[kevinWE]

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This is a question geared towards camera collector's or at least those who like to browse old camera's.

I have a small collection of cameras, maybe about 28 plus or there about. I go through spurts of adding to my collection, sometimes I may go 2 or 3 years without adding anything, or even browsing the market. I have never been a collector of Kodak, although I do own the Tourist folder. I do remember browsing eBay a few years back and seeing the Kodak Retina's listed for 100.00 USD or less, and there was always an abundance to chose from. I discovered the price seems to have more than doubled on these camera's although the market still seems to be saturated with this model. Has anyone else noticed this uptick in pricing?

Some camera's such as many of the F model Nikons appear to be valued much as they were about 6 or 7 years ago, so I wonder what it is about the Retinas?

[boriscleto]

Some camera's such as many of the F model Nikons appear to be valued much as they were about 6 or 7 years ago, so I wonder what it is about the Retinas?

The non-eBay price adjusted to the eBay price and eBay flippers raised their prices. And Nikon has always been overpriced.

Also, with a focal flange of 45.7mm DKL mount lenses can be adapted to most other SLR mounts. (Retina S, Retina Reflex 3 & 4, Retina Instmatic Reflex)

[kevinWE]

The non-eBay price adjusted to the eBay price and eBay flippers raised their prices. And Nikon has always been overpriced.

Also, with a focal flange of 45.7mm DKL mount lenses can be adapted to most other SLR mounts. (Retina S, Retina Reflex 3 & 4, Retina Instmatic Reflex)

I can find cheap Retina's but not in the condition I want. I see a bunch in the 50.00 range but no guarantee of functionality. I could swear you could land mint ones for 30.00 to 50.00 not all that long ago. I was looking at a very nice one priced at 150.00. I won't touch it at that price, but she sure did look pretty.

I own 10 Nikon 35mm camera's and I bought them all on the cheap right after the digital craze kicked into high gear. It seemed like everyone was dumping their old 35mm cameras cheap and I was right there to pluck them up.

---------- Post added 10-28-19 at 01:23 PM ----------

For the sake of this thread I want to clarify that I'm speaking of the Retina III and III c folder.

---------- Post added 10-28-19 at 01:26 PM ----------

Here's an example
Kodak Retina III c Little c Rangefinder Camera Schneider 50mm f2 Lens | eBay

This one looks like it may be nice but the starting bid is already around 10.00 more than I would be willing to pay for it.

[boriscleto]

I own 10 Nikon 35mm camera's and I bought them all on the cheap right after the digital craze kicked into high gear. It seemed like everyone was dumping their old 35mm cameras cheap and I was right there to pluck them up.

I own 7 Nikon SLRs and only paid more than $100 for the 1968 F with a slightly later Micro 55/3.5 (I paid as much for a 1980s Canon F-1n without a lens). But 3 of them are Nikkormats and 2 are less desirable AF models, N6006 & N70. I paid $76 for a black FM.

[ismaelg]

Hello,

I collect cameras as well. That trend is general. I used to see K1000 in decent condition a few years ago for about $20. But today they are going for crazy prices close to $100 in some cases still needing a CLA.
I got a non working Retina a few years ago very cheap. I see now similar ones going for absurd prices.
I think somehow film cameras became a fashionable trend again.

Thanks,

[ecostigny]

I inherited a Kodak Retina Reflex S from my father, along with a set of lenses (28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, and 135mm). This camera was manufactured in their Stuttgart factory in 1959. I made the transition from Instamatics to SLRs with this camera. I'm amazed to see that there still seems to be some demand for them.

[pentaxus]

Retina Reflex cameras are interesting collector items but are not that reliable. Rangefinder Retina II and Retina III are good picture takers, especially Retina III cameras with a working light meter.

[arnold]

I have a pretty extensive collection of Retinas and Retinettes. German made, the Retina was the first camera designed for the 35mm cassette Other than the last years they were made, they are quality cameras with quite brilliant lenses. First made in the mid thirties and finally in the mid sixties.
To me they are not far off the quality of the best made cameras of the time. The Reflex cameras with leaf shutter lenses were the way the Germans first entered the SLR market. They are extremely complicated and hence prone to problems.* The one I have is pristine and fully functional, but I am more comfortable with a 1B or 111C range finder Retina.

*Since the shutter is in the lens, one cannot see through the viewfinder and lens, with it closed. Hence, when cocking, a blocking plate moves and covers the film frame and allow the shutter to open to allow you to see through the lens. When you press the shutter, the shutter has to first close, and then the blocking plate is safe to move away. Once the blocking plate is out of the way, the shutter is free to open and close at the set speed. Then the blocking plate comes back down blocking the view through the finder until it is cocked again.

[boriscleto]

The Reflex cameras with leaf shutter lenses were the way the Germans first entered the SLR market. They are extremely complicated and hence prone to problems.

???

The Kine Exakta of 1936 was the first German SLR, and it had a focal plane shutter. Zeiss was developing the Contax SLR with a pentaprism viewfinder before WW II. The war intervened and it wasn't released until 1949, two years after the Italian Rectaflex became the first production SLR with a pentaprism. All of these cameras had focal plane shutters. The Praktiflex was presented in 1939, focal plane shutter. The Praktica in 1949, focal plane shutter...

Leaf shutter SLRs didn't appear until the 1950s, 1953 for the Contaflex, 1957 for the Retina Reflex, 1958 for Braun Paxxette Reflex, 1959 Bessamatic.

[leekil]

There has been more interest in film cameras recently, plus the cameras aren't getting any younger. They're either dying off or ending up at people's houses & off the market.

[kevinWE]

There has been more interest in film cameras recently, plus the cameras aren't getting any younger. They're either dying off or ending up at people's houses & off the market.

There is still an abundance of Retina's on the market, this is why I am shocked at these prices. They are not rare or hard to find, I would guess Kodak flooded the market with these cameras back in the day. I haven't priced a Retina in about 7 or so years. I had a bit of sticker shock. The prices aren't that bad, but more than I would pay for this particular camera. I'll wait and see how the market goes. I have a feeling film will see it's up's and downs over the course of the next several years.

[Dartmoor Dave]

The Retinas were never cheap cameras. Here's the prices from the British Army & Navy Stores catalogue from 1939, and £10 was a lot of money back then. (In pre-decimal British currency there were 12 pence in a shilling and 20 shillings in a pound, so 240 pence in a pound. And the smallest coin was a quarter penny called a "farthing".)



Note that the lower-end Kodaks are priced in shillings/pence, not pounds. Meanwhile you could get a Voigtlander Bessa for £2/17/6.



And £18/5/0 would buy a bottom-of-the-range Leica. So a top-of-the-range Retina cost more than a bottom-of-the-range Leica.

[boriscleto]

In pre-decimal British currency there were 12 pence in a shilling and 20 shillings in a pound, so 240 pence in a pound. And the smallest coin was a quarter penny called a "farthing".)

29 Knuts to a Sickle and 17 Sickles to a Galleon...

[arnold]

???

The Kine Exakta of 1936 was the first German SLR, and it had a focal plane shutter. Zeiss was developing the Contax SLR with a pentaprism viewfinder before WW II. The war intervened and it wasn't released until 1949, two years after the Italian Rectaflex became the first production SLR with a pentaprism. All of these cameras had focal plane shutters. The Praktiflex was presented in 1939, focal plane shutter. The Praktica in 1949, focal plane shutter...

Leaf shutter SLRs didn't appear until the 1950s, 1953 for the Contaflex, 1957 for the Retina Reflex, 1958 for Braun Paxxette Reflex, 1959 Bessamatic.

I was not very precise in saying the Reflex cameras with leaf shutter lenses were the way the Germans first entered the SLR market. After the war, when the likes of Pentax and Nikon abandoned the rangefinder and started down the SLR line, the Germans brought out new SLRs to compete with the Japanese. The pre-war designs (eg Exacta) were not competitive although Practica did well after the war. To compete in this market they mostly went the leaf shutter way, but they too were not competitive for reasons given. Japan led the way for mass market SLRs, with focal plane shutters.

[Dartmoor Dave]

29 Knuts to a Sickle and 17 Sickles to a Galleon...

It was basically designed to confuse visiting Americans.