Kodak Retina I1934

History

The Kodak Retina I's origin lies in the 1931 Kodak acquisition of Nagel-Werk, a respected Stuttgart camera manufacturer. August Nagel, the founder, had already been working on a compact daylight-loading 35mm camera design. Under Kodak ownership, the project was developed into the Retina, with Kodak simultaneously developing the 135 cassette as the standardised film format.

The Type 117 Retina I launched in 1934, initially sold in Germany and soon exported worldwide. Kodak aggressively promoted both the camera and the cassette format; within a few years, competitors were designing cameras around the 135 cassette, and the format became a global standard. Every manufacturer of 35mm cameras — from Leica to the cheapest consumer brands — adopted the 135 cassette.

The Retina I continued in production through several type variants until World War II halted production. After the war, production resumed with the postwar Retina I and eventually the Retina Ia (1951), which updated the body with a larger viewfinder and improved specifications.

Why It Matters

The Retina I's historical importance is difficult to overstate. The 135 daylight-loading cassette it introduced is the universal format for 35mm film photography — used today in every 35mm camera, every 35mm film roll sold at any camera shop in the world. A Kodak Retina I is the direct ancestor, in a functional sense, of every 35mm camera made since 1934.

As a photographic tool, the original Retina I is surprisingly capable. The Schneider Xenar 50/3.5 is a genuine quality lens — the same Tessar-type four-element design found in far more expensive cameras of the era. Stopped down to f/5.6 or f/8, it produces crisp negatives with good micro-contrast.

Lenses & Accessories

Fixed non-interchangeable lens. Standard: Schneider Xenar 50/3.5 or Kodak Ektar 50/3.5. A small number of examples carry the Schneider Anastigmat 50/3.5 or Kodak Anastigmat 50/3.5 (budget variants). Push-on or Series V drop-in filters; cable release socket.

Sample Photographers / Notable Use

• Introduced as Kodak's flagship 35mm offering in 1934 and marketed globally as the camera that made 35mm film convenient.
• Used by European amateur photographers in the late 1930s who embraced the 135 cassette's daylight-loading convenience.
• Historically documented as the camera that established the 135 film format — directly referenced in the history of virtually every subsequent 35mm camera.

References

• Camera-Wiki: Kodak Retina (Type 117)
• Retina Rescue — repair and history resource