• Kodak Retina IIc — back · view 2
  • Kodak Retina IIc — back · view 3
  • Kodak Retina IIc — bottom · view 4
  • Kodak Retina IIc — bottom · view 5
  • 1934
  • 35mm folding
  • Made in Germany

Kodak Retina IIc 35mm Film Camera

The camera the modern 35mm cassette was invented for: pocketable German precision.

The Retina is more important than its modest size lets on: the original 1934 model was built around Kodak's brand-new 135 daylight-loading cartridge: the 35mm cassette every film camera since has used. August Nagel designed it in Stuttgart, and for thirty-five years Kodak's German works turned out a long run of beautifully made folding 35mm cameras that you could genuinely carry in a coat pocket.

The formula is a self-erecting bellows behind a folding metal door, a sharp fixed Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar or Xenon lens, and a Compur leaf shutter: quiet, precise, German. The range climbs in a clear logic: the I series is viewfinder-only, the II series adds a coupled rangefinder, and the III series adds an uncoupled selenium meter on top of that. Folded shut, even a rangefinder III is astonishingly compact for what it does.

Match

Who this is for

Good for

  • pocketable carry
  • street photography
  • Schneider glass
  • mechanical reliability
  • collectors

Character

What it feels like to shoot

Folded, a Retina is a dense little brick of chromed metal that opens with a satisfying mechanical certainty; the leaf shutter fires with a soft, almost apologetic click rather than a slap, which makes it a quietly discreet street camera. The Schneider lenses draw with that crisp, slightly cool German signature. A frame counter that counts down, a shutter cocked by hand on the earlier bodies, a rangefinder patch that sharpens as your eye learns it: these are the small rituals that make a Retina feel like the precision instrument it is.

The glass

Paired with this glass

Kodak Retina IIc — front extended

Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Xenon C 50mm f/2.8 (fixed)

Schneider glass in a Synchro-Compur shutter. The C is the convertible system: the front group unscrews to take Schneider's 35mm and 80mm converter groups, which made the IIc the rare folding rangefinder that grew into a small system.

Born 1934

History of the Kodak Retina IIc

Kodak acquired Dr. August Nagel's Stuttgart factory in 1931, and the Retina line that followed (1934-1969) was Kodak's premium German-made answer to the rise of 35mm. The folding rangefinder Retinas (I, Ia, II, IIa, IIc, IIIc/IIIC) ran until 1960, when the folding story ended and rigid-bodied models (the IIIS, the S-series) and the Retina Reflex SLR took over. The simpler, scale-focus Retinette was the budget sibling.

Technical specifications

MFG. 1934 – 1969
01
Format
35mm folding rangefinder
02
Manufacturer
Kodak AG, Dr. Nagel Werk (designer August Nagel) · Germany (Stuttgart-Wangen)
03
Production
1934 – 1969
04
Lens
Fixed Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar or Xenon (typically 50mm f/2.8 or f/2)
05
Metering
Uncoupled selenium meter (IIIc/IIIC); none on earlier models
06
Viewfinder
Optical viewfinder (Retina I); coupled rangefinder added on the II and III series
07
Shutter
Compur / Synchro-Compur leaf shutter, to 1/500s
08
Flash sync
X/M sync on Synchro-Compur-equipped models
09
Exposure modes
Manual
10
Power

None. Fully mechanical.

Backed by GPP

Service & guarantees

Every analog camera ships through our bench

This unit has been fully serviced and CLA'd: cleaned, lubricated and adjusted, with shutter, meter and light seals checked, and it is in confirmed working order. Inspected at GPP; ask us about this exact body.

  • CLA'd by GPP: shutter speeds checked, light seals replaced where needed, meter calibrated against a known reference.
  • 7-day functional return: if it doesn't work as we declared on this listing, we exchange or refund. Wear-and-tear consistent with the listed condition isn't returnable.
  • UAE & worldwide shipping: Dubai same-day before 12 PM (AED 50), UAE-wide in 2–3 business days (AED 40), international tracked in 5–10 business days (calculated at checkout). Insurance can be added on request. Customs and import duties are the buyer's responsibility on international orders. Full shipping policy.
  • Walk in to inspect: Warehouse D36, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai. Mon–Sat, 10am–7pm. Bring a roll if you'd like to test-fire on the spot.

Questions

Things people ask

What film does it take?

Standard 35mm film. We carry the widest selection in the Middle East: colour, B&W, and slide across consumer, professional, and cinema stocks. Need a recommendation for this body? Just ask us.

Is the camera serviced before sale?

Yes. Every analog camera at GPP goes through our bench before it goes on the listing. Shutter speeds verified, light seals replaced where needed, meter calibrated against a reference.

What's your return policy?

7-day functional return. If anything we declared isn't working as described, contact us within 7 days of receipt for a full refund or exchange.

Can GPP develop and scan the photos I shoot with this?

Yes. Our in-house film lab handles colour, B&W, and slide development with scanning. 24-48 hour rush available. More on the film lab.

Can I see the camera before I buy?

Always welcome. Visit Warehouse D36, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai. Open Monday to Saturday, 10am–7pm.

Kodak Retina IIc
Dhs. 1,100.00
  • ✓ CLA'd by GPP
  • ✓ 7-day functional return