This is the Kodak Retina IIIc - a sophisticated, elegant, and compact 35mm rangefinder that we tragically often see in barely functional shape.  They often suffer from hazy viewfinders, sticky shutters, or a jammed advance lever.  But don't worry, this story has a good ending - read on.⁠

⁠The tale of this camera had a familiar beginning.  We had first sold it, early in the year, at a steep discount due to a sticky advance lever and inconsistent shutter speeds.  It worked, but it needed a special home to go to.  A few months later, it made its way back to us.  We know that these cameras are full of potential and couldn't stand to see it end up in a parts bin, but servicing of these Retinas is hard to come by.  There is a place in New Zealand, known for their good work, but the expense involved in getting this camera there was just not going to be worth it.  Thankfully, a new and much more local option came up: our friend and long-time customer, Paul Barden. ⁠

⁠Paul has been sharing his Kodak Retina restoration work on his Instagram (@crown_of_frogs) for a few months now and, we knew if we got this Retina into his hands, it would come back to us like a new camera.  We have never been so right!  Paul masterfully restored this camera.  The rangefinder is as bright as the day it left the factory floor, its lens shimmers, its shutter speeds are perfectly timed, all while sporting a newly replaced film advance mechanism. ⁠

⁠We were so in awe at how good it looked, that we passed it around the store so each of our staff could see what this camera was meant to be.  After sharing our "ooohs" and "ahhhhs" (and cleaning up after all the drooling), we loaded up a roll of Kodak TMAX 400 and got to shooting.  Click through to see some of our sample images fresh out of this Kodak Retina IIIc and, if your Retina needs some love, send a message to Paul Barden (@crown_of_frogs on Instagram) - we promise you won't regret it.

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Those of you who already own Retina IIIc cameras hardly need us to tell you what wonderful photographic devices they are, but there is a fair chance that you are a Retina owner who has never been aware of, or had a chance to get your hands on, the auxiliary lenses made for these cameras.⁠

⁠Kodak AG produced both 35mm and 80mm auxiliary lenses for the Retina IIc and IIIc.  Usually (and hopefully) these are found in a pair and, if you are really lucky, they come complete with the 35/80mm auxiliary viewfinder as well.  The front optic of the Retina IIIc bayonets off and it is a simple matter to mount either of these lenses to give this lovely Kodak rangefinder even greater versatility.  Slip the auxiliary finder atop the camera and composition remains nearly as fast and effortless.⁠

⁠Of course, there are a few caveats that Retina users should be aware of.  First off, depending on the market your Retina IIIc was intended for, your camera might include either Schneider or Rodenstock optics.  If you are looking to acquire these auxiliary lenses you have to take care that you get the Schneider version for Schneider Retinas and the Rodenstock lenses for Rodenstock cameras.  It does not work to mix and match.  Also, if you happen to have a Retina IIIC, that camera has the framelines already built into the viewfinder and you don't even need the auxiliary finder for composition.  Of course, owners of the "little c" version are missing these framelines, hence the finder.⁠

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The Kodak Retina IIIc is one of a long line of Kodak 35mm folding cameras. The first Retina I came about in 1934 and introduced the innovative 35mm "Daylight Loading Cartridge" - what we all know now as the standard. The Retina IIIc, and its later version the IIIC, are great because they were a conscious effort to perfect a high quality machine, rather than to simply mass-produce a consumer-grade product.⠀ ⠀

You may see reference to both a Retina IIIC and IIIc (big C and little c). The differences are fairly minor. The little c model came a bit earlier, produced from 1954-1957, while the big C version was the last of the Retinas, produced from 1957-1960. From a functional point of view, the big C version has viewfinder frame lines for both auxiliary 35mm and 80mm lenses. The little c version has a viewfinder set up for 50mm only. The little c's light meter has a dual range meter, with a folding metal flap that flipped down for metering in bright light, while the big C has a single range meter. Otherwise, both cameras feel and operate pretty much identically.⠀ ⠀

One last, quick tip for you. The Retina IIIc/C is also popular for its interchangeable optics, allowing you to use 35mm, 50mm, or 80mm focal lengths. If you go to buy one of these extra optics, check the 50mm optic on your camera. These came as both Schneider Xenons or Rodenstock Heligons and you have to get the matching brand of auxiliary lenses.⠀ ⠀

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A lovely Kodak Retina IIIc (little c not big C).  We talk up the Olympus XA cameras a lot, but we are quite fond of these little cameras as well.  They are solid, well built, and compact, with fast and sharp lenses.  Be sure to look out for the film advance mechanism, it is a bit different than usual.  The camera's film counter needs to be set to 36 or 24 when loading the camera,  it then counts down from there.  The whole mechanism locks up upon reaching zero and stays that way until reset.  This has caused more than one over-zealous or unsuspecting photographer to force the issue and strip out winding gears.

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