Kodak Signet 80

<p>When doing some cleaning around the house, I recently came across my old Kodak Signet 80 kit, which was my first "serious" 35mm camera I bought with my own money, way back when I was a kid. (I remember buying it on the then-popular layaway plan, before the advent of consumer credit cards.)</p>

<p>The shutter still works but the built-in external selenium cell meter appears off by about 1⅓-2 stops. I decided to run some C-41 through it and took out my trusty Weston Master V for metering. I shot off a roll of Fuji Reala 100. The results were surprising; I forgot that those lenses weren't half bad. Here are a few examples below. </p><div></div>

<p>Now I switched to the 90mm lens.</p><div></div>

<p>`</p><div></div>

<p>Nice shots. Did you have the 35 mm wide angle as well? I remember seeing a full page ad for this outfit in an old back issue of Popular Photography. I think it was a pretty good deal for the day. </p>

<p>Yes, I had the 35mm lens then and still have it now, together with the accessory optical viewfinder that displays the frames for 35, 50 and 90mm fields of view. In fact, that shoe-mounted finder is one of the brightest accessory finders you will find; very easy viewing for eyeglass wearers too.</p>

<p>I recall that one or more of the lenses uses glass that is mildly radioactive, but I'm not sure which one. I think it may be the 90mm. If anyone out there knows, please post.</p>

<p>Unfortunately for Kodak, the Signet 80 was never a retail success and a bunch of dealers still had these units collecting dust on their shelves in the 60s and 70s, which is how I got a totally new kit years after manufacture ceased.</p>

<p>Here's a shot with the 35mm lens.</p><div></div>

<p>Yes, those lenses were quite good! Cool looking camera too. You might enjoy my post on the camera <a href="/classic-cameras-forum/00YOZc">HERE.</a></p>

<p>Lovely work from the lenses and the film -- a sort of dreamy look to them.</p>

<p>Here's the Camerapedia article on the camera http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Kodak_Signet_80 </p>

<p>I grabbed a few late-50s/ early 60s magazines for ads, but Kodak seems to have been pushing the Retina III a lot harder.</p>

<p>Informative thread. Now I see it's the 35 and 50mm lenses that are radioactive, not the 90mm.</p>

<p>You got great results too. The colours are fantastic.</p>

<p>I still have several models of the Kodalite flashguns. I recall well using them with the Press 25 and M-3 flashbulbs. Bulbs back then were cheap and I couldn't afford one of those new-fangled electronic flashguns. I had my eye on a Braun model but it was beyond my budget after springing for the camera and lenses. </p>

<p>JDM,</p>

<p>I think you are right, the push was on for the Retina models. I never did meet another camera bug in person who owned a Signet 80, it was kind of a rare bird.</p>

<p>Interesting camera Jeffrey, another one that I have never seen. I wonder how popular they were outside the US?<br>

Kodak's US cameras were often ungainly designs but with good optics, and your pics look sharp with really nice muted colours. Make sure you keep using your Signet!</p>

<p>Tony,</p>

<p>I don't know that, but I imagine Kodak pushed the Retina line overseas. The Signet 80 was only in production for a few years, I believe 3 or 4. I do remember the shop I bought it from had it on the shelf for something like 10 years before they unloaded it on me, but I was happy to buy it and have a complete kit for a very small amount. I actually have the receipt but finding it is another matter!</p>

<p>Jeffrey,</p>

<p>I always like to see posts on "My First Real Camera" cameras. I am glad you kept this camera and did a post to show it off. Kodak had so many models over the years that unless you have a personal connection they can get lost in the fog.</p>

<p>I found a product announcement posted in the Nov. 1958 issue of Modern Photography. They do give some information on the meter.</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

<p>I also found a catalog listing in the Sears 1959 Camera Catalog. The Signet 80 is listed beside the Retina IIIS.</p>

<p>I did want to ask if you have seen any yellowing of the lenses with the radioactive elements? </p>

<p> </p>

<p>I forgot to post the image from the Sears catalog.</p><div></div>

<p>Louis,</p>

<p>Thanks for putting a link to your post.</p>

<p>The ad is outstanding.</p>

<p>Here is a test of the Signet 80 from Modern Photography April 1959.</p><div></div>

<p>Marc,</p>

<p>Thanks for that <em>Modern Photo</em> test report and the Sears catalog page. In regard to the yellowing, I don't notice anything pronounced, the lenses look like any lens 50+ years old.</p>

<p>My first ever camera was a Brownie Starmeter, given to me by a favourite uncle when I was probably 8 or 9 years old. He was the consummate family camera bug and got me hooked on the hobby from that age on. I also still have that camera, in working order (except the meter is dead), but 127 roll film bought the farm many moons ago.</p>

<p>A year or so after I bought the Signet 80, I moved up to a Retina Reflex IV and had the full compliment of all interchangeable lenses. I then bought the Instamatic Reflex, primarily because it took all the same lenses. Those cameras are long gone, sold or traded away. My first system camera was the Canon F-1 and its successors, then I inherited a Leica M3 with 35-50-90 'crons in the late 70s and have been with Leicas ever since, rangefinders and reflexes.</p>

<p>But I enjoy taking out vintage cameras every so often and putting them through the paces.</p>

 

<p><strong>Marc</strong>-Thanks for the additional information. I didn't know about the meter being imported,mine is still accurate. </p>

<p>I looked at a Signet 80 at a recent PHSNE camera show -- lens changing can be very fiddly. Styling is, well, unique.<br>

The Camerapedia article says the 50mm and 80mm lenses have thoriated glass, so the glass could be a little "tan" by now.</p>

<p>John,</p>

<p>I checked all three of my lenses and all look pretty clear, no real discolouration. I wonder if at some point in the production Kodak changed the type of glass used? None of the lenses have serial numbers, so I imagine there's no way to tell the year of manufacture.</p>

<blockquote>

<p><a href="/photodb/user?user_id=426229">Marc Bergman</a> <a href="/member-status-icons"><img title="Subscriber" src="/v3graphics/member-status-icons/sub10plus.gif" alt="" /><img title="Frequent poster" src="/v3graphics/member-status-icons/1roll.gif" alt="" /></a>, Jul 18, 2013; 08:00 p.m.</p>

<p>I did want to ask if you have seen any yellowing of the lenses with the radioactive elements?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I have the 50mm lens only (I mistakenly thought it was for the Ektra, and picked it out of a junk bin), reputedly radioactive, and I don't see any yellowing in mine either.</p>