Kodak Retina Automatic I II III

From Camera-wiki.org
Revision as of 21:52, 6 December 2006 by Hsrcdave (talk) (Typ 038 Retina Automatic I)
Jump to: navigation, search



The three Retina Automatic models were the first Retinas to have automatic exposure control.

Built on the same common chassis, they differed purely in regard to lens & shutter configuration. They are clear developments of the earlier IIS and have a very similar top molding including the counter release button that gives so many problems to the unitiated! (The camera locks at 36 exposures and this needs to be reset to get things functioning again)

The meters of the Automatic II & III give indication of the correct aperture for manual speed selection if the camera is not set to automatic.

A note for collectors. Most of the Automatics suffer from one fault - the demise of the meter. This renders the automatic setting inoperative, though the camera can still function on the manually set shutter speeds.



The Models

Typ 038 Retina Automatic I



  • Production time: May 1960 to July 1963
  • Early version/small exposure meter - Serial no. range 50079 to 96740
  • Late version/larger exposure meter - Serial range 150724 to 163954
  • Lens: Schneider Kreuznach Retina-Reomar 1:2,8/45mm ( 3 element )
  • Shutter: Prontormat-S
  • Exposure: Shutter Priority Fully Automatic - Sets both Aperture & Speed - No Manual Settings
  • No rangefinder - clicked stop settings at 35' 10' & 6.5'
  • Viewfinder: Bright Line + parallax Correction Marks + zone focus indication
  • Dimensions Width -125mm Height - 95mm Depth - 62mm
  • Price: £54.12.9 (June 1962)


Retina Automatic II - 1960


  • Lens: f2.8 45mm Schneider Kreuznach Retina Xenar (4 element)
  • Shutter: Compur 1/30 1/60 1/250 1/500
  • Exposure: Shutter Priority Automatic + Manual
  • Meter: Gossen Selenium - Needle visible top housing window
  • No rangefinder - clicked stop settings at 35' 10' & 6.5'
  • Viewfinder: Bright Line + parallax Correction Marks + zone focus indication
  • Dimensions Width -125mm Height - 95mm Depth - 62mm
  • Price: £65.2.0 (June 1962)


Retina Automatic III - 1961


  • Lens: f2.8 45mm Schneider Kreuznach Retina Xenar(4 element)
  • Shutter: Compur 1/30 1/60 1/250 1/500
  • Exposure: Shutter Priority Automatic + Manual
  • Meter: Gossen Selenium - Needle visible top housing window
  • Rangefinder
  • Viewfinder: Bright Line + parallax Correction Marks
  • Dimensions Width -125mm Height - 95mm Depth - 62mm
  • Price: £75.11.3 (June 1962)