The Kodak Type 025 Retina Reflex is an SLR camera with so called convertible lenses (German: Wechselobjektiv), interchangeable lens components made by Kodak AG Stuttgart, Germany. It was made between Spring 1957 and October 1958. The Retina reflex is basically a fixed-lens camera rear except for one aspect - the front three elements are contained in a cell that bayonets into the front of the lens assembly. The standard front cell can be replaced with one of three Schneider components - an 80mm and two different 35mm components. The rear part of the lens (which is a permanent part of the camera body) contains the focusing apparatus. This interchangeable front component concept was introduced in 1954 with the Kodak Retina IIIc. The non-coupled selenium cell exposure meter reads out in exposure values (EVs) only. Approximately 65,000 were made.





Introduced in 1959, the Type 034 Retina Reflex S was a major redesign of the original Retina Reflex. The major difference is its use of fully interchangeable lenses, the same lenses that were made for the Kodak Retina IIIS rangefinder camera. The lens mount is commonly referred to as the Deckel mount, after the manufacturer of the Prontor, Compur and other shutters. This same mount, with minor differences, was also used by a number of other German camera makers, including Braun and Voigtländer. It was also used in the later Retina Reflex III, Retina Reflex IV, and the Kodak Instamatic Reflex. As for the original Retina Reflex, lenses were available from both Schneider and Rodenstock, but this time the lenses had identical bayonet mounts. The shutter is a Synchro-Compur behind the lens unit, which is part of the camera body. The aperture is now in the interchangeable lenses, which eliminates the overexposure problem of the original Retina Reflex. Speed are from 1 sec. to 1/500th plus bulb. It features M and X syncs and a self-timer. Approximately 78,000 were made.






A later variant is the Type 041 Retina Reflex III. It was made from 1960 to 1964. The camera was originally equipped with the same coupled selenium meter as the Reflex S, but after 1962 a larger one was fitted, again made by Gossen. The Reflex III features the same "setting wheel" and interlocking aperture/shutter rings as the Reflex S. Approximately 116,000 were made.






The Type 051 Retina Reflex IV was made from 1964 to 1967. It has a characteristic little window in the front of its pentaprism housing, which displays the aperture in use in the viewfinder. The accessory shoe now had flash contacts. The split-image rangefinder on the ground glass is now at a 45 degree angle. Over 524,000 were made.






The Retina Reflex can be fitted with four different lenses (also for the Retina IIc, IIC, IIIc, and IIIC cameras). They all share a common set of three elements at the rear of the lens.
List of Schneider-Kreuznach Retina convertible lenses:

Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Curtar-Xenon C 35mm f/4
Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Curtar-Xenon C 35mm f/5.6 (6+3 elements in 6 groups)
Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Xenon C 50mm f/2 (3+3 elements in 4 groups)
Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Xenon C 50mm f/2.8
Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Longar-Xenon C 80mm f/4 (6+3 elements in 6 groups)
List of Rodenstock Retina convertible lenses:

Rodenstock Retina-Heligon C 35mm f/4
Rodenstock Retina-Heligon C 35mm f/5.6
Rodenstock Retina-Heligon C 50mm f/2
Rodenstock Retina-Heligon C 50mm f/2.8
Rodenstock Retina-Heligon C 80mm f/4



Lenses for Retina Reflex S, III, IV, Instamatic Reflex, and Retina IIIS


Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Curtagon 28mm f/4
Schneider-Kreuznach Curtagon 28mm f/4 (for Instamatic Reflex)
Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Curtagon 35mm f/2.8
Schneider-Kreuznach Curtagon 35mm f/2.8 (for Instamatic Reflex)
Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Xenar 45mm f/2.8 (for Instamatic Reflex, can be used with Retina Reflex S, III, IV, but not with the Retina IIIS)
Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Xenar 50mm f/2.8
Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Xenon 50mm f/1.9
Schneider-Kreuznach Xenon 50mm f/1.9 (for Instamatic Reflex)
Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Tele-Arton 85mm f/4
Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Tele-Arton 90mm f/4 (for Instamatic Reflex)
Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Tele-Xenar 135mm f/4
Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Tele-Xenar 200mm f/4.8 (does not have the rangefinder cam necessary for focussing through viewfinder with the Retina IIIS)


List of Rodenstock Retina DKL-mount lenses:

Rodenstock Retina-Eurygon 30mm f/2.8
Rodenstock Retina-Eurygon 35mm f/4
Rodenstock Retina-Ysarex 50mm f/2.8
Rodenstock Retina-Heligon 50mm f/1.9
Rodenstock Retina-Rotelar 85mm f/4
Rodenstock Retina-Rotelar 135mm f/4





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