Kodak Retina Automatic II

Introduction: The Kodak Retina Automatic II at a Glance

Picture a small 35mm camera that reads the light for you but still lets you overrule it. That is the Kodak Retina Automatic II, a viewfinder camera with a fixed 45mm lens that you can find among our analog cameras. You pick the focus zone, the camera helps with the exposure, and whenever you prefer, you set the shutter speed yourself.

The German manual calls it a fully automatic 35mm camera, while adding that any shutter speed up to 1/500 second can be chosen by hand.

Simple cameras reward a slower pace. With three focus stops and few shutter speeds, there is little to fiddle with, so your attention stays on the scene.

Design Roots and Historical Background

Exposure that sets itself

Before the Automatic I, II and III arrived, no Retina measured the light and set the exposure on its own. These three models introduced that idea to the Kodak Retina line, and the Automatic II is Typ 032, built from October 1960 until 1963.

Inside that little family, the Automatic II stands out through its focusing. It has no rangefinder coupling. Instead, the lens clicks into one of three stops: 35 ft (about 10.7 m), 10 ft (about 3 m) and 6.5 ft (about 2 m).

A finder that speaks in zones

Looking through the viewfinder, you see a frame of bright lines with parallax correction marks and an indication of the chosen focus zone. The German manual adds that light signals in the finder check the distance setting in three steps: near, middle or far.

The routine is short: estimate the distance, click the lens into the zone, glance at the signal and shoot.

Key Technical Highlights

Lens and shutter

Up front sits a four-element Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Xenar 45mm f/2.8, with the name engraved on the camera. The Compur shutter provides 1/30, 1/60, 1/250 and 1/500 s as the named speeds.

The body is compact: 125 mm wide, 95 mm high and 62 mm deep.

Metering and exposure modes

Exposure is shutter-priority automatic with manual control alongside. A Gossen selenium meter does the measuring, and you can watch its needle through a window in the top housing.

Choose a speed by hand and the needle becomes a guide, pointing to the aperture that suits that time. The essentials at a glance:

• Lens: Schneider Retina-Xenar 45mm f/2.8, four elements.
• Shutter: Compur, up to 1/500 s.
• Exposure: shutter-priority automatic plus manual.
• Focus: three click stops with zone indication in the finder.
• Size: 125 x 95 x 62 mm.

Modern-Day Use in 2026

Where the Automatic II excels

This camera suits photographers who want a film body that takes care of exposure yet leaves room for manual choices. It asks for judgement on distance and gives back a calm, uncluttered way of working.

Use it for:

• Travel and city walks with a single lens and nothing else to carry.
• Street snapshots with pre-set focus zones.
• Learning how shutter speed and aperture work together.

Practical shooting tips

• Choose the focus zone first, then confirm it with the signal in the viewfinder.
• Use the parallax marks when framing close subjects.
• Keep an eye on the frame counter as the roll nears its end.

Buying and Maintenance Guide

What to check before buying used

A used Automatic II deserves a patient inspection. Work through this list:

• Watch the meter needle in the top window while you point the camera at a bright scene and then a dark one.
• Fire the shutter at each speed and listen for even, crisp sounds.
• Look through the lens against a light source for haze, fungus or scratches.
• Click through the three focus zones and see whether the finder signals follow along.
• Ask whether the frame counter and the winding action carry on beyond frame 36.

Do the meter test first: aim at a bright window, then at a shadowed corner, and watch the top window each time. A needle that sits still or sticks at one spot points to a worn-out cell. That justifies a lower price, since you would read the light with a separate meter and lose the shutter-priority automation. A failing meter is the best-known weakness of these cameras.

Power and the light meter

The Automatic II uses a selenium meter. Selenium cells generally make their own current from light, so a meter battery is not the issue; the cell itself can age.

• Test the meter in bright daylight and in shade.
• Store the camera away from damp and heat.

What to pay

On European marketplaces such as eBay, working examples are typically listed around €25–€45.

Basic care and accessories

A few simple photography accessories keep it in good shape:

• A padded case or small bag to guard against knocks.
• A soft cloth and a blower for the lens and viewfinder.
• A handheld light meter as a backup for the built-in one.

Conclusion: Clever Automation, Simple Focus

The Kodak Retina Automatic II is a charming piece of early-1960s camera design. It combines a four-element lens, a Compur shutter, shutter-priority automation and three-zone focusing in one compact body.

Buy one with open eyes: test the meter, check the frame counter and keep a separate way to read the light in your bag.

Ready to explore cameras like the Retina Automatic II? Browse our analog cameras and add a few photography accessories at DutchThrift.com. For more simple 35mm cameras, see our Kodak 35MD guide and the Kodak Star Motor 35mm article.

Sources: original Kodak Retina Automatic II instruction manual (German); Kodak Retina Automatic I II III on camera-wiki.org, text licensed under GFDL 1.3; price range based on recent European eBay listings of working examples.