Difference between revisions of "Exakta Kine and Varex Series"

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Revision as of 17:00, 29 June 2011

Exakta is one of the very first SLR cameras in the world. The first use of the brand Exakta was on Ihagee cameras made for 127 rollfilm, now known to collectors as the VP Exakta. But historically, the most significant series is the one designed for for 35mm film—originally cinema film—hence the German name "Kine Exakta."'

Exaktas were rather expensive cameras, used by professionals and serious amateurs. Beginning from Exakta Varex the lenses and SLR pentaprism and Waist level viewfinders are interchangeable within all versions.

Ihagee never made lenses of its own brand. There are many lens types of many manufacturers used on Exakta versions. Instead, they relied on many of the major optical firms of their day to each produce a series of lenses for their cameras, eg. Carl Zeiss Jena, Meyer-Optik Görlitz, Schneider-Kreuznach and E.Ludwig.

The East German Zeiss lenses made for export, were marked from 1954 with different engravings. The brand name Carl Zeiss Jena is replaced by C.Z. Jena or Jena or aus Jena. The lens names Biotar, Biometar, Sonnar, Tessar, Triotar were replaced by the letter B, Bm, S, T, Tr.

After 1972 the name Exakta was applied to a variety of products; but to serious collectors, true Exaktas are ones made by Ihagee in Dresden, former East Germany and produced between 1936-72.

Exakta

  • Often referred as Kine Exakta [1]
  • Produced between 1936-49
  • Version 1; There are 4 sub-versions [2] [3]
  • Fixed waist-level viewfinder
  • Two spellings:In late version the Exakta name with "c" is more common
5124461196_98b1209a22.jpg
Kine Exakta version 1.1 (1936)
image by John Bosko (Image rights)
5562528860_7d044f45ea.jpg
Kine Exacta (Kine Exakta) version 1.2.3 (1945-49) w/ Meyer-Optik Görlitz Primagon 35mm f/4.5
image by Laszlo_Gerencser (Image rights)

Exakta II

  • Often referred as Kine Exakta II
  • Produced between 1949-50
  • Version 2; There are 3 sub-versions [2]
  • The third sub-version has a limited interchangeable finder

Photo in Andrzej Wrotniak's website:

  • [1]Exakta II version 2.2 w/ Zeiss Biotar 58mm f/2

Exakta Varex

  • Produced between 1950-51
  • Sold as Exakta V in USA
  • Version 3; There are 3 sub-versions [2]
  • Removable viewfinder with SLR pentaprism or waist level finder by a catch on the camera body below the logo
5043238753_5abb396a7f.jpg
Exakta Varex (V) version 3.1.1 (1950) w/ Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f/2.8
image by willboy2010 (Image rights)

Exakta Varex VX

  • Sold as Exakta VX in USA
  • Produced between 1951-56
  • Version 4; There are 4 sub-versions [2]
4692088637_811e257859.jpg
image by Билл (Image rights)

Exakta Varex IIa

  • Sold as Exakta VXIIa in USA
  • Produced between 1956-63
  • Version 5; There are 4 sub-versions [2]
  • In the last version there is a new name plate and logo: uppercase "EXAKTA" on black background


4684196419_d3ca8fc33a.jpg
Exakta VX IIa c.1962 Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f/2.8
image by Süleyman Demir (Image rights)
4684197909_4a5fa877ac_m.jpg
4684197411_4b6cf41761_m.jpg
4684196669_7f4b008b20_m.jpg
Exakta VX IIa c.1962 Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f/2.8

Images by Süleyman Demir (Image rights)

Exakta Varex IIb

  • Sold as Exakta VXIIb in USA
  • Produced between 1963-67
  • Version 6 [2]
  • Film speeds moved to the top of the slow speed dial
  • Fast shutters speeds follow the "modern" geometric progression from 1/30 to 1/1000
  • The rewind knob has a crank handle
  • There is not a finder release knob
458930437_d76a8f0251.jpg
Exakta VX IIb w/ Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f/2
image by clicks_1000 (Image rights)

Exakta VX1000

  • Produced between 1967-70
  • Version 7 [2]
  • New body construction
  • Instant-return mirror
5848091677_e89cb60e40.jpg
Exakta VX1000 version 7.0 (1967) aus Jena T (Tessar) 50mm f/2.8 (Zebra),
image by Süleyman Demir (Image rights)
5848093329_7ae0ecc41a_m.jpg
5848654942_a4c35a9907_m.jpg
5848098449_57c3b16ce0_m.jpg
Exakta VX1000 version 7.0 (1967) aus Jena T (Tessar) 50mm f/2.8 (Zebra)

Images by Süleyman Demir (Image rights)

Exakta VX500

  • Produced between 1969-72
  • Version 8; There are 2 sub-versions [2]
  • Simplified version of Exakta VX1000
  • No film knife
  • No slow speeds; fast ones limited to 1/500


4896917211_59932f9f11.jpg
Exakta VX500 version 8.1(1969) w/Jena B (Biotar) 58mm f/2
image by Süleyman Demir (Image rights)
4896918739_1134dfb80e_m.jpg
4896917735_fa6f0f386e_m.jpg
5130709733_d2f4f8d4e0_m.jpg
Exakta VX500 version 8.1 (1969) w/Jena B (Biotar) 58mm f/2

Images by Süleyman Demir (Image rights)

Notes and references

  1. ↑ Kine Exakta is the first 35mm SLR camera. The camera's features were based on Ihagee-Exakta rollfilm 4×6.5 cm, an earlier SLR made by K.Nüchterlein who also designed Kine Exakta. Kine Exakta was introduced at the fair Leipziger Früjahrsmesse in spring 1936. This date is important that it is one and a half year earlier than the Sport made by GOMZ. Although, some authors say that Sport is the first 35mm SLR, based on the prototype design
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 The classification of Exaktas is according to Andrzej Wrotniak
  3. ↑ Andrzej Wrotniak made a very sensible classification, listed on his website. It is multi dimensional in setup, without being complicated. It is improved version of Aguila and Rouah classification in their 2003 edition of Exakta cameras 1933 - 1978

Links

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