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Dear Photo Fan!
In your RETINA automatic I you own a fully automatic miniature camera - a
truly happy combination of RETINA precision and RETINA progress.
Hold your RETINA automatic I to your eye, sight your subject and press the
shutter release - that is all. Your friends will be amazed at the results.
Your RETINA automatic I just will not allow you to make any mistakes in
exposure. The exposure release "thinks" for you, and locks itself when the
light is too poor for taking a picture. This is indicated by a "STOP" signal
in the finder.
The distance setting is indicated in the finder by light signals. A
radically new three-point system tells you at a glance: close, medium or
distant range.
And what you own is not just "any" automatic camera. It is the Kodak RETINA
automatic I.
This means all that is best in camera design, and offers the utmost in
precision, reliability and beauty.
It is easy to take pictures
with your RETINA automatic I
Sight your subject - The brilliant frame in the
large-image viewfinder shows you the correct field of view.
Check the distance - Check the light signals (dots in the finder to
see whether the required focusing range is set: • close range,
• medium range, • • • far range.
Shoot Slowly depress the release button. See page 7 for information on the
appearance of the luminous STOP signal at the finder frame.
Sighting the camera Hold the camera in the picture-taking position and look through the eyepiece of the large image viewfinder. You will see the subject outlined by the bright line frame. Depending on the subject you may sight the picture with the camera held in either the horizontal or vertical position. The two illustrations on this page are meant as examples. When sighting a picture take special care not to get your fingers in front of the honeycomb cell window of the exposure meter. |
|
The index finger should be lightly rested on the release button without, however, depressing the button. Hold the camera steady when sighting a picture. Also make sure that part of your ever-ready case gets in front of the lens. |
Checking the distance
in the finder The close, medium and far ranges are in the RETINA automatic I indicated by light signals in the large-image viewfinder. Hold the camera in front of your eye, look through the finder eyepiece, and turn the lens focusing ring (a) until the required light signal appears: signal identification: |
The individual zones are indicated by click stops when the lens focusing ring is turned. The arrows engraved in the front of the shutter are the limits to the individual zones. In the illustration below, the camera is, for instance, set to the medium range (••) - from 8 ft. to 16 ft. - The snapshot zone for each lens setting is at the same time automatically indicated in the finder by a light signal (dots). You are thus always able to check the focusing You can, of course, also focus your subject on the usual distance scale engraved in black zone in use. This is a special advantage for snapshots or red and set opposite the A mark. |
Releasing the
shutter When you have your subject nicely framed in the finder, slowly press the release button (b). (Naturally, the rapid wind lever has to be operated before the shutter can be released). |
|
Be ready for
action It is advisable to operate the rapid wind lever (c) immediately a picture has been taken. Your RETINA automatic will then always be ready for action. It will not harm the shutter if it remains set for even an extended period of time. |
Preventing under
exposure If, for instance, the light is too poor for automatic exposure, the release button is automatically locked, i. e. it cannot be pressed down to release and a STOP signal appears in the finder. You will have to use flash is you still want to take the picture. |
Automatic exposure control
For taking pictures with fully automatic exposure
control, the word AUTO (automatic) on the shutter ring should always be
opposite the setting mark. If it is not just turn the shutter ring until the
word AUTO clicks in place opposite the setting mark.
For strongly back-lighted subjects aim the camera first at the dark portion
of the subject and depress the release button just far enough until the
first resistance is felt. Only then should the camera be aimed at the
subject and the release button be fully depressed. This will assure correct
exposure of shots into the light.
1. Always load your
RETINA automatic I in the shade or at least in the shadow of your body. 2. Turn the safety lever (d) on the camera base, press the opening button and the camera back will spring open. 3. Pull out the rewind knob (f) as far as it will go. 4. Drop the cassette of film into the film chamber, with the tongue of the film pointing towards the built-in take-up spool (g). |
5. Turn the take-up
spool with your thumb until one of the slots faces upwards. 6. Insert the end of the film into the slot in the take-up spool so that the tooth projecting from one side of the slot engages one of the perforations of the film. Make sure that the perforated edge of the film is parallel with the bottom edge of the camera. 7. With your thumb turn the take-up spool until the teeth of the film transport sprocket are engaged in BOTH rows of film perforations. 8. Close the camera back and make certain you hear the catch engage. 9. Push back the rewind knob (f) to its normal position and turn it in the direction of the engraved arrow until a slight resistance is felt. This takes up the slack film inside the cassette. |
Having loaded the
camera remember to • Set the film counter • Set the film speed • Set the film type indicator This is how to set the film counter |
The film counter operates from No. 36
back to No. 1 and thus shows you at any time how many exposures you have
left on your film.
Press and hold down the film transport release button (i); then, at the same
time, press the film counter setting button (k) in the direction of the
arrow as many times as necessary to bring the diamond-shaped f mark between
1 and 36 opposite the notch in the upper edge of the film counter window
(I). When using a 20-exposure cassette set to the diamond 4 mark at No. 23.
Operate the rapid wind lever now to the limit of its travel. Press the film
transport release button (i); then swing out and release the rapid wind
lever again. Repeat this as often as required to bring the film counter to
36 or 20, depending on the number of exposures in your cassette.
As you operate the rapid-wind lever, the rewind knob should turn against
the direction of the arrow. This is your guarantee that the film is being
correctly advanced.
Very important: the
film speed Correct exposure depends on the right film speed setting. Film speeds are usually rated in ASA indices or (in some European countries) in DIN degrees. Press the button (m) and, at the same time, turn it until the ASA or DIN exposure index (as for instance 18 DIN) is opposite the V mark in the adjacent window. |
The film type
indicator - a useful memory aid The rewind knob is provided with an indicator to remind you of the type of film you have loaded in your camera. To set the indicator dial, hold the rewind knob and turn the inner serrated ring until the black dot is opposite the symbol for the type of film in the camera. |
The position of the film type indicator has no effect on the exposure itself.
When your film comes
to an end After the last exposure the film must be rewound into its cassette. To do this, press the reversing button (n) in the camera base and turn the rewind knob (f) in the direction of the arrow until the reversing button ceases to rotate. (Watch the black dot on the reversing button.) Then open the camera back in subdued light, pull out the rewind knob, and remove the cassette. |
If you forgot to set the film counter, it may happen that you reach a point where the rapid wind lever cannot be fully wound. This indicates that the film is finished. In this case press the reversing button to allow you to complete the winding operation. Rewind the film and unload as described above. |
Flash shots with the RETINA automatic I
Slide your flashgun,
for instance the KODABLITZ, into the accessory shoe of your camera, plug
the flash cable into the flash socket (a), and set the required
distance. Disconnect the automatic exposure control and set the aperture (F/no.) as required. The aperture is dependent on the guide number of the flash bulb or electronic flash unit used and the distance set. |
The guide number is specified on the packages of
flash bulbs and in the operating instructions for electronic flash units.
The following rule applies:
Guide number divided by distance aperture
If, for instance, your guide number is 72 and your distance 6.5 ft.,72/ 6.5
= approximately 11.
This means that you have to turn the shutter ring (p) until the red aperture
figure 11 of the flash scale (marked in red) is opposite the setting mark
(q). The shutter speed in the flash range is always 1/30 second. You are now
ready to take a flash shot.
Time exposures are possible too
For time exposures turn the
shutter ring (p) until the required aperture is opposite the setting mark
(q) on the green scale for time exposures. The automatic control is now
disengaged. The shutter remains open for as long as you keep the release
button pressed. You are thus able to expose your pictures as long as you
want.
For time exposures the camera should be mounted on a
tripod. A cable release - which screws into the socket (r) - should also be
used.
Kodak Filters for Black-and-White Films
Light yellow (F I) | 2 |
Medium yellow (F II), yellow-green (F III) | 3 |
Blue IF VI) | 4 |
Orange (F IV) | 5 |
Red (F V) | 9 |
The above filters must NEVER be used with colour films.
Kodak Wratten Filters for Colour Films
Wratten No. 1 A Skylight (ultra-violet) | 0 |
Wratten No. 85 (amber) for using Kodachrome Film Type A for daylight exposures | 2 |
Wratten No. 85 B (amber) for using Ektachrome Film Type B for daylight exposures | 2 |
Wratten Nr. 85
C (amber) for using Ektachrome Film Type F and Kodachrome Film Type F for daylight exposures |
2 |
Wratten No. 80B (light blue) for using Kodachrome and Ektachrome Films, Daylight Type for Photoflood exposures | 3 |
Kodak Polo Screen for reflection control and sky darkening with colour film | 4 |
Example
You want to use a
yellow-green filter (F III) for a shot on black-and-white film. On the
film speed scale you have set, for instance, 50 ASA (graduation before
64). The opposite table indicates that the film speed setting must be
reduced by 3 divisions if a yellow-green filter is used. Your new
setting on the ASA scale there-fore becomes 25 ASA (see illustration). When the filter is removed again, remember also to reset the film speed accordingly - in our example - back to 50 ASA. |
Your accessories for the RETINA automatic I
The lens hood should be part of your standard outfit. If not only keeps out
stray light but also protects the lens from rain or snow. There is a
practical leather case available to take the lens hood plus three filters.
The close-up rangefinder (the model marked F =
45), used with the N I, N II, and N III a close-up lenses_; permits near
shots between 38'/4 and 12 inches (97 to 30 cm). It shows the exact field of
view, free from parallax.
With the sports finder model b you can follow fast moving subjects more
conveniently. It is particularly suitable for sports shots and such subjects
as children and animals at play.
The right-angle finder permits viewing at 90 depress to the shooting
direction. It fits over the viewfinder eyepiece mount.
The table stand provides a specially steady camera support for subjects
requiring long exposure times. It is particularly versatile when used with a
Gloss-up rangefinder.
K O D A K A G - S T U T T G A R T- W A N G E N 591 713
Printed in Germany Eng I. - T - 2572 - 0860 M