Kodak Retina 1b, one of a kind (from a friend of a friend of mine)

[Alfredo Doricchi]

Hello fellows.

A few days ago, I was called by a friend of mine, who said “Hello! A friend of mine has inherited a strange camera from his uncle, who passed by recently. He is not interested in it at all, so as I know you are a passionate film photographer, do you want the camera?”. You know how it goes: few hours later, I was the happy owner of a Retina 1b with several accessories (yellow filter, Voigtlander external rangefinder, flash cable, remote cable)







BRIEF HISTORY

The Kodak Retina Ib – Type 018 camera was built by Kodak AG, the German subsidiary of the Eastman Kodak Company.

The Kodak Retina 1b, built between the years of 1954 and 1957, was the successor to the Retina Ia – Type 015, and was the entry level camera in the Retina lineup







As the earlier Retina 1a, the Retina 1b was a scale focus only camera, without rangefinder and light meter. Despite being the entry level model of the Retina lineup, the Retina 1b had the same high build quality level and high-quality Schneider-Kreuznach lenses as the higher end models (Retina II and Retina III)



THE CAMERA

The camera I bought was in excellent conditions, even if clearly unused by long time (slow shutter times were initially a bit lazy, now they are ok)



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[url=https://postimages.org/] [/url
]



[url=https://postimages.org/] [/url
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Inside the camera, there is a sticker of an Austrian seller named Herlango (off the market since 1992), so maybe the camera was bought by the uncle of the guy up there



[url=https://postimg.cc/nMy15WsF] [/url
]



[url=https://postimages.org/] [/url
]



Inside the beautiful leather case, I found a small piece of paper with the instruction for setting in different conditions, as a guide for an amateur photographer



[url=https://postimages.org/] [/url
]



[url=https://postimages.org/] free image hosting



To my happiness, the lens of the Retina 1b it’s a 50mm Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar f/2.8, a good lens at least on paper (more after)



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Also, the camera it’s small and compact, even if it’s heavy (no plastic, thanks God)



[url=https://postimages.org/] [/url
]



HOW THE CAMERA WORKS

The Retina 1b it’s a simple camera to use, being all manual: knowing your film ASA, you set the time shutter, diaphragm aperture and you can just shoot your pics. So simple. You have to estimate the distance of your subject and the light of the scene you want to capture, because there is not rangefinder nor light meter. So, scale focusing it’s your friend for subjects within 10 meters or so, no problems of course for landscapes.



[url=https://postimages.org/] [/url
]



Inside the viewfinder, there is frame well visible, to aid the photographer on composing the scene



[url=https://postimages.org/] [/url
]



The advancing film lever position it’s unusual, being on the camera bottom; a bit strange at first, but then you get used to it



[url=https://postimages.org/] [/url
]



The shutter sound it’s really low, thanks to the diaphragm shutter



[url=https://postimages.org/]



THE PICTURES

When I developed my first roll (Agfaphoto APX 100), I was glad to see the pics the Retina 1b can accomplish. In my opinion, the Xenar lens, a simple 4 element lens, it’s very good. Here below, some pics



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[url=https://postimg.cc/nsm8xJsw] [/url
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[url=https://postimg.cc/d7sdPqSJ] [/url
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[url=https://postimg.cc/8jkjzymb] [/url
]



[url=https://postimg.cc/0rMVHfwc] [/url
]



CONCLUSIONS

All in all, in my opinion the Retina 1b it’s a beautiful, little neat camera, simple, easy to use, easy to carry; just what you need for vacation days, small trips, hiking, or for street photography.

Thanks for reading,

Alfredo Doricchi

 

[guangong]

I bought one in a church thrift shop in 1977. Very capable little cameras. Enjoy!

 

[Paul Howell]

Although fussy I think all of the Kodak Renita are good user cameras, I have a IIIC big, got in 1965. I have not used it in the past few years as it needs servicing, over the decades I've shot hundreds of rolls of film with it. The III S, was the last rangefinder, not a folder took interchanable lens 28 to 200, the 200 was not rangefinder coupled. The reflex line were also decent users, just slow to use.

 

[AZD]

I inherited a Ib almost 30 years ago. Very capable little cameras, and the lens is excellent. Years ago I put several rolls of slide film through it, the ultimate test for sharpness and color balance. No complaints at all… except that I miss the days of picking up Kodachrome 64 and Elite Chrome 400 at the grocery store next to the batteries.

Over the years I have added a bunch of Series VI filters, and also made a tripod adapter that moves the mount directly under the lens. The standard mount by the door latch is unfortunately quite weak and prone to damage if you bump or turn the camera while mounted.

My favorite part about the camera though? The smell of the leather case. It’s sooo nice.

 

[madNbad]

Thank you for the story and nice photographs. I’ve owned a IIIc, two IIc and two IIa cameras. Kept one of the IIas and traded or gave away the others. The cocking rack on the bottom winders is susceptible to damage. Mostly it happens through mishandling and users not winding the advance through a full stroke. I like how they are designed to be easily carried in a pocket and have such fine lenses.

 

[gone]

The IA and IB are my favorite Retinas (especially the little 1A). Scale focus keeps things simple and light, and the Xenars are excellent lenses. I owned Baldas at one time, and they also had that film advance on the bottom. Feels weird at first but you adapt to that very quickly.

 

[AgX]

The upgrade version of this camera (with uncoupled light-meter and bright-line finder) was the very first camera I had in hand. Already as a little boy I was intrigued by the surface finish and all those mechanics. I regarded it as a little treasure. Later it became the first camera I took photos with. It was cosmetically mint and hardly used, when it jammed (likely the Retina-disease). Some day it was brought to a camera store for being sent for repair. You all know what came next....
At the shop it was declared being at best good enough to be traded in for something much more modern...
Having been so outdated and even broken, it hardly had much resting value. So it should have been given back. I miss it and so far did not come across that model again, let alone in that mint state.

 

[bernard_L]

When I click on any of the sample b/w images, a new tab opens on postimg.cc, but always displaying the same image (the first one). Using Firefox. Same with Edge.
Plus, after clicking on the "+" for a larger picture, the image I see does not do justice (IMO) to what a Xenar can do. Whatever the reason.

 

[cramej]

The 1b is my favorite Retina. Likely the only Retina that I'll keep. It is the smoothest and quietest of any camera I have and fits in my hand much better than the IIs.

 

[__Brian]

The Schneider Lenses on the Retina series are 1st rate. The Xenar is a Tessar design.

Two things to remember- the lens needs to be set to Infinity for the cover to close, And- the advance stops working when the counter is at Zero.

The cocking rack is the weak link- but you can still buy them from Microtools.



I replaced the one on the IIC in the middle of the "Capital Gang", 1B, IIC, and IIIC.

 

[Hunter_Compton]

Your hypothesis about your Ib being purchased in Europe is corroborated by the serial number. Those imported into the US for resale were prefixed with "EK", yours is not, so it would not have originally been sold in the US.

 

[MarkS]

Handsome little camera that still works well; that is a real find. And you make beautiful photographs with it!

 

[Paul Howell]

A camera shop no longer in business Collectable Camera has a IIIC Big with the 80 and 35mm in a wooden prestation box, I was told at the time that the last 100 or so were boxed and given to Kodak executives. Only I've ever seen.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Hello fellows.

A few days ago, I was called by a friend of mine, who said “Hello! A friend of mine has inherited a strange camera from his uncle, who passed by recently. He is not interested in it at all, so as I know you are a passionate film photographer, do you want the camera?”. You know how it goes: few hours later, I was the happy owner of a Retina 1b with several accessories (yellow filter, Voigtlander external rangefinder, flash cable, remote cable)







BRIEF HISTORY

The Kodak Retina Ib – Type 018 camera was built by Kodak AG, the German subsidiary of the Eastman Kodak Company.

The Kodak Retina 1b, built between the years of 1954 and 1957, was the successor to the Retina Ia – Type 015, and was the entry level camera in the Retina lineup







As the earlier Retina 1a, the Retina 1b was a scale focus only camera, without rangefinder and light meter. Despite being the entry level model of the Retina lineup, the Retina 1b had the same high build quality level and high-quality Schneider-Kreuznach lenses as the higher end models (Retina II and Retina III)



THE CAMERA

The camera I bought was in excellent conditions, even if clearly unused by long time (slow shutter times were initially a bit lazy, now they are ok)



[/url
]
[url=https://postimages.org/] [/url
]
[url=https://postimages.org/] [/url
]
Inside the camera, there is a sticker of an Austrian seller named Herlango (off the market since 1992), so maybe the camera was bought by the uncle of the guy up there
[url=https://postimg.cc/nMy15WsF] [/url
]
[url=https://postimages.org/] [/url
]
Inside the beautiful leather case, I found a small piece of paper with the instruction for setting in different conditions, as a guide for an amateur photographer
[url=https://postimages.org/] [/url
]
[url=https://postimages.org/] free image hosting



To my happiness, the lens of the Retina 1b it’s a 50mm Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar f/2.8, a good lens at least on paper (more after)



[/url
]
Also, the camera it’s small and compact, even if it’s heavy (no plastic, thanks God)
[url=https://postimages.org/] [/url
]
HOW THE CAMERA WORKS
The Retina 1b it’s a simple camera to use, being all manual: knowing your film ASA, you set the time shutter, diaphragm aperture and you can just shoot your pics. So simple. You have to estimate the distance of your subject and the light of the scene you want to capture, because there is not rangefinder nor light meter. So, scale focusing it’s your friend for subjects within 10 meters or so, no problems of course for landscapes.
[url=https://postimages.org/] [/url
]
Inside the viewfinder, there is frame well visible, to aid the photographer on composing the scene
[url=https://postimages.org/] [/url
]
The advancing film lever position it’s unusual, being on the camera bottom; a bit strange at first, but then you get used to it
[url=https://postimages.org/] [/url
]
The shutter sound it’s really low, thanks to the diaphragm shutter
[url=https://postimages.org/]



THE PICTURES

When I developed my first roll (Agfaphoto APX 100), I was glad to see the pics the Retina 1b can accomplish. In my opinion, the Xenar lens, a simple 4 element lens, it’s very good. Here below, some pics



[/url
]
[url=https://postimg.cc/nsm8xJsw] [/url
]
[url=https://postimg.cc/d7sdPqSJ] [/url
]
[url=https://postimg.cc/8jkjzymb] [/url
]
[url=https://postimg.cc/0rMVHfwc] [/url
]
CONCLUSIONS
All in all, in my opinion the Retina 1b it’s a beautiful, little neat camera, simple, easy to use, easy to carry; just what you need for vacation days, small trips, hiking, or for street photography.
Thanks for reading,
Alfredo Doricchi

Somewhat similar to my Voightlander Vito IIb. Enjoy.

 

[Alfredo Doricchi]

Good morning, fellows! Many thanks for your kind comments and memories about the Retina 1b. For sure an handsome little camera, beautifully built.

BernardL: I'm sorry, mate. Anyone else experienced the same issue opening my pics?

 

[JPD]

The Retina Ib is one of my favourite 35mm cameras. I also have the Voigtländer accessory rangefinder, but I use it with my 6x9 Ercona II. I'm good at etimating the distance, and with a 50mm lens stopped down a bit, I have never had problems with focusing the Retina Ib. I like the finder, and it's easy to see the whole frame even when wearing glasses like I do.

My other favourite Retina of the same period is the IIc with built-in rangefinder and Rodenstock Heligon lens.