Cameras/general info on two older kodak cameras
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Question
Dear David,
I have a Kodak Retina Ia w/ a zeiss ikon flash. Also,a Kodak pony 135 model c w/ a kodak standard flash. These belonged to a grandmother, so I guess they're about 60 or so years old.
Anything you can tell me about them,including worth,would be most appreciated. Thanks!
Donna
Hello Donna,
The Retina Ia is a very common compact 35mm camera made in Germany for Eastman Kodak from 1951 to 1954. They seriously made these by the truck load, and they remain readily available today. The odd thing is that they were never originally distributed in the USA, they were for the European market only, but today we find them everywhere! Truly excellent examples of the more common versions (with Synchro Compur shutter and Xenar lens) only go for around $60-$70. The less common versions (with Compur Rapid shutter and/or Ektar lens) can reach $125 purely based on collectible interest. Nice little camera when it's working correctly.
The Pony 135 is a cheap amateur's 35mm camera made by Eastman Kodak from 1950 to 1958. I'm afraid it's a paper weight. Nice examples rarely go for more than $10 today. Not a treasure.
Best wishes,
David Silver
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David Silver
Expertise
I'm an expert on all types of antique, classic, and contemporary cameras, as well as the general history of photography. Everything from ancient box cameras to modern single-lens-reflex; from simple Kodaks to sophisticated Leica and Nikon; from glass plates and roll film to movie and 35mm. I can identify and appraise them, explain how they work, and offer insights on their restoration and care. I can also provide historical background on vintage cameras and equipment, and guidelines on their purchase and sale.
Experience
I've been a professional photographer and a student of the history of photography for nearly 30 years. During that time my collection of vintage cameras and photographic paraphernalia has grown beyond 2000 significant pieces. I've published nearly 70 articles in the field, including 16 in the popular "Buying Classic Cameras" series for PHOTO SHOPPER MAGAZINE from 1995 to 1997, I'm currently a contributing editor for CAMERA SHOPPER MAGAZINE and McKEOWN'S PRICE GUIDE TO ANTIQUE AND CLASSIC CAMERAS, and I've written numerous entries for WORLD BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIA. Portions of my collection have been displayed in museums and special exhibits in the past two decades, and many of the items were photographed as illustrations for books. In 1985 I founded the International Photographic Historical Organization (InPHO), which eventually evolved into its intended purpose as the best first resource for information on the history of photography. I'm also a founding member of several e-mail forums dedicated to specialized areas of photography, and I'm the moderator of the Internet Directory of Camera Collectors (IDCC), which remains the largest and most successful such group in the world. For more information about the International Photographic Historical Organization and its many services, please visit its web pages at:
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