Riley Rilex camera

My Riley Rilex camera

The first time I saw the Riley Rilex camera was at a camera show in Seattle, WA, about six months ago. I was selling cameras and other photo items at the show. A friend who had driven up from the same area I live in and know well approached me looking to sell the Riley Rilex camera.

 He handed me the camera, and my first impression was that it was an odd and unusual-looking press-style camera. It was a full-sized 4x5 press camera, but It's a more miniature 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 press-style camera. There's a large handle on one side, making it very easy to handle and carry, but what caught my eye was the bright aluminum camera body and how light and compact the camera was. A rangefinder was attached to the side of the camera, and the focusing method seemed sketchy and rudimentary but was in working condition. 

 Playing with the camera, the shutter worked well, the aperture moved as it should, the bellows were intact and seemed in excellent condition, and the focus was smooth. When my friend told me the asking price, I told him I didn't do much with this style of camera and handed it back to him, but then he lowered his price, and my thought was, this seems to be an odd and unusual camera, it would be fun to write about it. I had never heard of a Riley Rilex camera, so it would be fun to research it. I thought I had some holder back home, so I pulled the trigger and purchased the camera from him with the intent to write this article about it.

Nameplate on my Riley Rilex camera

 I've owned several Graflex Baby Graphic cameras, so I'm not unaware of the smaller press cameras made during the 1940s and early 1950s. The Baby Graphic cameras are fully enclosed within the camera body, which is covered in black leatherette. Here is the Riley Rilex camera, which is almost the direct opposite. It is bright and shiny, made from lightweight aluminum, and without a boxy case, the lens and bellows fit into. What an odd and wonderful-looking camera.

The Company:

Several camera companies opened up in Southern California just after World War II. Companies like Printex, which manufactured a 4x5 Press camera in Pasadena, CA; Newton Photo Products in Los Angeles, CA, which made a lightweight view camera; and Brand Camera Company, also of Los Angeles, also made a rail-style view camera. All of these companies opened right after World War II, between 1947 and 1947, giving returning soldiers employment and hoping to build onto the growing photographic industry of the time.

 Curtis Riley was a tinkerer, amateur inventor, and aircraft engineer at Lockheed in Los Angeles, CA, during the 1940s. A photographer friend, frustrated by the weight of press cameras during this time, mentioned to Curtis that the cameras were rugged to carry around. Curtis, at the time, was working with lightweight aluminum for the aircraft industry, so he took up the idea of coming up with a lighter-weight camera for the industry.

Ad for Rilex camera

This was the start of the husband and wife-owned company, Riley Research Company, located at 128 Berkeley Street, Santa Monica, CA. Curtis came up with the design of the Riley Rilex camera, and they started to produce the aluminum body camera. It's unknown how many employees they had or if they did most of the manufacturing themselves. The design is relatively simple, and once the camera pieces were machined, putting them together wouldn't be difficult. It was confirmed that Gay, Curtis's wife, would fold the bellows at the kitchen table, and from what I understand, it wasn't her favorite job.

It's estimated that The Reily Research Company produced around 800 cameras over three years, during which the company was in business. The cameras had the option of a Wollensak Raptar lens in an Alphax shutter. If you wanted the Rapax shutter with speeds up to 1/400 sec., that was an additional $12.00.

 Advertising of the camera started in the fall of 1948 with ads in Popular Photography and local camera stores. The Riley Rilex camera was advertised for $49.50, including a tax-free lens. The rangefinder was "optional Equipment." In the advertisement listing the included Lens and Rangefinder, the camera is listed at $99.80, with a savings of $35.24.

 Unfortunately, the Riley Rilex was only advertised for three years, from 1948 to 1951. Due to the success of this small camera company in filling a requested need, other larger manufacturers began building a similar style of camera. After 1951, Curtis and Gay moved on to other endeavors, and the Riley Rilex camera became a desired collectible camera. 

The Camera:

My Riley Rilex camera measures 7" wide, including the metal handle, by 6" tall, including the eyesight knob, which doubles as a tightening screw on the back of the camera by the rotating back, by 6.5" with the bellows extended or 5.25" with the lens and bellows retracted. My Riley Rilex camera weighs 2 lb. 14.6oz and includes a 101mm f4.5 Wollensak Raptar lens in a Rapax shutter. My camera was an upgrade to the information above. I also have the Model B camera with the serial number 617 

 The Riley Rilex camera was made in three models: A, AB, and B. The first model, the "A," was short-lived, as the recommendation of adding a rangefinder to the side of the camera was made. The first production run was halted to add a rangefinder and the focusing rod to the camera's right side. I've seen some examples of the Rilex camera with a Kalart or Hugo Meyer rangefinder. One of the other modifications was having a rangefinder that supported an external flash.

To use the external rangefinder on the Rilex camera, a focusing rod comes out of the top of the rangefinder and leans up against an aluminum block attached to the focusing rack and pinion rod for focusing capabilities. When you used the rack and pinion focusing on the camera, the focus rod would move, thus focusing on the rangefinder.

 You can also use the traditional ground glass on the back of the camera, which flips down or up depending on the orientation of the camera's back. The back of the camera is highly polished chrome, which adds to its look.

To change the orientation of the cameras back from horizontal to vertical, the eyesight, which can be used with the wire built into the front frame, can be used as an action finder, which can be turned to lock or unlock the back rotation. There is a small line just behind the eyesight knob to show the camera's back is level with the camera.

 The camera offers full swings, tilts, rises (no falls), and horizontal shifts from the front brace of the camera. Like the back, there are centering marks on the front to quickly return the camera to a level and even settings on the camera. One thing on my camera that I'm sure some have already noticed is that I'm missing one of the knurled nuts that hold the 2 3/8"  lens board onto the camera body. That wouldn't affect the clarity or ability to use the camera. It's more of a visual appearance flaw than anything.

Unfortunately, I don't have the film holder for this size of the film, and the back of the camera cannot be easily removed to use a roll film adapter, so I could not use the camera, which would have been fun to try.

 

Conclusion:

I've had the absolute pleasure of continuing correspondence with Curtis and Gay's granddaughter, Barbara. She has helped me with this article by providing fabulous family photos and advertising for the family company. I want to thank her for all the insight she's offered me, which is tremendously appreciated.

 The camera itself is marvelous. It's small, compact, and visually appealing. The bellows are made from a stronger material than most view or press cameras, and it's terrific to think they were all hand-folded.

 I need to find a small film holder to try out this camera. I know I've had them, but I must have sold them with other cameras or just separately. Once I actually use the camera, I'll be sure to update this post with some images it produces.

 Thank you for reading about this unique family-owned camera company from Los Angeles that filled a niche product people were asking for at the time.

 Are you interested in reading my other camera reviews?

 I also have a store on eBay, Cuny's Camera, which has some odd and unusual products, including cameras and lenses.

 Until next week, please be safe.

Kodak Retina Model 117

My Kodak Retina 117 camera

I purchased this original Kodak Retina 117 with a group of various Kodak and other branded cameras from the daughter of a Kodak engineer several years ago. She mentioned that the Retina was in his office in Rochester and was one of his favorite cameras, and she could remember him using it to take family photos. She didn't know what this model was other than it was the camera that Dad used to take family photos with.

 These stories bring a human element to purchasing items from family members. The cameras are not just mechanical items, which I happen to enjoy, but they are objects that evoke memories of dad, mom, aunt, or uncle holding the camera and taking photos at family Bar-B-Ques, birthday parties, Christmas morning, and so many other memories families have together.

Kodak Retina 117 Front View

 When the group of cameras arrived, I knew there was an early Retina in the group. Still, I didn't realize that it was the first Retinas model to be made. During the unwrapping of the camera, I first noticed how worn the camera's leatherette was. The was smooth in many locations, which gave the first indication that the camera was well used and most likely loved by the person using it. The front door was a bit sticky to open, but that's not unusual for a camera made 90 years ago. I'm sure the spring has lost some of its pulling power with age. Once opened, I wanted first to check the shutter. That seemed in great shape; even the 1 second seemed accurate to the ear. The transport was working, and I didn't see any real issues with the camera. I put it on my shelf with many of the other cameras I have.

 This week, while thinking about what camera to write about, I started to look over one of the shelves with cameras, and the Retina popped out to me. I know it was in good working condition, at least when I put it on my shelf a year or so ago. Opening the camera was as good as the day I put it on the shelf, so I decided to put a roll of film into the camera and see what a 90-year-old, German-made 35mm camera could offer. 

Retina History

The Kodak Retina series is a fantastic camera design, blending American ingenuity with German precision. Introduced by Kodak in 1934, the Retina cameras were manufactured in Stuttgart, Germany, by Kodak AG, formerly known as Nagel Kamerawerk, which Kodak had acquired in 1931. The Retina line is celebrated for its compact design, quality construction, and innovations in photography, becoming a favorite among amateurs and professionals. The Retina series began with the Kodak Retina I (Type 117), a 35mm folding camera. The Retina was one of the first cameras to use Kodak's new 135 film cartridge, which would become the industry standard. The Retina I was compact, featuring a collapsible lens and a rugged design. The model underwent several iterations, improving lens quality, shutter speeds, and build but always retaining the folding design that defined the early Retinas.

Spanish ad for Kodak Retina 117 camera

 In 1936, Kodak introduced the Retina II (Type 122), which added a coupled rangefinder, making focusing more precise. This feature positioned the Retina as a premium camera for enthusiasts. By the mid-1950s, the Retina line had evolved into non-folding models with the introduction of the Retina Reflex series. These single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras incorporated interchangeable lenses, advanced metering, and a sharp Schneider-Kreuznach or Rodenstock lens, which appealed to serious photographers.

 The post-war years saw significant advancements. The Retina IIc and IIIc, introduced in the 1950s, became icons of the series. They featured interchangeable front lens elements, making the cameras versatile while maintaining their compact, folding design. These models also integrated advancements like exposure meters and faster shutters, ensuring the Retina line kept pace with competitors.

The Retina Reflex series launched in 1957, showcasing Kodak's foray into the SLR market. While innovative, these cameras faced stiff competition from Japanese manufacturers like Nikon and Canon. Despite this, they remain a testament to Kodak's ability to innovate during an era of rapid technological change.

 By the 1960s, the Retina line gradually faded due to the rise of inexpensive, high-quality Japanese cameras. The last Retina camera, the Retina S2, was produced in 1969. Despite their discontinuation, Kodak Retina cameras remain highly collectible, admired for their craftsmanship and role in popularizing 35mm photography. Their legacy remains a reminder of Kodak's golden era in the photography industry.

My Camera:

My Kodak Retina 117 camera is a wonderfully small and compact camera that you can put into your pocket and travel with very easily. One thing I enjoy about the look of the camera is all the knobs on the outside of the camera are nickel as opposed to the shinier chrome, which can give reflections when using the camera.

 The camera is 5" wide, just under 3" tall, and 1.5" deep with the lens closed and 3.5" deep with the front door opened and the lens out, ready to take a photo, and weighs just under a pound at 15.7 oz. My camera has a Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar 5cm f3.5 lens in a Compur-Rapid shutter. The shutter has speeds from 1/500 of a second to 1 second, along with "B" and "T" settings for timed exposures. The aperture of the lens has a range of f3.5 to f16.

 To open the lens on the camera, you press a small button on the bottom of the camera. Once depressed, the front door should usually spring open, and the lens, which is on a very short bellows system, should come out into the erect position. As previously mentioned, my front door doesn't spring open, so I needed to give it a little bit of help and pull it open.

Once opened, the camera is relatively straightforward in the settings. The shutter speeds are set by turning a dial on the top of the camera if you have it in the vertical position. Like many Kodak cameras from this era, or for many folding styles of cameras, the front door has the ability to set the camera upright just by pulling out the "Kodak" logo on the front door, which will make for a leg for the camera to rest on if you want to set it down for display or to take a photo. I always do that when in a store or seeing a folding camera on display. I'll flip down the camera's leg, allowing the camera to stand upright instead of on the platform the lens pulls out onto.

Select shutter speed by turning wheel. The top lever cocks the shutter and the one on the left side trips the shutter.

A small slider sets the aperture on top of the shutter as you hold the camera horizontally. The focus on the camera is by guess only as this camera doesn't incorporate a rangefinder. This function will come in later models. There are two different sets of focus distance numbers, both on the top of the shutter, but it depends on if you have the camera either vertically, in which the numbers are black, or if you're holding the camera horizontally, then the numbers are red. To focus the lens, there is a small knob on the bottom of the lens as you hold the camera horizontally that rotates the focus collar.

To take a photo, you'll need to cock the shutter with the lever on the top of the shutter while holding the camera vertically. Once the shutter is cocked, the other lever releases the shutter making the exposure. I've seen a very small shutter release button that fits into the cable release socket on the Retina camera. Unfortunately, my camera is missing this. I wish it did have it because when I was taking photos with the camera and looking through the viewfinder on top of the camera, my finger would cover some of the viewfinder, obstructing the subject when releasing the shutter. It wasn't too bad, but the small release would have made the experience a bit better. Now, I'm hunting for a small release to put onto the camera for future use.

 To close the front door, the lens must be focused to infinity so it is in the retracted position on the camera. You'll need to depress two small buttons on the lens strut, one on top and one on the bottom, to retract the lens back into the camera body. Once this is done, the front door will click closed.

Loading the camera with film is pretty straightforward. On the side of the camera is a lever you pull down, and the back door unlocks so it can be opened. Loading the film is just like any other 35mm camera. I needed to do a couple of operational things to advance the film to the next frame. Looking on top of the camera going from left to right is the rewind wheel, the frame counter, the viewfinder, a round knurled wheel with an arrow pointing counterclockwise, and the film advance wheel. Inside the advance wheel is a second rotating wheel with a small cutout and arrows pointing in clockwise and counterclockwise directions. This inner wheel can rotate to have either an "A" showing for advancing the film forward or an "R" for rewinding the film into the film canister when all the photos have been taken. 

After making an exposure, keep the inner wheel to "A." To wind to the next frame, the knurled wheel just to the left of the advance wheel needs to be turned slightly until you feel a slight release, then you can use the larger wheel to advance to the next frame. If you don't move the knurled ring slightly, the film won't advance. This wheel is the unlocking lever that allows the camera to advance to the next frame. Also, once you load the film, be sure to set the frame counter to the number 1 to keep track of how many exposures you've taken. Once you've taken the entire roll of photos, turn the inner wheel on the advance wheel to the "R" position to rewind the film back into the film cassette. Open the back of the camera and process your film.

 

My Results:

I loaded the camera with a roll of T-Max 125 film, and while taking our dog, Ernie, a 15-year-old Pug, through the neighborhood, I took photos of things that caught my eye. Here are some of the results of our walk.

Conclusion:

I must be getting better at guessing distance, which has always been a problem (one of many) of mine. I also understand that the sunny day and smaller aperture helped with some of the focusing distances I would generally have with "guesstimate" focusing. Nonetheless, the camera was small, compact, accurate in the exposures, and fun to shoot.

 As I previously mentioned, if I could find one of the small shutter release items to add to the cable release socket, this would have helped and made the camera easier to use. Besides that small item, I can see why the previous owner enjoyed shooting with this camera.

 While I enjoyed this camera, I have it for sale on my eBay store. If you're interested in this or any other items in my eBay store, please email me to work out a deal.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes from your day to read about this fun and historic Eastman Kodak camera. The Retina line of cameras is often overlooked but highly collectible and usable.

 Until next week, please be safe.