Kodak Retina (prototype)
The Kodak Retina (prototype) refers to a pre-production example of Kodak's Retina line, a series of German-built 35mm cameras introduced in the 1930s. Prototype examples were not sold through normal retail channels and surface only rarely through specialist auctions.
Sales data for this prototype is extremely limited: a single recorded UK auction hammer result of £14,000 in November 2016 anchors what is known about its value today. Because only one wholesale saleroom price is on record, that figure should be treated as an isolated data point rather than a reliable market median, and any future example could sell for materially more or less depending on provenance and condition.
Sales History
Prices shown are realised prices — auction results and completed eBay sales, never asking prices. Most saleroom figures are hammer prices, before commission; some houses publish a premium-inclusive figure, and we do not adjust for condition. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher. How this figure is calculated.
Prices updated: August 2026
| Date | Price | Value GBP | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | £30 | £30 | 🇬🇧 eBay | |
Title: Kodak Retina I Type 126 camera with Kodak-Anastigmat Ektar 5cm f3.5 lens
Description:
The hard to find original shutter release plunger is present. The bellows are light-tight. The shutter fires at all speeds without hesitation or stickiness. Location: Dunoon, United Kingdom |
||||
|
Loading...
|
||||
| Jul 2026 | £82 | £82 | 🇬🇧 eBay | |
Title: Kodak Retina Reflex 35mm SLR Analog with Xenon f:2.0/50mm Red C Body
Description:
Akzeptabel: Technisch ebenfalls voll funktionsfähig, jedoch mit deutlich sichtbaren Gebrauchsspuren (z. B. Kratzer, Abnutzung). Mit freundlichen Grüßen. Leichte Gebrauchsspuren wie Kratzer oder Abnutzung am Gehäuse sind möglich, beeinflussen die Funktion jedoch nicht. Location: Bad Emstal, Germany |
||||
|
Loading...
|
||||
| Jul 2026 | £82 | £82 | 🇬🇧 eBay | |
|
Title: Kodak Retina Reflex 35mm SLR Analog with Xenon f:2.0/50mm Red C Body
Description:
Akzeptabel: Technisch ebenfalls voll funktionsfähig, jedoch mit deutlich sichtbaren Gebrauchsspuren (z. B. Kratzer, Abnutzung). Mit freundlichen Grüßen. Leichte Gebrauchsspuren wie Kratzer oder Abnutzung am Gehäuse sind möglich, beeinflussen die Funktion jedoch nicht. Location: Bad Emstal, Germany |
||||
|
Loading...
|
||||
| Jul 2026 | £72 | £72 | 🇬🇧 eBay | |
|
Title: Kodak Retina Reflex III SLR 35mm SLR (Schneider Kreuznach Xenar 50mm 1:2.8)
Description:
Die gezeigten Produktbilder dienen als Beispiel. Porst CX4 35mm Spie. Objektivanschluss: Schneider Kreuznach Xenar 50mm 1:2.8. Foto & Camcorder. Farbe: Silber. Leichte Gebrauchsspuren wie Kratzer oder Abnutzung am Gehäuse sind möglich, beeinflussen die Funktion jedoch nicht. Location: Bad Emstal, Germany |
||||
|
Loading...
|
||||
| Jul 2026 | £72 | £72 | 🇬🇧 eBay | |
|
Title: Kodak Retina Reflex III SLR 35mm SLR (Schneider Kreuznach Xenar 50mm 1:2.8)
Description:
Die gezeigten Produktbilder dienen als Beispiel. Porst CX4 35mm Spie. Objektivanschluss: Schneider Kreuznach Xenar 50mm 1:2.8. Foto & Camcorder. Farbe: Silber. Leichte Gebrauchsspuren wie Kratzer oder Abnutzung am Gehäuse sind möglich, beeinflussen die Funktion jedoch nicht. Location: Bad Emstal, Germany |
||||
|
Loading...
|
||||
| Jul 2026 | £44 | £44 | 🇬🇧 eBay | |
|
Title: Kodak Retina III S Film Camera w/ Schneider - Kreuznach Xenon 50mm F1.9 Untested
Description:
Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Kodak Retina III S Film Camera w/ Schneider - Kreuznach Xenon 50mm F1.9 Untested at the best online prices at eBay UK! Free delivery for many products! Location: northampton, United Kingdom |
||||
|
Loading...
|
||||
| Jul 2026 | £44 | £44 | 🇬🇧 eBay | |
|
Title: Kodak Retina III S Film Camera w/ Schneider - Kreuznach Xenon 50mm F1.9 Untested
Description:
Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Kodak Retina III S Film Camera w/ Schneider - Kreuznach Xenon 50mm F1.9 Untested at the best online prices at eBay UK! Free delivery for many products! Location: northampton, United Kingdom |
||||
|
Loading...
|
||||
| Jul 2026 | EUR 95 | £81 | 🇪🇺 eBay | |
|
Title: Kodak Retina Automatic III with Schneider Kreuznach 2.8/45 mm Retina-Xenar SHP 31
Description:
Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Kodak Retina Automatic III with Schneider Kreuznach 2.8/45 mm Retina-Xenar SHP 31 at the best online prices at eBay UK! Free delivery for many products! Location: Nürnberg, Bayern, Germany |
||||
|
Loading...
|
||||
| Jul 2026 | £14 | £14 | 🇬🇧 eBay | |
|
Title: kodak Retina 1b
Description:
Solid camera in very good condition. Complete and in working order. Not tested though. The original cover is complete but with marks and scratches. Location: Beaconsfield, United Kingdom |
||||
|
Loading...
|
||||
| Jul 2026 | £14 | £14 | 🇬🇧 eBay | |
|
Title: kodak Retina 1b
Description:
Solid camera in very good condition. Complete and in working order. Not tested though. The original cover is complete but with marks and scratches. Location: Beaconsfield, United Kingdom |
||||
|
Loading...
|
||||
| Nov 2016 | EUR 14,000 | £12,165 | 🇦🇹 Leitz Auction | |
|
Auction: Leitz Auction 29 (Lot AI_29_33420) Title: Kodak/Nagel Retina Prototype
Description:
This is the prototype of all Kodak Retina cameras designed by Dr. August Nagel in 1934. It is a 35mm compact RF camera in Art Deco style for 75 images 18x24mm half frame. 'Retina' embossed on back door, Galilean viewfinder v=0,35x, separate 1:1 rangefinder (base 4cm), interchangeable Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar 3.5/3.5cm no.708459, focusing to 0.9m. Behind-the-lens central Compur shutter 1 - 1/300, B and T by F. Deckel. Fantastic piece and milestone of photo history, no other example is known to exist! Estimate: EUR 10,000 - EUR 12,000 |
||||
|
Loading...
|
||||
Frequently asked questions
What is a Kodak Retina prototype worth?
Based on the single recorded UK auction hammer price, a Kodak Retina prototype sold for £14,000 in 2016, though with only one data point the true market value today is difficult to pin down.
How much does a Kodak Retina prototype sell for at auction?
The only documented saleroom result shows one example fetching £14,000 at hammer; prototypes of this kind rarely come to market, so each sale tends to set its own price.
Why is the price so much higher than a standard Retina?
Prototypes are pre-production cameras made in tiny numbers for internal testing, so their collector value is driven by rarity and historical significance rather than the specifications of the production model.