Kodak Cameras

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Kodak Duaflex II. This TLR box camera has a lid that closes over the viewing screen, unlike the first model. It takes 620 film (or 120 trimmed to fit) and has B & I settings for the shutter. A Kodak plastic film can lid (the old gray ones) makes a perfect lenscap to avoid double-exposures. After some time, I finally loaded a roll of film and was surprised at the results.

[photo1 - Clements Library, UM]

[photo2 - bike racks]

Kodak Retina IIa - This one was a gift from my mentor, Bill Brudon. With a very sharp Schneider-Kreuznach 2.8 lens, a sweet-sounding shutter and good rangefinder, it is a wonderful camera to use. Plus it slips easily into a pocket! The folding Retina line is the zenith of Kodak's german camera manufacturing.

[photo] [photo2]

Kodak Retinette 1A - not even close to the same class as the Retina, but this camera does have a Schneider lens, and takes pretty good photos. Very similar to the Agfa Silette camera of same vintage and style.
Kodak Special 620. A camera worth respooling 120 film onto 620 reels. The 6 x 9 negatives are.. BIG! I paid $20 for it at a camera swap, and it is a beauty.
Kodak Flash Bantam -- this one needs a little shutter work, but otherwise is in pretty good condition. The Bantams use 828 film -- same physical size as 35mm, but on a short roll, like 127 film. Evidently, when they were introduced, film was expensive, and Kodak reasoned that anyone using these cameras could get by with 8 exposures. I'll have to respool some 35mm with an 828 backing paper to try it out sometime.
Kodak Brownie Hawkeye Flash - Another wondrous 620 box camera from the Great Yellow Father... seriously, they must have made millions of these. I have found that under ideal conditions, and the proper film, they can actually do a reasonable job. If you pay more than $5 for one, you paid too much.

MORE KODAK CAMERAS...

March 15, 2004