Kodak Retina IIIc
The Retina IIIc (Type 021) was in production from 1954 to 1957. It was the sixth Retina model produced by Kodak in Stuttgart, Germany. Like the previous Retina, the IIIc is a folding 35mm camera with a nice sharp lens.
Because I had already shot the Retina II, I had a basic understanding of how the IIIc would functioned. The IIIc is a more refined camera with several upgrades. The IIIc is a rangefinder with a diamond-shaped focus patch to aid in focus. There is a built-in selenium-cell light meter, the meter is not coupled but it is there. The lens is a nice Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Xenon 50mm f/2 that uses an in-lens leaf shutter. All in a relatively compact collapsible body.
Kodak produced an impressive number of cameras over the years. Many of them were targeted at consumers and clearly had the objective of getting more people taking photos and selling more Kodak film. Not surprisingly as a film company they wanted to sell film and getting people a camera was little more than a means to selling film. Consequently, there were lots of mediocre cameras that shipped with the Kodak brand. The Retina line feels like it was an exception. The Retina IIIc is a well built, highly engineered camera that continues to function 70 years after is was produced.
My Take:
My experience with the Retina IIIc was a positive one but not perfect. It is well constructed with a nice lens and plenty of charm. It is also, way more complicated than a camera needs to be. I like the fact that it folds into itself but that adds complexity and time to any shot. If the Retina IIIc is you daily camera, you may develop the muscle memory to open and close the camera effortlessly, I did not get there.
The light meter is not much use as it measures light values rather than providing direct f/stops. The f/stops are on the lens but on the bottom and not all f/stops are available at all shutter speeds. The film counter is manually set. The top shutter speed is 1/500th of a second. But the most confusing thing for me was that the film advance is on the bottom of the camera. It is a crank like most cameras, not a trigger like some of the Canon Rangefinders, but it is on the base of the camera. Also, the camera will only close if the lens is focused to infinity. So, it is generally a bit cumbersome to use.
If you have a Retina IIIc or access to one, don’t let the complexity intimidate you. Spend a few minutes with it and you’ll figure it out. Check an online manual if you get stuck. Take it out and give it a go. If you tend to rush your photos, it could be a fantastic teacher and encourage your to slow you down. It makes a nice morning walk camera. Show up to shoot a wedding with one and you are a brave person who may want to have a backup career ready.
Lens: Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Xenon 50mm f/2
Film: Fujicolor 100
