AboutDavid 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:
Expert: David Silver Date: 6/22/2008 Subject: retina IIa
Question Mr. Silver, I have a Retina IIa camera that I obtained in Belgrade, Serbia. While looking for information on this camera I found that it does not look exactly like what is shown as a Retina IIa. The film wind is a Knob only with no lever. The lens is Retina-Xenon f:2.8 COMPUR-RAPID. But it does not look quite like the ones in the pictures I have seen.
Does that mean that this is a fake? How exactly do I tell?
Thank You
Drew Skinner
Answer
Hello Drew,
The Retina IIa is a classic compact 35mm coupled rangefinder camera, with short collapsible bellows, made in Germany for Eastman Kodak from 1939 to 1941, and again from 1951 to 1954. There are many differences between the pre-war and post-war versions. The pictures you saw, showing a lever film advance, were the post-war version (type 016) that we see most frequently today. It was only available with the f:2 Retina-Xenon or Retina-Heligon lens, and most often in a Synchro-Compur shutter. It's a fairly common camera, and excellent examples of this version tend to sell in the $80-$100 range today. You, on the other hand, must have the pre-war version (type 150) since it has a knob film advance and is equipped with the f:2.8 Retina-Xenon lens on Compur-Rapid shutter. This is a much less common version, it was marketed in Europe only, and it's very difficult to find in excellent shape. Nice ones can go as high as $200. So you do indeed have a Retina IIa, but you have the more desirable early version (type 150), rather than the later post-war version (type 016) that's usually illustrated on the internet.
