Kodak Retina

[John Camp]

I've not had much interest in cameras as objects or machines, focusing instead on the prints I can get out of them...then this weekend, while going past a small town camera store, I spotted a Kodak Retina IIc in decent shape for a low price, and having been somewhat infected by this website, bought it. It's been a hoot messing around with it; I downloaded a manual, and found out that it even has interchangable lenses -- an 80 and a 35 in addition to its standard Schneider-Kreuznach 50mm/2.8. I couldn't figure out all the controls until I found the manual. For example, it has a mechanical linkage that ties together exposure time and f-stop, so that by pushing a little lever you can run up and down exposure times with the f-stop mechanically linked. Or, if you wish, you can change them separately. X-synced up to 500. Self-timer. Shoe-mounted Kodalux L light meter. One thing that somewhat freaked me out is that the light meter reasonably closely matches the meter in my R-D1. I'm going to stick some film in it and take a look...with the two extra lenses (there are a couple listed on the bay, maybe I'll take a shot at them) they'd make a kit notably smaller than a similar Leica...Man, I really didn't need another "interest."

JC

 

[Solinar]

Ah..... the pleasures of an LVS Synchro-Compur shutter.

That 1957 selenium meter also came with an translucent incident meter cover when it was new. Imagine that?

 

[Solinar]

Also, that Synchro-Compur shutter is sooooooo quiet.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

It sounds like you have a modified IIc if it has a light meter built into it. The IIIc has a light meter; the IIc did not. The IIc has the 50/2.8 lens; the IIIc has the 50/2 lens.

You can transplant the meter and top plate of a IIIc to the IIc; and also transplant the 50/2 to the IIc. Someday, I'll do that, taking the front/rear/aperture click-stop plate from my parts IIIc.

The interchangeable lenses are pains to use. You focus using the RF, then refocus by setting the measured distance on the scale to a "t" or "w" mark on the distance scale. But the lenses do take nice pictures.

http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~Srawhiti/retina2ctype020.html

 

[bmattock]

Congratulations, John. Have another hit, man, you're hooked. Don't worry, you can quit anytime you like. BWAHAHAHAHA! You belong to the dark side now.

The Retina IIc is often known as the 'best' of the Retinas - I don't know, I've never owned a Retina. Probably will at some point, though.

The exposure lock system you see is the much-dreaded LVS system. The idea was popular for a time - you could get an EV reading from your meter (number from 0 to 16, something like that) and just transfer it to your lens. Once you lock in the EV, you can twist the dial whichever way you like to shoot the aperture/shutter you prefer - any combination you choose will be correctly exposed, since the combo is locked. In use, I find it can be very fast and I don't mind it.

And - my Digisix reads out in EV. Wowzer. I plug that value in and I'm ready to rock. No translation necessary.

Have some fun - let us know how you do...post some photos...

And yes, you're now a certified Camera Fondler (tm). It only gets worse from here.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[SteveM(PA)]

So, is "Syncro-Compur" a particular branding of that mechanical shutter speed/aperture linkage? My Rolleiflex had that, but I didn't know that linkage was possible on interchangeable-lens cameras. Must be a pretty complex mount. What a pretty camera.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The Retina IIc, IIIc, IIC, and IIIC had interchangeable "front Cell" lenses. The portion in front of the shutter came off; the rear module stayed in place.

The IIIS had fully-interchangeable, RF coupled lenses and also used the LVS system. The meter was coupled to the aperture and shutter controls. The entire compur shutter was behind the lens. The rear element almost sat on top of it, and it put severe design constraints on the lenses. The close-focus on the Telephoto lenses suffered. A 135mm F4 lens came into 14ft.

 

[SteveM(PA)]

The Retina IIc, IIIc, IIC, and IIIC had interchangeable "front Cell" lenses. The portion in front of the shutter came off; the rear module stayed in place.

The IIIS had fully-interchangeable, RF coupled lenses and also used the LVS system. The meter was coupled to the aperture and shutter controls. The entire compur shutter was behind the lens. The rear element almost sat on top of it, and it put severe design constraints on the lenses. The close-focus on the Telephoto lenses suffered. A 135mm F4 lens came into 14ft.

Wow, a coupled meter as well, my Rolleiflex didn't have that! In the words of TLC, crazy sexy cool.

 

[Solinar]

Well....... It's not a coupled meter, if it is an old IIc or IIIc.

Like a hand-held meter of its day, if the camera was a folder, you took a meter reading and then set the shutter/aperture combo to match the EV of the meter reading.

What may have confused you is that the apeture was definitely coupled to the shutter speed dial on many EVS/LVS shutter assemblies. That is of course unless some evil doer like me filed down teeth on the locking mechanism.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The IIIS was the only interchangeable lens Retina Rangefinder with a coupled meter; the IIIC and IIIc have uncoupled meters as stated. My IIIc meter is quite accurate. The older meter is a "two-zone" with a cover with small hole for bright light, flips up for lower level situations. The later ones are "single-zone", and go full range without the need to change scales. The older ones are more likely to be found in a working condition as they were usually covered!