Exa 500

Exa 500 with 50mm/2.8 Meyer Domiplan lens, showing stop-down lever covering shutter release and added accessory shoe image by AWCam (Image rights)

The Exa 500 - also known as the Exakta 500 and VX 200 - was introduced in 1966 by Ihagee of Dresden, Germany (then DDR/East Germany). It was the last of the Exa line of 35mm SLRs. The Exa 500 shared an unusual "bulgy" shape with other Exa SLRs. The shutter-release was a separate button, on the body to the photographer's left side of the the lens - underneath the lens-mounted stop-down lever (or button, depending on lens). Pressing the lever stopped-down the lens, and further pressure also pressed the shutter-release. This arrangement meant that there was no coupling necessary from camera to lens to stop down the diaphragm. The lens mount was the Exakta bayonet fitting.

The vertical cloth focal-plane shutter was faster than the earlier Exas, running from 1/2 - 1/500s. The speed dial is mounted around the rewind crank.

The eye-level pentaprism viewfinder was fixed, and featured an instant-return mirror and a bright ground-glass focusing screen with central microprism - all unlike many other Exas. There was a red pointer in the viewfinder to indicate when winding was required.

The advance lever has a travel of only ~120° - shorter than previous Exas. Around the top of the advance lever, the frame counter counts down; on the edge of the counter is a film speed reminder. The back of the camera features a shutter lock lever.

The back and the base of the camera was completely removable for loading film; this being released by rotating the surround of the tripod bush.

Back view, showing shutter lock to left of viewfinder. image by AWCam (Image rights)

Top view, showing shutter speed dial around rewind crank. image by AWCam (Image rights)

Links

• Exa 500 on Stephen Gandy's Cameraquest
• Exa page on Maurizio Frizziero's Exakta.org
• EXA 500 PDF manual English / German at {https://www.butkus.org/chinon/index.html Butkus's OrphanCameras.com]