ricklb55

All my M39 mount cameras, starting at the back row at the left: 1970 Zorki 4 with Jupiter 8 lens, 1985 FED 3B with Industar 61, 1950 Leica IIIc with Canon 1.8 50mm, 1951 Leica IIf with Elmar 90mm and a Leitz finder, 1947 Leica IIIc with a Gossen Sixti light meter (that is dead on accurate!) and a 1953 Canon IIIa with a Canon 3.5 135mm lens and a KMZ finder.

I thoroughly disagree with orsetto's post that the Exakta has "the most inscrutable, convoluted controls of any camera" he has every used. Really? I own multiple cameras that are more of hassle to operate. The Exakta, for a completely mechanical camera, is very simple to use with the fast speeds. It only gets a bit complicated when you need to use the timer or the slow speeds.

I own 15 Exaktas and 1 Exa. I have every major model of the Exakta from the Kine I to the VX500. I have done a CLA on 8 of the Exaktas using Miles Upton's excellent book "Ultimate Exakta Repair" as a guide. I have a good shutter tester and I always test the cameras prior to the CLA. Exaktas that have never been through a CLA will have shutters that run at least 1 full f-stop slow. At least. Lubricating the camera only improves the shutter speeds a bit. Adjusting the shutter mechanism to get accurate speeds is not an easy task even with Upton's book. So much so that I only do it if the camera is not working. I have used Starbrite's Liquid Electrical Tape to seal pinholes in the shutter curtains. Although this does fix the pinholes it also slows down the shutter speeds another 2-4%. So you want to apply as llittle of the Liquid Electrical Tape as you can. However, the LET contracts as it dries and if you applied too little some of the pinholes will return.

I started collecting Exaktas a few years ago and have a complete collection of the 35mm SLRs from the Kine 1 to the VX500. With some duplicates I have a total of 16 Exaktas. Using Miles Upton's book I have disassembled, cleaned and lubed 9 of the Exaktas. I have put film through most of my collection. The film advance function is, IMO, not one of the strong features on these Exaktas. The film advances exclusively by the sprocket gear and it has been my repeated experience that about 1 in 30 shots will not advance a full frame. I am at a loss how this happens. This has happened in Exaktas I have disassembled and verified everything is in good order and in Exaktas I have not disassembled. Any suggestions? As long as I am on the subject of Exaktas: If you purchase an old Exakta with bad curtains which you intend to replace make sure you are able to remove the two spanner nuts on the camera. The curtains cannot be removed with either spanner nut in place. One of the spanner nuts is in the advance lever mechanism and I have yet to see this spanner nut frozen. The other spanner nut, in the slow speed mechanism, I have found frozen solid on two cameras: a Varex and a VXIIa. Nothing would free it up. I couldn't apply sufficient torque with a regular adjustable type of spanner wrench. I tried soaking the nut assembly in Kano Kroil for days - nothing. Tried applying heat via an industrial soldering iron - nope. The only thing that might work is a custom made spanner wrench with a long handle but I am not going to spend that kind of money.

Right now I have film in four cameras. An Exakta VX1000, Steinhell Munchen lens, loaded with Plus-X 5231. A Voigtlander Bessamatic, Color-Skopar lens, loaded with color print film. An Agfa Isolette loaded with expired slide film. A Diana loaded with Rollei Retro 400.

For September 3, 2017. From my Contina-matic on Kodak Tmax 100 and home developed. Downtown Plano, TX

I usually get questions when I take my Bronica SQ-A out for a walk, especially if I have the 250mm lens plus 2X tele-converter plus hood attached. I've had people stop dead in their tracks and stare. Being inconspicuous is not possible.

I recently acquired an Exakta V, serial number 681145. I am attempting to disassemble to perform a clean and lube. I am stuck at the removal of the rewind button - see red circled item in pictures. This button must be removed to access and remove the rewind idler gear shaft, otherwise the camera's shell cannot be separated from the chassis. This rewind button will not pull off. Nothing visible is obstructing it and I have applied quite a bit of force. It moves up and down freely in its normal function. It feels like something is holding it in place but I cannot find that something. I have Miles Upton's Ultimate Exakta Repair but his book is based on the VXIIa version and that version uses a simpler rewind button that just pulls off. I have done a clean and lube on four other Exakta Varex cameras but this is my first V, and that darn rewind button has me stumped. Any advice? In the images below the top image shows the button engaged to allow film rewind, the bottom picture shows the button in its normal operating position. Rick

Actually, it is the alignment you are refering to that I don't have a clue about.

Could you give clue how this is done?