|
... Cameras | History | Using a Retina | Buying Tips ... |
|
Without plagiarizing everything that's ever been written about the Kodak Retina cameras, I'll paraphrase some of the material. Dr. August Nagel had directed operations (though to what degree, I'm not certain) at German camera maker Contessa Nettel before its merger with Zeiss-Ikon. According to Zeiss Historica (www.zeisshistorica.org), Dr. Nagel provided the framework for the Super Ikonta family of medium-format cameras before leaving the company to form his own camera factory, Nagel Camerwerks in Stuttgart. In 1931, Kodak bought Nagel Camerawerks, renaming it Kodak A.G., and allowed Dr. Nagel to continue to oversee production and camera design for his American owners. Nagel produced several pre-Retina cameras for Kodak, including the Recomar, Pupille, Vollenda and Duo 620. Just three years later, Kodak released the first Retina in 1934 -- the Type 117. It was followed by a succession of cameras bearing the Retina name, with several major design changes. The first Retina was perhaps one of the more-important cameras in 35mm photography for a couple of reasons. When the Retina was introduced, Kodak also unveiled another product on the marketplace that had a much broader, longer-lasting impact on photography: the 35mm daylight-loading film cartridge. It's materially the same 35mm film cartridge that we use today. Before this, photographers had to buy precut lengths of film and load their own film cartridges using a darkroom or changing bag. It likely dissuaded the average person from using a 35mm camera. Next, the relatively low price of the Retina camera, combined with the easy-to-use 35mm cartridge, brought photography to the masses -- a trademark of sorts for Kodak. Until the introduction of the Retina Reflex and Retina IIIS, all of the Retinas were folding cameras. As new features were added throughout the years, the bodies grew taller and wider and heavier. You probably can divide the folding Retinas into four distinct periods: the original Retinas, the pre-war Retinas, the post-war Retina I and II models with the square lens doors and top-mounted wind knobs and levers and the Retina b/B and c/C models. But with more than 30 official Retina models, it might be a little difficult to categorize them all. And to make identification even more confusing, there were small variations within each model. Further, some models were only sold in the U.S. or European markets. And for a long period, none of the Retinas were available for retail sale in the United Kingdom, due to strict import laws. However, that didn't stop returning World War II servicemen from bringing the cameras into the country. Dr. Nagel didn't see the Retina line through to the end. He passed away in 1943, which was just as well, because by the time the Retina name was mercifully put to rest in the 1960s, the quality and look of the last cameras that bore the Retina name had departed sharply from Dr. Nagel's original design. Still, there is no denying that the Retina cameras forever changed 35mm photography. And Kodak and Dr. Nagel each played a significant role in having shaped the market. |
