Film cameras
Kodak RETINETTE I User manual
User manual for Kodak RETINETTE I. 38 pages in English. Read the original PDF, download or print a copy without registration.
38 pagesEnglish11.3 MB PDF

Loading your manual…Open PDF directly
Document details
- Brand
- Kodak
- Model / document
- Kodak RETINETTE I
- Document type
- User manual
- Language
- English
- Pages
- 38
- File size
- 11.3 MB
- Category
- Film cameras
- Document date
- Not specified in catalog
Search available document text
Find a term, then jump to its page in the original PDF. Image-only pages may not be searchable; check the PDF for exact wording and diagrams.
Page 4 · Read text
You hove mode o wise choice:in your RETINETTEyou hove o mini-
oturecomeroof the highestprecisionwhichhos undergonelhe strictest
tests.lt thus sotisfiesoll requirementsfor first-clossresults.
It olwoysgiveso feelingof superiorself-confidencewhenthe hondling
of one's comero becomesolmost secondnoture.For your own soke
thereforemoke o point of corefullystudyingthis instructionbooklet.
Your RETINETTEis definitelyo quick-octioncomero,ond is very eosy
to use.And if you first of oll proctisethe most importontoperotions
withouto film in the comero,you will olreodybe on intimoteterms
with your RETINETTEby the time you come to toke your first pictures.
Donated to www.orphancameras.comView original page 4Page 6 · Read text
The Bqsic Operotions SynchronizedFlosh .. .. . 22
Holding ond Viewing 6 T h e S e l f - t i m e.r . . . . . . . . 2 3
Winding ond Releosing I lmportont Hints
Close-upPorollox . .. ... 24The Techniqueof PictureToking
't0 T h e F i l m R e l e o s e . . . . . . 2 5Insertingthe Film D o u b l eE x p o s u r e s . . . . . . 2 5
Settingthe FilmCounter 12 ChongingPortly ExposedFilms . .. . 26
Settingthe Filmlndicotor 13 EyesightCorrection . .. . 27
Settingthe Shutter 14 Core of the Comero . . .. 27
Seiiing the Light Volue 14
LightVoluesond the Aperture-
SpeedCoupling 1 4 A FinolPoint:
lndependentSetiings 1 6 KODACHROMEin the RETINETTE.. 30
Settingthe Distonce. .. . r8 The ComeroFeqlures . .... .. . 31 The Depth of Field Scole r 8 LightVolue Correctionwith Filters.. 34 Zone Focusing.. 20
Unloodingthe Film 21 Depth of Field Toble 35
Donated to www.orphancameras.comView original page 6Page 7 · Read text
Holding and Viewing
Hold your RETINETTEwith both honds,ond irv differ.entwovs of gripping
it until you hove found o comerqhold thot suitsyou best' our illustrotions
for horizontolond verticol shots ore intendediust os suggestions'After o
few ortemptsyou wiil soon hove o reoily sure grip on your RETTNETTE'
Donated to www.orphancameras.comView original page 7Page 8 · Read text
r"*t.#tf
ab l
Next look through the viewfinder eyepiece
(23): the new lorge-size finder shows you the
subiect in olmost noturol size. You will be
surprised by the brilliont finder imoge. The
reflected line frome (see illustrotion)indicotes
the field of view, ond ot the some time pre-
vents foulty viewing.
You still see on opprecioble oreo outside the
limifs of the frome, ond con thus odiust the
exoci field token in up to the lost moment.
At neor subiect distonces(closerthon 6-7 feet)
pleose note the remorks on poge 24 obout the
porollox correction morks.
Donated to www.orphancameras.comView original page 8Page 9 · Read text
Next look through the viewfinder eyepiece
(23): the new lorge-size finder shows you the
olmost nolurol in size. You willsubiect be 23 by the brilliont finder imoge. Thesurprised
ref lected line frome (see illustrotion)indicotes
the field of view, ond ot the some time pre-
vents foulty viewing.
You still see on opprecioble oreo outside the
limits of the frome, ond con thus odiust the
exoct field token in up to the lost moment.
At neor subiect distonces(closerthon 6-7 feet)
pleose nole the remorks on poge 24 obout the
porollox correction morks.
Donated to www.orphancameras.comView original page 9Page 11 · Read text
When you hove your subiect nicely
fromed in the viewfinder, press the
releose button (,|0). The porticulorly
smooth oction of the releose of your
RETINETTEeffectively guords ogoinst
comero shoke.
You con only press the releose
bution once you hove iensioned the
shutter.So moke o hobit of operoting
the ropid winding lever immediotely
ofter every exposure.Your RETINETTE
is ihen olwoys reody for oction.
Keeping the shutter lensioned-even
for some time - does not horm it in
ony woy.
Donated to www.orphancameras.comView original page 11Page 12 · Read text
TH E TECH N I(IUE OF PICTU R E TAK I NG
Inserting the Film
Your first shots will soon show the odvontoge of hoving
proctisedthe bosic operotionswithout o film in the comero.
You hove olreody got the feel of your RETINETTE,ond con
devote more ottention to the subiect itself. So let us stort
toking picturesin eornest.
To lood the film you must open the comero bock. Turn the
milled end of ihe sofety lever (21)surroundingthe tripod bush
(20) in the direction of the orrow to uncover the opening ffi
button (19).Depressthis button, ond the comero bock will
spring open. The odvontogeof this double locking systemof
the comero bock is thot you connot open the bock by ony
occidentolmovementor knock.
Fully pull out lhe rewind knob ('18)lo its secondstop. Then
turn the built-in toke-upspool (27)bV its serrotedflonge, until
Donated to www.orphancameras.comView original page 12Page 13 · Read text
one of the slits in the spool core
points upwords. Push the trimmed
end of the film into this slit, so os
to onchor o perforotion hole in the
little hook of the slit (see botiom
illustrotion opposite).
Now drow the film ocross the film
trock, ond insert the cossetteinto ihe
cossettechomber. Push bock the re-
w i n d k n o b , t u r n i n g i t o t t h e s o m e
time in the direction of the orrow,
until you feel o slight resistonce,
t h u s t e n s i o n i n gt h e f i l m . T h e t e e t h o f
the tronsport sprocket (26) must pro-
perly engoge the bottom row of per-
f o r o t i o n s o f t h e f i l m , o n d o t l e c s t
two perforotion holes of the top row
s h o u l d o v e r l o p t h e f i l m t r o c k . T h e n
close the comero bock.
Donated to www.orphancameras.comView original page 13Page 14 · Read text
Setting
the Film Gounter
Pressthe film releosebutton (ll), ond turn the block milled
ring of the film counler (9) in the direction of the orrow
until the I mork betweenNos. 1 ond 36 is opposite the V
index mork. When looding o 2O-exposurefilm, use the I
mork ot No. 23.
Next, press the film releosebutton (ll), ond operote the
ropid winding lever (24).Repeotthese steps until No. 36
or 20 respectivelyis opposite the V index mork. At the
some time the rewind knob (18) must rotote ogoinst the
direction of the orrow engroved on it. Thot shows thot the
film is odvoncingproperly.
This, however,only is the cose if the film hos not become
loose in the cossette.lf necessory,turn the rewind knob
(18)in the directionof the orrow until you feel o resistonce,
in order to re-tensionthe film.
The film counterolwoys indicotesthe numberof shotsstill
ovoiloble.. a
1 2
Donated to www.orphancameras.com --1View original page 14Page 15 · Read text
Setting
the Film Indicator
The purpose of the film indicotor (17) is lo
serve os o reminder of the type of film you
hove looded into your RETINETTE.
To set the film indicotor, hold the rewind
knob (18) firmly, ond turn the inner milled
knob in the direction of the orrow until the V
index mork points to the type or speed of
t h e f i l m i n t h e c o m e r o .
The posiiion of the film indicolor does nol
qffect the toking of rhe piclure in ony woy.
l 3
Donated to www.orphancameras.comView original page 15Page 16 · Read text
Setting the Shutter
Setting the Light Value
For the exposureset the light volue scole (4) of the comero to the some
number os you obtoined from the light volue toble (see poges 28_l2il or by
your exposuremeter (e.9. the KODALUXL). Pushthe light volue settinglever
(15)in the direction of the orrow, ond move it sidewoysto set the red dot (4o)
to ihe required light volue (see illustrotion).lf thot should not be possible
stroightowoy becousethe lever reochesthe limit of its movement,rotote the
shutterspeedsettingring (13)until you con reoch the light volue you wont to
set.You con olso set intermediotevolues,for instoncellllz.Sincethe moximum
operture of the RETINETTEI is f/3.5,the lowest ovoiloble light volue is 3tlr.
Light Values and the Aperture-Speed Goupling
By setting the light volue on lhe light volue scole you hove outomoticolly
coupled oll the operture-speedcombinotionsovoiloble for correct exposure.
For instonce,if you hove sel o light volue of 12, ihis correspondsto the
following operture-speedcombinotions:
Donated to www.orphancameras.comView original page 16Page 18 · Read text
The choice of the most suitobleoperture-speedcombinotionwill depend on
the subiect. Fost moving subiects coll for short exposure times to ovoid
movementblur. For exomple,if you wont to toke o sports shot of r/zsos€cond,
turn the shutter speed selting ring until the setting index (12) points to 250.
The opertureoutomoticollyodiustsitself to fl4.
On the other hond, if you require greot depth of field, for instonce in on
orchitecturolview, set on oppropriotehigh operlure number(smolloperture),
e.g.f/16.The shutterspeedwill ogoin re-setitself outomoticollylo ths second.
In oll lhese coses the light volue, ond lhus lhe omount of light reoching fhe
film, remoins qbsolutely constont. The shutter speed ring engoges of eoch
selting, thus ensuringexoct exposuretimes.
Independent Settlngs
lf you wish to set the exposurewithout referenceto light volues- for exomple
with flosh shois or outdoor night exposures- sel the shutterspeed first, ond
Donated to www.orphancameras.com ---IView original page 18Page 19 · Read text
g
;r
then the operture.lf you do it the other woy round,the operlure-
speedcouplingwould olter the operturewhen settingthe shutter
speed.
First of oll, therefore,rotote the shutter speed setting ring (13)
until the requiredspeedis oppositethe index mork ('12).Thenpush
the light volue setting lever in the direction of the orrow, os
olreody describedon poge 15, ond move it sidewoysuntil the
operturdto be set is olso oppositethe index mork (12).Evenwhen
you hove set the exposurein this woy, you con odiusi the shutter
speed ond operturetogetherto obtoin onother equivolentoper-
ture-speedcombinotion,by rototingthe shutterspeedsettingring.
lf the shutterspeedsetiing ring reochesthe limit of its movement
during odiustmeni,this indicotesthot the lighting conditionsore
not suitoblefor the opertureor speedyou intendedto use.
Donated to www.orphancameras.comView original page 19Page 20 · Read text
Setting the Distance
The distoncescole (5) corries distoncefigures from 3t/z feet to oo (infinity).
Rototethe focusingmount (1) to set the index mork (7) oppositethe required
distonce- ond your RETINETTEis occurotelyfocused.
Close subiectdistoncesshould be meosuredos exoctlyos possible(e.g. with
o tope meosure,or by pocing).Greoter distoncescon sofely be set by guess-
work, os'the depth of field ropidly increosesunder those cbnditions,ond
minor errors of estimotionore lesssignificont.
Meosureoll distoncesfrom the subiectto the plone of the film in ihe comero.
This correspondsopproximotelyto the upper reor edge of the chromium
ploted top of the body.
Your RETINETTEfeoturestwo importontoids to focusing:the depth of field
scole,ond the zone focus setiings.
The Depth of Field Scale
The lens reproducesshorply not only thot port of the subiecton which it is
octuolly focused,but olso o certoin zone in front ond behind. This zone is
known os the depth of field.
Donated to www.orphancameras.comView original page 20Page 21 · Read text
t - t
$ru
You con instontly reod off the depth of field for ony operture ond distonce
on the depth of field scole (2) orronged symmetricolly oround the focusing
index (7).
For instonce, if you hove sei the distonce to 7 feet (see illustroiion on ihe
right), you reod off these figures
opposite the iwo index lines forf/8: 271
obout 5 feet on the left, ond some
12 feet on the right. This tells you
thot with the distonce set to 7 ieet
ond the operfure to f/8 the ovoi-
loble depth of field exiends from "%,
obout 5 feet to l2 feet. Within thiszone everythingwill be shorp. . ru.:3.
The depth of field scole olso shows "fu,
you thot the zone of shorpnessin-
creoses the smoller the operture
used, ond the greoter the subiect
distonce.
-
For exoci volues of depth of field "t!see the depth of f ield toble on 4 #.&
poge 35. '$wffiffig€W
t 9
Kffi rt ffi$ &9#.
Donated to www.orphancameras.comView original page 21Page 22 · Read text
Zone Focusing
Your RETINETTEis instontly reody io shoot, ond you
yourself moy equolly quickly wont to copture fost
oction subiects(e.9. sports shots,winter scenes,etc.).
For such occosionsyour RETINETTEcorries o zone
focus setting. Set the red figure 15 on the distonce
scole (5) to the focusing index (7), ond the operture
to f/8. Your depth of field zone then extends from
obout 8rlufeet to infinity.
This method of zone focusing hos the speciol od-
vontoge thot you con toke live oction sequences
without hoving to set the distonceofresh for every
shot, provided the subiect keeps within the region
covered by the depth of field. For the zone focus
setting you must, however, hove enough light to
permit o sufficiently fost shutter speed ot f/8. On
thot point consull the light vqlue toble (poges28-29l'
or your exposuremeter. For exomple o light volue
of 12 correspondsto llcosecondof f/8.
n
Donated to www.orphancameras.comView original page 22Page 23 · Read text
Unloading the Film
To rewind the exposed film, depressthe reversing button
(25)in the bose of the comero.
Turn the rewind knob in the direction of the orrow until
the reversing button ceosesto rotote. This button corries
o block dot neor its edge for eosier observotion.You hove
now rewound the film into its cossette.Open the comero
bock (see poge 10), fully pull out the rewind knob, ond
remove the cossettefrom the film chomber.The exposed
film is best protected ogoinst the light in its originol
pocking. In ony cose, do not lood or unlood o film in
full sunlighi or strong oriificiol light, to ovoid possible
fogging.
Donated to www.orphancameras.comView original page 23Page 24 · Read text
Synchronized Flash
The shutterof your RETINETTEis synchronizedfor flosh.You con use
ony.floshgun (e.9. the KODABLITZ)or elecironicflosh unit on the
morkei.
The lens borrel corriestwo leitersengrovedon ii: X ond V. X opplies
.to the flosh synchronizoiion,while V is the deloyed oction setting,
olso known os the self-timer.The flosh is fired on pressingthe shutier
releosebutton of the comero- ofter of courseyou hove connected
the flosh gun to the flosh socket(6) of your RETINETTE.
For exposureswith flosh bulbs in flosh guns set the shutterto i/sose-
cond. With electronicflosh units you con use ony shutterspeed up
lo 1lsooSecOnd.
The operturesettingto be used con be obtoined from the so-colled
guide numberquotedon the flosh bulb pockogeor in the instruction
book of electronicflosh units. The guide number divided by the
distonceof the flosh gives the operture.
Guide number96 For exomple: = operture f/8 distonce of 12 feet
22
Donated to www.orphancameras.comView original page 24Page 25 · Read text
The Self-Tlmer
lf you wont to include yourself in o shot, set the green lever (3)
to V. You con move this lever only ofter operoting the ropid
winder.
lf you now press the shutter releosebutton, the deloyed oction
mechonismstorts running down, ond releosesthe shutter ofter
obout l0 seconds.So you hove plenty of time to toke your ploce
in your picture! Once ihe self-timer is tensioned,you connoi
olter the positionof the green lever ony more. Operote this lever
thereforeonly ofter setting oll the olher controls.The self-timer
con be used with oll instontoneousspeedsfrom 1 io r/soosecond,
os well os for flosh exposures.
Donated to www.orphancameras.com 7View original page 25Page 26 · Read text
-
l i
I M P O R T A N T H I N T S
Parallax Glose-up
I finder with its reflected line-trome mokes occurote froming of The lorge-size
the subiect reolly eosy. This is porticulorly importont with colour shols, os
you connot normolly crop o colour tronsporency.At subiect dislonces below
8 feet the finder is subiect to o so-colled porollox error. To compensote for
thot, toke on imoginory line between the
two morks on the line frome (dotted in
the illustrotion) os the upper limit of the
field of view ol 31/z feet. At distonces
beyond 31/:feet this limit groduolly moves
upwords, until it coincides with the upper
edge of the line-frome for subiects oi
B feet ond over.
24
Donated to www.orphancameras.comView original page 26From the M. Butkus archive. Original publisher and archive notices are retained.
Check the model and edition against your equipment.
PDF verified 2026-10-10.
