Chris's camera pages
Retina "C" type lens mounts
The Kodak Retina IIc, IIIc, IIC, IIIC and the original Retina Reflex were sold fitted with either a Rodenstock or a Schneider standard lens. The lenses in these models are of the "convertible" type, meaning in this case that the rear lens group stays fixed in the camera body while only the front group was interchangable. Wide-angle and telephoto lenses were available for lenses from both manufacturers and suit only those cameras fitted with the matching standard lenses.
The lenses were keyed to stop them being fitted into a non-matching body. Below you can see the detail of the mount on the back of the Rodenstock and Schneider 35mm f/5.6 lenses. The red dot on at the bottom of the lens corresponds to the red alignment dot on the lenses. The 'key' that stops the lens being fitted to the wrong camera body is circled in each case.
The lens on the left is a Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Curtar-Xenon 35mm f.5.6. The lens on the right is a Rodenstock-Heligon 35mm f/5.6 lens.
