Kodak Retinette IA

I had so much fun taking photos with my Kodak Retina Ia that I figured this Retinette IA (type 042) would be a hoot too. Boy, was I wrong.

Kodak Retinette 1A

I’m sure this Retinette was a very nice camera in its day. It cost $45, a little under $400 today. That was way more expensive than an average Brownie but probably quite a bargain for its fine German lens and brick-outhouse build quality. All type 042 Retinette IAs come with a Pronto shutter and a 45mm Schneider-Kreuznach Reomar lens at f/2.8. Earlier Retinette IAs (types 035 and 037) have different shutter/lens combinations. The later type 044 Retinette IA has a hot shoe and either a Prontor 250S or 300S shutter. These cameras all look much the same otherwise.

Kodak Retinette 1A

I have written before about the perils of buying old cameras on eBay, and I learned as soon as I put my eye to the viewfinder that I fell into one of them with this camera. One of the pieces of glass inside the viewfinder had worked its way loose – maybe it happened in shipping, or maybe the seller just neglected to mention it in the listing. Whatever, the glass’s funky angle blurred the view – instant myopia! – making framing shots difficult.

I have written before about the perils of using a camera without reading the manual first. I took a bunch of shots before I realized that the camera’s focus scale is in meters, not feet. I got a lot of out-of-focus photographs.

I have not written (but believe me, I have stories to tell) about the perils of old-camera mechanical problems related to age and disuse. I was able to shoot only 11 photos before the film jammed in the camera. I was able to rewind the film, and so I did, and so I called this experiment a failure.

I had better luck with my other Retinas and Retinettes. Check out my reviews of the Retina Ia (here), Retina IIa (here), Retina IIc (here), Retinette II (here), Retina Automatic III (here), and Retina Reflex IV (here). Or check out all of my camera reviews here.

I loaded some Fujicolor 200 and carried this camera around with me for a couple weeks. This was the most interesting composition, but I underexposed it badly and had to breathe life into it in Photoshop. You might guess I took this shot the day after Halloween.

Pumpkin trash

When I focused correctly, the lens was capable of good sharpness. The controls all worked smoothly. If only the viewfinder wasn’t messed up.

Office complex tree

This is probably the best photo from the roll, uninteresting as it is. I was really off my game in choosing interesting subjects.

Through the bare trees

To see more from this camera, check out my Kodak Retinette IA gallery.

I chose to shoot with my Retinette IA this time because blogger Kristarella had so much good luck shooting with hers. Maybe she used up all the Retinette karma. Maybe I just had a bad few days with this camera. Either way, I did not fall in love with this camera and passed it on to a collector who thought he could repair it.

If you like old film cameras, check out all of my reviews here!
To get Down the Road in your inbox or feed reader, subscribe here.


Comments

23 responses to “Kodak Retinette IA”

  1. kristarella Avatar

    Hey there!

    I’m sure I didn’t use up all the karma ;) Maybe all first rolls through these things are destined to be bad? Apart from breaking the timer and having to take the front of the camera apart, the first roll I loaded got completely tangled, jammed up and I had to rip it out! I didn’t realise there were little grooves in the spool that helped it feed on the first wind. It was a total mess as I rummaged under the bed sheets in a dark room to try to save that roll of film.

    Better luck with your second roll!

  2. Jim Avatar

    Kristarella, thanks for weighing in! Maybe that’s how these old Retinettes work — you sacrifice the first roll to get good shots on the second!

  3. Lone Primate Avatar
    Lone Primate

    It’s intriguing stuff… I haven’t shot film since I had an SLR for a couple of years about 20 years ago. Even then, I could probably count on both hands the number of rolls I shot. I experimented with B&W and found it unbelievably expensive (virtually no one was developing the stuff on-site and it had to be sent away). I do realize there’s a charm to film photography, and I have a close friend who worked in an honest-to-God photo shop (and not Photoshop) for over 20 years and knew development-techniques-from-the-4th-dimension I have to sigh will be lost soon. Still, I wouldn’t go back, myself. :)

    What do you find rewarding about film photography? You may have covered this in your blog, but maybe you haven’t… :)

  4. Jim Avatar

    LP, I like cameras for the design and engineering in them. I run film through my old cameras out of curiosity; I just like to see them work. I don’t miss film photography all that much, really! I use my digicam for anything serious.

    I did capture all this before in my blog, thanks for bringing it up!

    http://jimgrey.wordpress.com/2007/03/17/i-like-cameras/

    http://jimgrey.wordpress.com/2007/03/18/photos-from-old-cameras/

  5. chezz Avatar
    chezz

    does any one one what they sell for? i have one in mint cond.retinette ia pronto. thanks

  6. Sang Kee Avatar

    I’m from Hong Kong and I’ve an 1A too which was bought more than 20 years ago used, albeit the shutter is gone now and it sits idle on the shelf (hope someday would get it fixed, maybe).

    Believe it or not, of all my old cameras I like the Retinette the best:
    – it’s basic and simple to operate – film insertion, film advancing…etc.
    – I have no difficulty in guessing the distance because I shot mostly in the open OR under good sunlight. As a result I used mostly F11 + 1/125 sec which gives a long focal depth compensating for possible out-of-focus shoots. An skill (?) which I acquired by using a Welta 120 folder when I was a kid

    The best part is:
    The Reomar lens, though simple in design, gives most rewarding pics which are sharp, contrasty, rich and faithful redemption of colour – much better than Leica Elmar or the Zeiss Tessar , as far as my meagre experience can tell.

    – Afterward I forever stick to Schneider-Kreuznach lenses which, to me, excel those corresponding ones by Carl Zeiss. I think they are on a par with the Voigtlander lenses which are supposed to be paramount.

    – Therefore a few months back when I bought my first Rolleiflex Automat 3.5 I purposely chose one with a Xenar lens over the Zeiss Tessar.

    Of course it’s only my half-cent as I am no photographer nor an enthusiast – I only like old cameras and have been curious to see how they work.
    Cheers !

    1. Jim Avatar

      Thanks for writing! I understand about enjoying using the old cameras and being curious about how they work. If your Retinette is no longer working, perhaps you can buy a working one on eBay and get shooting!

  7. Washington Avatar
    Washington

    I havve had a retinette for 28 yeas only recently got it out the box and remebered how much fun it was to use thinking of tinkering with it again.

    1. Jim Avatar

      Drop in a roll of film and get shooting!

  8. xanthuskidd Avatar

    Hey! Nice blog here! I love the Kodak Retina/Retinette cameras; I have the 1a model of each. They really are beautiful pieces of machinery. I shot through a couple rolls with each camera a few years ago. I guess I’ll have to dig those shots out or shoot a few more.

    1. Jim Avatar

      I encourage it! Maybe I should find my Retinette and try it again, now that I have a much better idea of what I’m doing.

      1. xanthuskidd Avatar

        I’ll drop by and let you know if I ever get around to it. I know that I’ll be publishing some stuff from a Canon AE-1 and a Minolta x-700 sometime in the near future.

        1. Jim Avatar

          Please do. I have an X-700 – two of them, actually – both now with the dreaded locked winder problem. But one of them worked long enough for me to shoot with it and write about it here; if you search for it using the search box in the right column you’ll find it. The AE-1 is on my to-buy list.

  9. Phil Gray Avatar
    Phil Gray

    Hi. Hope you don’t mind but came across your site whilst looking for information about the Retinette 1A. I have my late father’s in my possession and it comes complete with box, leather case and lens hood. It has the Kreuznach Reomer lens and although it’s appearance is immaculate, it doesn’t work at all which is a real shame. I’m uk based so you won’t have local info, I know but are these repairable? I’m not bothered about the camera’s monetary value, I’d just love to get it working. My name, by the way, is Phil Gray. My Father’s? James Gray!

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Of course it depends on how broken your Retinette is, but these are generally repairable cameras. I’ve seen step-by-step instructions on the Web for taking apart other vintage cameras, and perhaps if you keep searching you might find such instructions for your Retinette. I’m sure that finding someone who is skilled and qualified to repair it for you will be challenging. If you find someone, it will probably involve shipping your camera to some far-flung location.

      There are plenty of James/Jim Grays/Greys out there! The curse of having a common name.

  10. Peter Davies Avatar

    I grew up in the UK the 60’s and my Dad used a Retinette 1B. The one time he lent it to me was in the summer of 1976. I was a student and came to the USA for my summer vacation so all my photos of that experience were taken with the Kodak. Understanding my interest in photograpy, he has now passed it on to me and it still works very nicely, even though I don’t use it much these days. I rather like the way that the contrast and colors come out. Seems like it captures something (a mood?) that reminds me of my younger days.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      I know what you mean about that mood. Some cameras just give photos a signature look, and the Retina line is among them.

  11. Bob Burt Avatar
    Bob Burt

    I have a Retinette (022 model, not folding) in very nice cosmetic condition with a shutter problem. I’ve partially disassembled it, but can’t get beyond the removal of the top plate. Does anyone know how to get at the shutter release mechanism and removal of the front plate and shutter/lens?

    Thanks, Bob

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      I sure don’t, and this post is pretty old now and doesn’t get visited very much, but perhaps one day someone in the know will stumble upon it and comment. Meanwhile, I recommend you find one of the film camera repair forums around the Internet, because that’s where the knowledgeable guys hang out.

  12. Chiara Avatar
    Chiara

    Hi! I have found an old Retinette IA. Can I use it? Do you know I can use it again? It’s stalled by 50 years I think.
    Thank you

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      The biggest thing that can go wrong with these is that the shutter can be slow or stuck. With the camera empty, try setting the camera to the fastest shutter speed, then pull the film winder and press the shutter button. Do you hear the click? Look at the lens; is the shutter closed? If so, repeat this for every shutter speed. If the shutter opens and closes (click!) at every speed, I’d try the camera with a roll of film.

      Other things can be wrong with these but I’d bet the shutter is the most problematic part of this camera. If the shutter seems to work, the next step is to load a roll of film and shoot it, and see what you get back!

  13. Peter Paar Avatar

    I don’t know if I mentioned this on another part of your site, but Chris Sherlock in New Zealand is considered the world’s expert on Retina Cameras. I’ve had two repaired by him (my IIIc and my late father’s Baby Bantam) and he did a great job on both. Even with postage the job was cheaper than I could get in the States. He will also repair other leaf shutter cameras. He doesn’t deal with focal plane shutter cameras. His web site is:

    http://retinarescue.com/kodakretinarepairservice.html

    I can also recommend Northwest Camera Repair. Their web site is:

    http://northwestcamera.com/

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      I did know of Chris Sherlock but not of Northwest Camera. Always good to know the best places to send gear for repair; thanks!

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

%d bloggers like this: