to moan that Kodak had dropped more models that sold well than other makers, gradually slipping down market to the Disc! Stephen.
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Stephen
Lifetime Member
Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Dec 13, 2014 15:57:14 GMT -5
The Retina Schneider Xenon lens checks out OK, the front element was not screwed in tight, but it needed checking once tight. When fully tight infinity was a bit off, it went beyond infinity, it could not quite resolve at targets at 600/1000 metres, needing a touch of packing out to get it to resolve a really sharp image.
I suspect someone tried to remove the lens on the basis that they had heard Retinas took accessory lenses, which of course the later ones did. We had the same problem with this in the shop.
Now the lens focuses properly it matches the rangefinder, which seems in proper adjustment. Folding camera with rangefinders are a nightmare of complications to get the link to the body from the lens, a problem Zeiss got around with optical wedge rangefinders that had the focusing element fixed on the lens, in the path of the view to "connect" it.
Next a test film, I think colour negative, mainly to check the adjustment of the lens.
Stephen.
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Stephen
Lifetime Member
Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Dec 28, 2014 18:41:57 GMT -5
About to try out the camera over the New Year celebrations, Fuji negative, with commercial processing offering a Cd with higher definition scans, plus larger prints, just have to see what the quality is like. The Xenon is fully coated so should deliver modern standards. I have found a lens hood to fit, which always helps on older cameras. Stephen.
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retina
Senior Member
Posts: 72
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Post by retina on Dec 28, 2014 20:30:46 GMT -5
Good luck Stephen, the Retina IIa is a pleasant camera to use if working properly, all the controls fall easily to the hand.
Regards, Chris
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