Kodak Retinette Ib

Kodak Retinette IB (Type 045, with hot shoe & depth-of-field scale) image by AWCam (Image rights)

The Kodak Typ 037 Retinette IB was a product of the German Kodak AG, one of a series of Retinettes. It was a 35mm viewfinder camera with built-in coupled selenium meter made by Gossen. The bright line viewfinder had a needle-centring display for the meter. The lens was a Rodenstock Reomar 45mm/f2.8 in a Prontor LK shutter, with speeds from 1/15-1/500 +B. The film was advanced by a lever, unusually mounted underneath the camera. The IB was produced from October 1959 to February 1963. The known serial number range of the Typ 037 is from 50981 to 274266. An estimated minimum of 224,266+ Typ 037 Retinette Ib cameras were produced. The Retinette IA was similar, but without the exposure meter.

The improved Typ 045 Retinette IB had the Prontor 500 LK shutter, with speeds up to 1/500 sec. a hot shoe for the flash, and a depth-of-field scale. The name on the top plate was changed from the 037's rising script typeface to a horizontal, sans-serif type. It was in production from February 1963 to 1966. The known serial number range is from 285443 to 540065. An estimated minimum of 254,623+ Typ 045 Retinette IB cameras were produced.

Neither camera was imported by Eastman Kodak Company into the United States of America.

• Lens: Rodenstock Reomar 1:2,8/45mm
• Shutter: Pronto-LK (Typ 037), Prontor 500 LK, 1/15-1/500 + B (Typ 045)
• Film: 35mm

Links

• Retinette IB 037 (in German)
• Retinette IB 045 (in German)
• Retinette IB 037, Retinette IB 045 on www.collection-appareils.fr by Sylvain Halgand
• Retinette IB 045 French user manual on www.collection-appareils.fr by Sylvain Halgand
• Retinette section at Retrography.com by Simon Simonsen

Bottom detail image by fulvue (Image rights)