Random Camera Blog

Friday, April 12, 2024

The Kodak Retina Reflex SLRs

Kodak's first Retina Reflex (Type 025) October 1958 ad in
Popular Photography

Over the years, I’ve tried out a number of 1950s - 60s SLRs with leaf shutters, such as the Zeiss-Ikon Contaflex, the Topcon Uni, Kowa SET series, and of course, the Kodak Retina Reflex. Leaf shutters in SLRs are limited by two main attributes - the typical maximum 1/500 sec shutter speed, and the small throat diameter of the lens where it attaches to the body. That limits the maximum aperture as well as lenses wider than 28mm. In addition, many cameras have a lens behind the shutter, with the front elements having to use that rear lens as part of the focus mechanism. In other words, if the lens was removable, only the front section could be removed, and those optics depended on the rear (behind the shutter) elements to complete the optics. That’s how it was with the Contaflex and the first iteration of the Retina Reflex (Type 025). Most of the Kodak Retina rangefinder cameras worked the same way if the front elements were removable. It was probably a response to the appearance of the Contaflex in 1956, that Kodak AG was able to quickly come out with an SLR, albeit one that has the distinct lineage of the Retina C-series rangefinder lenses.

Kodak Retina Reflex (Type 025) with its lens system a
derivative from the IIC and IIIC Retina rangefinders

My earliest opportunities to use a Kodak Retina SLR were disappointing. That earliest model is now as old as I am, as they came out in 1956. Most of the ones I have handled either had problems with the mirror coating de-silvering, fungus on lens elements, or some other mechanical problem. So, I never seriously considered using one until I recently got a Retina Reflex S and Reflex III. That experience has improved my view of the lens-shutter SLR, with some caveats to follow.

When lens-shutter SLRs first appeared in the 1950s, none of them had an instant return mirror. In fact, no 35mm SLR had an auto-return mirror until the Asahiflex II appeared in 1954. None of the Retina Reflex series camera have an instant-return mirror. You must wind the film for the next shot to release the mirror. That’s one thing that certainly improved since the 1950s!

For the rest of this, I’m only going to discuss the later Retina Reflex SLRs with the DKL lens system - that is, each lens has all the optics in the removable lens, with no lenses behind the shutter. I’ll discuss the DKL lenses a bit farther on.

The Retina Reflex S, III, and IV, as well as the Instamatic Reflex use the same lenses, which range from 28mm to 200mm focal lengths. It was standard for the cheapest kit to come with a 50mm f/2.8 Retina Xenar (a Schneider lens). A faster 50mm f/1.9 Retina Xenon was the pricier version. The other focal lengths are 28mm f/4, 35mm f/2.8, 85mm f/4, 135mm f/4, and 200mm f/4.8. These are all well-made Schneider lenses.

So of course, there is also a multitude of accessories, making the Retina Reflex a complete system, and now, also a rabbit hole for the collector/enthusiast of these cameras. But first, some looks at the Reflex S and Reflex III cameras.

Retina Reflex S (Type 034)

The Retina Reflex S, produced from 1959-1960, was the first model to use the DKL lens mount, and also has a coupled Selenium exposure meter. The top-mounted shutter release, film release and door release are the same as the original Retina Reflex.

Retina Reflex III (Type 041)

The Retina Reflex III is not too different from the S model, and was produced from 1960-64. The main differences are the placement of the shutter release on the front of the body, the metering needle visible in the viewfinder, and the film counter reset button on the base of the camera.

Retina Reflex IV (Type 051)

The Retina Reflex IV, manufactured from 1964-1967, was the last 35mm SLR made by Kodak A.G. It’s quite similar to the model III, but has a small window to view the aperture/shutter speed settings in the viewfinder. The PC flash connector also moved from the front of the camera to the edge of the left side of the lens mount. The camera also features a normal flash hot-shoe on top of the prism.

Instamatic Reflex (Type 062)

The Kodak Instamatic Reflex was manufactured from 1968 to 1974, and features a CdS exposure meter, and a Compur Electronic shutter that goes from 20 sec to 1/500. It uses the Kodak Kodapak 126 cartridge to produce 28mm x28mm images. Typically, it came with a Retina Xenar 45mm f/2.8 lens. It’s able to use any of the lenses that fit the Reflex S through IV models.

LENSES

The DKL lens mount, which is used on the Retina Reflex S- IV and Instamatic Reflex, as well as the rangefinder Retina IIIS, is also used on several other brands. Developed by F. Deckel in Munich, the lens mount, which features a Synchro-Compur leaf shutter, was introduced in 1956. Used by Voigtlander, Braun, Edixa, Iloca, Balda, and Kodak, each brand has a distinct keying of the lens to the mount, so the lenses are not interchangeable among brands. For the Retina Reflex S series, there were a number of lenses available:

Rodenstock: Eurygon 30mm/2.8 and 35mm/4, Heligon 50mm/1.9, Ysarex 50mm/2.8, Rotelar R 85mm/4 and 135mm/4 (Rodenstock lenses are more likely to be seen on Retina Reflex cameras in Europe)

Schneider: Curtagon 28mm/4 and 35mm/2.8, Xenon 50mm/1.9, Xenar 45mm/2.8, Xenar 50mm/2.8, Tele-Arton 85mm/4, Tele-Xenar 135mm/4 and 200mm/4.8 and

Steinheil: Culminar 50mm/2.8.

Retina Reflex S with 200mm Tele-Xenar

The Retina Reflexes, all made by Kodak A.G in Stuttgart, Germany are well-made, precision cameras. It’s interesting to note that after Eastman Kodak acquired the Nagel-Werke company in 1931, August Nagel designed the Daylight Loading Cartridge (35mm) for the Retina camera, which became the standard cassette design used thereafter by all the manufacturers. So, while Leica may have started the 35mm “miniature” camera, it was the standard Daylight Loading Cartridge that really made 35mm into being the predominant format in years to come.

Samigon 2x teleconverter for the DKL mount

What about using Retina Reflex cameras today?

While these cameras are getting rather old, many of them continue to work well, though the meters may not be dependable. Problems that I have seen are usually that the mirrors suffer oxidation or corrosion, with the viewfinders becoming dim, or with tiny black spots in the field of view. That doesn’t affect the images, but it does affect the usability. I would definitely steer away from the original Retina Reflex (Type 025), as the lens selection is basically very limited and the viewfinder somewhat dimmer due to the smaller maximum aperture of the lenses. However, the Reflex S, III, and IV all are capable of excellent images, and take the full range of lenses from 28-200mm.

While Kodak used the EV system on their Retina series of cameras, such that once you choose an EV, all the shutter speeds and apertures are linked to that chosen EV. This is actually the same as using the Hasselblad and some other cameras where you have that option. It can be quite useful or infuriating, depending on your knowledge of the camera and the light. However, on the Reflex S and later, you can set your shutter speed and then adjust the aperture using the little wheel underneath the base of the lens. For that reason, I find the Retina Reflex S to be quite easy to use. On the Retina Reflex III or IV, you have a view of the meter’s operation within the viewfinder, which is quite handy -- if the meter is accurate! Otherwise, the Reflex S is as good a choice, especially since the shutter release is on the top deck where I usually expect it to be on a camera.

the little wheel at the base of the lens mount controls the aperture

If you do purchase any Retina camera, reflex or rangefinder, you’ll find that there are little quirks that need to be addressed, such as resetting the frame counter to be able to cock the shutter. If your camera didn’t come with a manual, it’s to your advantage to go to the camera manuals site and download a copy of the manual - and pay Mike Butkus a small fee.

There are some nice aspects to the Retina Reflex cameras - since they have a lens shutter, they are quiet, in comparison to a focal plane shutter SLR. The cameras are fairly simple to use, and if working properly, will give you excellent results. If you are looking to have a good kit, I recommend the 28mm f/4 Retina Curtagon, the 35mm f/2.8 Retina Xenar, the 50mm f/1.9 Retina Xenon, and the 80mm f/4 Rodennstock Retina-Heligon C. One aspect of the long-focus lenses from 80mm and on, is that the close-focus distance is much farther than comparable focal lengths on focal-plane shutter SLRs. There is no “macro” lens for the Retina Reflex series, but you can find close-up diopters that fit in front of the 50mm f/2.8 and 50mm f/1.9. There’s also an extension tube that gives you macro capability, and there is a third-party 2x teleconverter made for the DKL lenses. You can also find a right-angle viewfinder if you need to use one.

Right-angle finder for the Retina Reflex

As far as I know, there are no repair shops that will undertake work on Retina Reflex cameras. So, if your camera is working fine, take good care of it. If it’s not working as it should, find another one that does work. That being said, I recommend the Retina Reflex S series over the Contaflex models and Voigtlander Bessamatic. There are many more lens options and prices are understandably less for the Schnieder lenses than those from Voigtlander and Zeiss-Ikon.

Two close-up lenses that fit 60mm threads

I highly recommend “Collecting and Using Classic SLRs” by Ivor Matanle (Thames and Hudson, 1997), and “The Retina Reflex Way” by L.A, Mannheim (Focal Press, 1965). There are also several web sites with very useful information and reviews, as follows:

To sum it all up - The Kodak Retina Reflex S and subsequent models are robust, well-made examples of lens-shutter SLRs. If you have one in working condition, it makes sense to acquire additional lenses in different focal lengths, just as with typical focal-plane SLRs. They are quiet, capable of excellent photos, and good-looking classical cameras that deserve a try. No batteries needed!

Some photo examples from the Reflex S, 50mm f/1.9 Xenon lens, Kentmere 100 film

Examples from Reflex III with Fuji Superia 200 film, various lenses.

Tuesday, April 09, 2024

Experiencing the 2024 Eclipse of the Sun

Solar eclipses, whether total or partial, are one of those celestial events that leaves us in awe. I saw my first solar eclipse in March, 1970 in northern NY, followed by my second in May 1994 in Ann Arbor, MI, and in August 2017, also in Ann Arbor. I probably have a photo somewhere of the 1994 eclipse, but not of the actual eclipse, but of the projected images through tree leaves. The 2017 eclipse was pretty good, and I have some photos of the same type from that one. I was never previously prepared to photograph the eclipse directly. This time, however, I spent some time beforehand preparing myself. I really didn't want to have to travel a few hundred miles to be in the path of totality, and opted to stay home and take whatever we could see from Weaverville, NC. That was pretty much like my previous viewings, in that respect - never in the path of totality, but a show, nonetheless.

Based on this map from NASA, we'd be looking at a thin crescent at the maximum.

Of course, we had mostly cloudy weather, which would definitely impact the view. Looking at the track closest to us, it was probably a wise decision to stay put.

I had prepped two cameras for this - a Nikon Coolpix 5000 (vintage!) and my Canon EOS M5 with a 500mm mirror lens attached via an M42 adapter. There was a 4x ND filter and a single layer of reflective Mylar (from a "space blanket") on the Coolpix 5000, and a double layer of Mylar over the lens of the EOS M5. I also made a typical pinhole viewer for the eclipse, since I forgot to buy the "eclipse glasses." I didn't use the Mylar to put over my glasses - I don't mess around with my eyesight.

So, the day started out with scattered clouds and then went pretty much overcast at the time I set up to photograph. But, luckily, there were some breaks in the clouds and thinning of the cloud layer as the eclipse was underway.

Overall, everything worked as planned, but if I had it to do over again, I would have used a regular telephoto and not the mirror lens. The Coolpix 5000 captured the sky quite well, resulting in some images that Stieglitz would have died for. I should point out that using a mirrorless camera is a great thing for doing any photography of the sun. You avoid directly viewing through an optical viewfinder.

Meanwhile, the EOS M5 did okay.

However, the pizza tray with many holes was also kind of fun...

My 97 year old mother-in-law traveled from Amenia, NY to Rochester, NY and was able to experience the totality, even if it was cloudy. You don't get that chance many times in your life, and I'm glad she was able to experience it. Here in Weaverville, as the eclipse was starting, a neighbor was playing Dark Side of the Moon, which was perfect. As the crescent of the sun kept diminishing, it certainly did feel cooler, and the cardinals started singing like they do in the morning. It wasn't dark, of course, but the amount of light was greatly diminished. There was such a concerted media effort and NASA involvement that anyone could enjoy the experience whether they saw the sun or not.

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Retro Digital in Micro 4/3

Olympus E-PL1 with 75mm Kern-Switar lens, 2012

About a dozen years ago, I owned an Olympus E-PL1, which was a wonderful travel camera, and with the m4/3 mount, allowed me to attach a variety of lenses with the proper adapter. I took a lot of excellent images with that camera, and I sold it and all of its lenses when I bought a Nikon 1 V1 and a Nikon 1 J1 body with lenses, thinking that hey, Nikon’s onto something here - smaller, lighter, and I can adapt lenses. Indeed, I did especially like the Nikon 1J1 as a perfect street camera with the wide-angle equivalent of 28mm in 35mm land. But, the Nikon 1 series, with its even smaller sensor than micro 4/3 cameras, was a dead end. They were not a bad idea, but Nikon marketed them to a different audience.

CCTV lens on the Olympus E-PL1, 2013

When I decided to go and get a serious mirrorless system, I bought into the Canon EOS M series with the EOS M5. I haven’t regretted that, as my M5 is a great camera, and I have used it quite a lot, especially with manual lenses from TTArtisans, 7 Artisans, and Meike. It has plenty of megapixels, and I love the way that it does focus confirmation in manual mode.

Panasonic Lumix GF1 and Canon EOS M5

I was looking into having a somewhat simpler camera that reminded me of using something like the E-PL1 and of course the Ricoh GR series came to my attention. I wanted a camera that was small, but not too small, enough resolution to make decent prints, and the ability to have interchangeable lenses. Plus, it had to be a good carry-around camera that had good battery longevity. After doing some research, I figured that it was time to go back when video wasn’t the BIG deal it is now, and that meant something over 10 years old. The perfect candidate to me, was the Panasonic Lumix GF1, a 12 MP micro 4/3 camera with just a rear LCD. I purchased a like-new model from KEH for $158 without a lens. I bought a TTArtisans 25mm f/2 fully manual lens on Amazon for about $60, and both arrived on the same day.

So, back to m4/3, after all these years. I already have a Pentax 110 lens to m4/3 adapter, as well a C-mount to m4/3. I used several c-mount lenses with my old Olympus E-PL1, and really liked the results, so here we are again. My plan is to mostly use the 25 mm TTArtisans lens, which on the m4/3 sensor, is a 50mm equivalent. The TTArtisans 25mm f/2 is a particularly nice lens that has fairly close focus (.25m) and excellent sharpness. It has a filter ring size of 43mm, and I was pleased to find that I already had a lens hood and filter adapters that fit it.

The only knock on m4/3 is the "crop factor" - it’s 2x, which means that wide-angle primes have to be 15mm or less. But this is supposed to be a street camera and an easily-carried adjunct to my film gear. Having interchangeable lenses make it all the more attractive, but my intent is to try and stick with one lens.

Some quick results with the TTArtisans 25mm f/2

The Panasonic Lumix GF1 appeared on the market in the latter part of 2009, which makes it a 15-year old camera, at most. In digital years, that’s almost an antique. However, 12 megapixels is certainly more than adequate, and feature-wise, it’s perfect for my needs. Price-wise, I have a pretty good setup for a little over $200. One of the bothersome little things about my EOS M5 is the location of the video selector button, which is easy to accidentally engage. On the GF-1, it’s on the top plate to the right of the shutter release, and I have yet to accidentally turn on the video.

All kinds of videos are on YouTube for anyone interested in setting up a compact mirrorless ILC camera to do the job of a Ricoh GR series camera. The minus of the GR system - lack of interchangeable lenses and cost are probably the biggest strike against them. Of course you could do the same with an older Sony NEX-series camera, a Fuji X-series, or an Olympus or Panasonic m4/3. You could also do this with an older Canon EOS M or M2. Depending on your style of shooting, these older cameras are certainly worth investigating, and if you add an inexpensive manual lens, you won’t be out of a lot of money. My only other purchase for this camera might be one of those old Olympus m4/3 18mm pancake lenses. I had one in my EPL-1, and liked the results.

There are a lot of excellent manual focus lenses coming from China. My beef with the Nikon Z system and the other major mirrorless bodies, is that the AF lenses are typically large and also can be very expensive. The lenses from 7 Artisans and TT Artisans are mostly excellent and much more compact than most of the AF lenses for their respective systems. I reviewed the TTArtisans 40mm macro lens a while back. The GF1 is often paired with the Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 AF lens, which even now, sells for more than I paid for the camera body. I think that if you desire an AF lens for m4/3, it’s definitely a good choice, along with the Olympus Zuiko 17mm f/1.8.

If you think that the rear LCD isn’t the best thing for you, the Panasonic DMW-LVF1 Electronic Viewfinder sells used for a little over $100. While it’s not up to the current ELV’s in current mirrorless bodies, it’s going to be good enough to use for focusing in bright sunlight rather than the rear LCD screen.The connector has an electronic connection to provide a live view that's close to that of the LCD display, albeit with a lower resolution.

I’m not a videographer, and in fact, if I need a short movie, I use my iPhone. I’d like to see the manufacturers produce at least one model in their offerings that’s designed only for still photography. Do away with the video buttons and options, and it would probably also lower the price. My Nikon Df doesn’t do videos, and it’s a great camera. Vloggers, influencers, etc., won’t be the market niche, but people passionate about still photography would be thrilled.

Canon EOS M5, 2023.

The fact is, any of these cameras are capable of great images. The user interface and ergonomics are slightly different for each brand, and you really can't tell whether a camera used has an APS-C or m4/3 sensor when you view an image. I like the different b&w modes in the GF1, and for me, that is a plus. You might wonder why I didn't just buy an earlier EOS M model, but I have a fondness for the m4/3 cameras, and the price was right. Basically, my advice is to pick your price point and features, and go from there, For less than $300, you certainly have a lot of choices.

Wednesday, March 06, 2024

Simple Joys

I have been in a bit of a creative slump lately, whether it's writing or making photos. Today, I have felt the best in about a week, after getting over some lower-back issues that had me in a lot of pain and limiting my mobility. Thanks to some stretches, ibuprofen, and heat pad, I now feel pretty good. It's a rainy day, and the daffodils are looking quite good. Spring is here, a bit later in the mountains than along the coast.

But what I want to write is about how some simple pleasures can bring joy to a day. I was eating breakfast, and my second slice of toast was in need of some jam. I went to the fridge and pulled out the small jar of raspberry jam that my mother-in-law had made the previous year. She's 97 years old, and is still able to make jam. There was just enough left in the jar for one slice of bread, and as I emptied it and smoothed it over the toast, I anticipated how good it would taste. When the raspberry jam reached my taste buds, I had this singular moment of joy. Accompanying this were thoughts of how wonderful a gift this was, and the knowledge of how the berries were picked and eventually ended up hundreds of miles from the source. THIS was the spark I needed to get my mojo back!

In our ever-challenging world, we need moments like this to remind ourselves that a simple pleasure such as home-made raspberry jam should not be taken for granted. Whatever small pleasures you enjoy, take time to experience them. Appreciate the sublime. Photography does not have to be about the fantastic, outrageous, or unique. A sublime image can connect us to shared experiences, and if photography is a visual language, no text is needed to tell the audience what's happened.

While that was it for that jar, I am comforted in knowing that we have a few more in the pantry.

For me, photography is also a simple joy. I photograph for myself, and if others like my images, that's great. If I did not enjoy doing it, I'd be doing something else. My artistic skills in other mediums are not great. While I also enjoy using film, I won't deny the advantage of immediacy with a digital image. It does not matter what you use, only that you are doing something that brings you joy.

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Revisiting Tucson with the Ricoh 35ZF

In 2021, I purchased this camera from an antique mall in Tucson, but in that incarnation, it was part of a mechanism to record store robberies - as discussed in this post. This time, the Ricoh 35 ZF (ZF= zone focus) returned to Tucson as part of my gear for a week of photography and travel in the Tucson area. Since the meter no longer works, I attached a small hot-shoe meter, which I received from Reflx Labs. I ran two rolls of film through the Ricoh, and am really pleased with the results.

Since the ZF is so compact, it was easy to carry along as an extra camera in my bag, and using it on this trip with color emulsions made it a nice option. I know some people have problems with zone focusing, but in reality, if you are shooting at f/11-f/16, anything more than 15 feet away will be in focus if you set the focus scale at “mountain.” It really only comes into proper guestimation when shooting wide-open and less than 15 feet. So, for most things, I just left the focus on infinity and worried about the aperture/shutter speed, which in the ZF, is completely manual, and that’s another reason I like this camera.

For a mid-1970s compact camera, it’s not exactly something special. However, the 40mm f/2.8 lens is good enough, and the range of shutter speeds -B, 1/8-1/500 are pretty standard. There’s certainly other 35mm compacts from that era that get more attention, but this delightful little camera is a fine companion.

Shot on Superia 200