Kodak Retina II

The Kodak Retina II the name of a series of four rangefinder-focusing, folding 35mm cameras made in Germany by Kodak AG during the periods 1936-1939 and 1946-1950. All the versions designated Retina II (with no letter suffix) were knob-wind models. Some collectors consider the Retina II cameras the most reliable of the series, as later lever wind models utilized a cocking rack that is prone to breakage.

Kodak Retina II - Type 122

• Produced from 1936-1937
• Kodak Ektar f/3.5 50mm or Schneider Xenon f/2.0 or f/2.8 50mm
• Compur-Rapid shutter 1-500 sec. plus bulb
• Separate rangefinder and viewfinder
• Top mounted lever film wind

Kodak Retina II - Type 142

• Produced from 1937-1939
• Kodak Ektar f/3.5 50mm or Schneider Xenon f/2.0 or f/2.8 50mm
• Compur-Rapid shutter 1-500 sec. plus bulb
• Separate rangefinder and viewfinder
• Knob film wind

Kodak Retina II - Type 011

Kodak Retina II with Schneider Xenon lens image by John Hufnagel

• Produced from 1946-1949
• Kodak Ektar f/2 47mm or Schneider Xenon f/2.0 5cm or Rodenstock Heligon f/2 50mm
• Compur-Rapid shutter 1-500 sec. plus bulb
• Combined rangefinder and viewfinder
• Knob film wind
• Developed from the pre-war Retina IIa Type 150

Kodak Retina II - Type 014

• Produced from 1949-1950
• Schneider Xenon f/2.0 50mm or Rodenstock Heligon f/2 50mm
• Compur-Rapid shutter 1-500 sec. plus bulb
• Combined rangefinder and viewfinder
• Knob film wind
• Standard PC socket for flash synchronization

Original documents

• Brian Coe, Kodak Cameras - The First Hundred Years, Hove Foto Books, 1988

Links

• Retina on www.collection-appareils.fr by Sylvain Halgand
• Retina II, Retina II, Retina II, Retina II, retina IIa, Retina IIc, Retina IIC, retina IIF on www.collection-appareils.fr by Sylvain Halgand