Kodak Retina IIIs1958

History

The Retina IIIs (Type 027) arrived at the end of the folding rangefinder era — by 1958, rigid-body 35mm cameras from Leica, Nikon, and Canon were firmly established as professional tools, and the folding camera's portability advantage was less compelling than it had been in the late 1940s. Kodak's Nagel Werk responded by adding the features that made the Retina line as technically capable as any rigid compact: a built-in meter and a form of optical versatility through the interchangeable front element system.

The IIIs was produced only until 1960, making it one of the shorter-lived Retina variants. It was superseded in the early 1960s by the Retina Reflex series, which offered genuine SLR through-the-lens viewing. The IIIs therefore represents the final generation of the pure rangefinder Retina before the SLR transition.

The selenium meter is a significant convenience over the entirely unmetered IIa — no battery required, always ready, and accurate enough for slide film with a stop-down correction factor understood.

Why It Matters

The Retina IIIs is the Swiss Army knife of the Retina line: meter, interchangeable optics, and rangefinder focusing in a folding body that closes smaller than a wallet. For photographers interested in the full Retina system — including the wide and tele auxiliary elements — the IIIs is the correct body to seek.

The interchangeable front element system is optically legitimate: the Retina-Curtar-Xenon and Retina-Tele-Xenar are purpose-designed for this conversion function by Schneider and produce acceptable (if not exceptional) results. Wide-angle conversion gives approximately 35mm equivalent coverage; telephoto conversion gives approximately 80mm. Neither matches the quality of a dedicated prime, but both are adequate for available-light documentary and travel work.

The selenium meter's battery-free operation is a genuine practical advantage over cameras requiring mercury or silver oxide cells — the IIIs is usable with its meter indefinitely, assuming the selenium cell has not degraded.

Lenses & Accessories

Standard lens: Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Xenon C 50mm f/2 (most production) or Rodenstock Retina-Heligon C 50mm f/2. Interchangeable front elements: Retina-Curtar-Xenon 35mm equivalent (wide conversion); Retina-Tele-Xenar 80mm equivalent (telephoto conversion). Each auxiliary element includes its own dedicated viewfinder mask or accessory shoe-mount viewfinder frame for accurate composition. Filter thread: 32mm (primary lens). Accessories: Retina flash shoe adapter; case; close-up supplementary lenses.

Sample Photographers / Notable Use

• European travel journalists in the late 1950s used the Retina IIIs as a comprehensive single-camera kit — 35mm wide, 50mm standard, and 80mm tele from one pocketable package, with built-in metering for rapid deployment.
• The IIIs was recommended in contemporary photography magazines as the most complete folding camera available, praised for combining the Retina's optical quality with the functional breadth of a multi-lens system.
• Today the Retina IIIs attracts collectors interested in the full interchangeable-front-element ecosystem, and shooters who value the selenium meter's battery independence.

References

• Camera-Wiki: Kodak Retina IIIs
• Wikipedia: Kodak Retina