Exakta lenses
The Exakta lens mount was introduced in 1936 with the Kine-Exakta model made by Ihagee. It would be used on most of the later Exakta models, as well as the Exa models until 1977.
The lens mount was also adopted by the Japanese manufacturer Topcon for its 35mm SLRs from 1957, and they would use it until the end of the 1970s.
There were a huge amount of lenses produced in that mount, made by all sorts of manufacturers, but we can try to list some of them.
Contents
Angénieux lenses
Berthiot lenses
Enna lenses
Enna was a German independent optical company, that made most of their lenses in M42 mount. Some were sold under the Revue distributor name. Here are the known types of finish:
- type I: chrome, preset or manual diaphragm
- type II: black with knurled rings and wide chrome stripes, preset diaphragm
- type II tele: black with wide chrome stripes, manual diaphragm
- type III: black with many fine chrome stripes, auto diaphragm
- type III tele: all black, crackled finish, except the base with chrome stripes, manual diaphragm
- type IV: all black, auto diaphragm
The lenses are listed, with the types known to exist for sure:
Enna also made a range of sockel lenses. A socket base comprised the mount and focusing mechanism, and an interchangeable optical unit could be mounted on it. There were two generations of sockel lenses, one with semi-automatic diaphragm (manual cocking) and the other with fully auto diaphragm. The two generations were incompatible between them.
Lenses for the first sockel system (black with wide chrome stripes):
- 28/3.5 Lithagon
- 35/2.8 Lithagon
- 50/1.9 Ennalyt
- 135/3.5 Tele-Ennalyt
- 240/4.5 Tele-Ennalyt
At the beginning, on the lenses sold on the US market, the name Lithagon and Ennalyt was replaced by Sandmar.
Lenses for the second sockel system (black with many thin chrome stripes):
- 28/3.5 Lithagon, later Ennalyt
- 35/2.8 Lithagon, later Ennalyt
- 50/1.9 Ennalyt
- 90/2.8 Tele-Ennalyt
- 135/2.8 Tele-Ennalyt
- 240/4.5 Tele-Ennalyt
Feinmess lenses
The East German optical company Feinmess made one lens in Exakta mount, the 105/4.5 Bonotar, in alu finish with heavy knurled rings. It is said that it was a lens originally designed for a 6x9 folding camera, then released in Exakta mount.
Isco lenses
Isco was a succursal of Schneider, and made a lesser range of lenses. They made some in Exakta mount. Here are the known types of finish:
- type I: all chrome, slim barrel manual diaphragm
- type Iex: all chrome, external diaphragm release, probably for the early Praktica or Edixa
- type II: chrome, big knurled rings
- type IIex: idem, external diaphragm release
- type III: all black, big knurled rings
The lenses are listed, with the types known to exist for sure:
Kilfitt lenses
Kilfitt lenses had a set of adapters, to attach them on various lens mounts. The only Kilfitt lens with a fixed Exakta mount was the 40mm Makro-Kilar.
- 4cm f/3.5 Makro-Kilar D, chrome, s/n 211-XXXX
- 4cm f/3.5 Makro-Kilar E, chrome, s/n 209-XXXX
- 4cm f/2.8 Makro-Kilar D, chrome, then black, s/n 245-XXXX
- 4cm f/2.8 Makro-Kilar E, chrome, then black, s/n 246-XXXX
The markings evolved from Kamerabau-Anstalt-Vaduz Kilfitt-Makro-Kilar to Heinz Kilfitt München Makro-Kilar to Kilfitt München Makro-Kilar.
Meyer lenses
Meyer was the second East German provider of Exakta lenses, after Carl Zeiss Jena.
The main types of finish are listed by chronological order:
- type 0: chrome or alu finish, slim barrel, manual diaphragm
- type I: alu finish, knurled focusing ring, preset, semi auto (manual winding) or auto diaphragm
- type pre-II: black with a chrome band and indentations around the focusing ring, auto diaphragm
- type II: black with wide chrome stripes, preset or auto diaphragm
- type III: black, slightly knurled focusing ring, some chrome on diaphragm ring, auto diaphragm
- type Tele: alu or black finish, manual or preset diaphragm (tele lenses)
- type Tele II: black with chrome stripes, preset diaphragm
Some lenses (type III) had internal auto diaphragm coupling, to use with the Exakta RTL 1000.
The lenses are listed, with the types known to exist for sure:
- 29/2.8 Orestegon (III RTL)
- 30/3.5 Lydith (II preset)
- 35/4.5 Trioplan (I preset)
- 50/3.5 Primotar E (I semi auto)
- 50/2.9 Trioplan (I preset)
- 50/2.8 Domiplan (II auto)
- 50/1.8 Oreston (III RTL)
- 58/1.9 Primoplan (0 chrome, 0 alu, I preset)
- 100/2.8 Trioplan (0, I preset, I auto pre-II)
- 100/2.8 Orestor (II preset, III RTL)
- 135/2.8 Orestor (II preset)
- 150/5.5 Telemegor (0)
- 180/5.5 Telemegor (0)
- 180/3.5 Primotar (Tele chrome manual, Tele black preset)
- 200/4 Orestegor (II preset)
- 250/5.5 Telemegot (Tele chrome preset)
- 300/4.5 Telemegor (Tele black preset)
- 400/5.5 Telemegor (Tele black preset)
Olympus lenses
Olympus made one lens in Exakta mount.
Pentacon lenses
It was the new name of the Meyer lenses after some point. The lenses have no individual name, just the Pentacon auto marking.
Finish types continue the Meyer types:
- type III: black, slightly knurled focusing ring, some chrome on diaphragm ring, auto diaphragm
- type IIIb: black, knurled focusing ring, black diaphragm ring
- type IV: all black with a diamond pattern on the focusing ring, later with multicoating
The lenses marked Pentacon auto had auto diaphragm, the lenses simply marked Pentacon had preset diaphragm. Some lenses had internal auto diaphragm coupling, to use with the Exakta RTL 1000.
The lenses are listed, with the types known to exist for sure:
- 29/2.8 auto (III RTL)
Rodenstock lenses
Rodenstock made some lenses in Exakta mount, but they are quite uncommon.
Roeschlein lenses
Schacht lenses
??Schacht also made some Exakta lenses. Here are the known types of finish:
- ??type I: all chrome, massive knurled rings, manual diaphragm
- ??type II: black with wide chrome stripes, knurled rings, semi-auto diaphragm (needs manual winding)
- ??type III: black with wide chrome stripes, flat rings, auto diaphragm
The lenses are listed, with the types known to exist for sure:
Schneider lenses
Schneider made some of their lenses in Exakta mount. The types of finish are listed in chronological order:
- type 0: all chrome or black and chrome, manual diaphragm
- type I: all chrome, knurled rings, extenal auto diaphragm
- type II: black with wide chrome stripes, knurled rings, preset diaphragm
- ??type LM: like type II with the possibility to mount a selenium light meter above the lens
- ??type IIb: like type II with thinner chrome stripes and flatter rings, auto diaphragm
The lenses are listed, with the types known to exist for sure:
- 50/1.9 Xenon (I auto)
- 135/3.5 Tele-Xenar (II preset)
- 360/5.5 Tele-Xenar (0 black and chrome)
Schneider also made lenses for the Exakta Real special lens mount.
Steinheil lenses
Steinheil made a range of lenses in Exakta mount. The types of finish were:
- type 0: all chrome, slim barrel, manual diaphragm
- type I: all chrome, sometimes all black, knurled rings, preset diaphragm
- type preII: black with wide chrome stripes, knurled rings, auto diaphragm
- type II: black with wide chrome stripes, auto diaphragm
- type IIb: like type II with the stripes very close together
The lenses are listed, with the types known to exist for sure:
Topcon lenses
Carl Zeiss Jena lenses
Carl Zeiss Jena was the main official supplier of Exakta lenses. The main types of finish are listed in chronological order:
- type 0: black or alu finish, slim barrel, manual or preset diaphragm
- type I: alu finish, knurled focusing ring, manual, preset or semi-auto diaphragm
- type II: black with one chrome ring and leatherette on the focusing ring, external auto diaphragm
- type III: black and chrome with a bumpy rubber focusing ring, external auto diaphragm
- type IV: black with wide chrome stripes, external auto diaphragm
Some lenses had internal auto diaphragm coupling, to use with the Exakta RTL 1000.
The lenses are listed, with the types known to exist for sure:
- 25/4 Flektogon (II)
- 50/2.8 Tessar (I preset)
- 50/2 Pancolar (II)
- 50/1.8 Pancolar (IV RTL)
- 80/2.8 Biometar (I preset)
- 135/4 Sonnar (II)
- 180/2.8 Sonnar: changeable lens mount, first black preset, then Pentacon 6 type with an adapter
- 300/4 Sonnar: changeable lens mount, first black preset, then Pentacon 6 type with an adapter
- 500/8 Fernobjektiv: changeable lens mount, manual diaphragm, first black finish, then leatherette finish