• Cameras,  Rangefinder Reviews,  Reviews

    Kodak Retina IIa – Coat Pocket Rocket

    The Kodak Retina is a camera that holds a certain amount of mystique.  It was made by a company that by the 1930s was more focussed on manufacturing film and generally created cameras to support that and the multiple formats they were introducing.  Kodak never seemed to aim for or achieve anything above a second tier camera manufacturer, but the Retina was different.  It was an attempt at a quality 35mm rangefinder, to compete on camera sales rather than just a supporting role. The Retina IIa is a 35mm folding rangefinder bellows camera, which fits well into a coat pocket, although it has a fairly solid, yet fiddly, construction.  It…