Exakta

OK, I...don't know precisely why, but, recently, I've found myself wanting to

take the plunge into Ihagee's "Exakta line" (of course, all along maintaining

my allegiance to my Exa II ﾗ :-D). I suppose I just really would like those two

extra stops that the "upgrade" to an Exakta would buy me; sometimes a minumum

shutter-speed of 1/250th of a second just isn't fast enough ﾗ lol. So, I'd like

to ask a question: One of the limitations of my Exa II (other than the somewhat

languid aforementioned minimum shutter-speed) is that, with my Zeiss 4/300

lens, the top part of the image in my viewfinder is blacked out. I can't say

exactly what "percentage" I can't see, but it's enough for me to notice the

lacking, and to affect my ability to compose my shots (it's nowehere near half,

though). So, will this problem carry over to the Exakta? If so, it's one thing

fewer I can look forward to from it. Also, will any Exakta I get (barring the

VX500, which I understand will not) have the built-in film-cutting knife? These

are the main advantages I seek; I don't much care about the ability to change

viewfinders (the waist-level doesn't even really appeal to me), and the option

of swapping focusing screens, too, is limited in my taste for it.

 

OK, so, now, having said all this, I ask you, which is the Exakta to get? I

understand that my options are as follows: Kine-Exakta, Kine-Exakta II; let's

stop here: I want neither. Again, a pentaprism viewfinder is just imperative.

So, the "real" choices: Exakta Varex/V, Varex VX/VX, Varex IIa/VX IIa, Varex

IIb/VX IIb. (I'm not too fond of the design of the VX1000, and the 1/500

minimum shutter-speed of the VX500 can be attained through acquisition of an

Exa 500.) Now, which of these would you suggest is the best option, and why?

Thanks very much.

Well, I just put a 300/5.6 lens on my Topcon Super D, and there's no loss of image at the top of the frame wide open. Maybe some light loss, but you can see it. Stop down to f/11, and the top starts to vanish.

 

So this problem doesn't need to be as severe as yours on the Exakta mount. Now, the Exa might be worse, since the mirror being the shutter could put additional size and/or weight constraints on it.

 

But, start getting into macro territory, and losing the top of the frame is just part of the game with any Exakta mount camera.

 

But I think most SLR's don't really have a "full sized" mirror. (Other than some high crop factor DSLRs.) The mirror would have to be 39mm in the vertical direction, meaning that the rear of the lens mount (or lens) has to be 39mm from the hinge of the mirror, which in turn has to be some additional distance from the film plane to leave room for the shutter. If you go all the way, you wind up needing to make your normal lens retrofocus to clear the mirror.

 

There were some Topcon cameras made for retinal cameras that have a full sized mirror, and the lens mount is spaced out a good 6 extra millimeters. But these were "macro only" cameras.

 

But, much as I love my dear old Topcon, there are some real limitations to the Exakta mount it uses. The diameter is less than the diagonal of the 35mm frame, so that it will cause vignetting in macro work. Can also cause the same with telephoto lenses. The 39mm Contax/Pentax mount has similar issues. That's why the later SLR lens mounts have wider throats, like the Canon, Nikon, Minolta, and Olympus ones. The Olympus 4/3 system mount is particularly large-throat compared to the sensor format.

 

Oh, do consider the Topcon Super D as well. Bodies are cheap and common, and built like a complete tank, and very reliable, which can't really be said about the Exaktas. The 35/2.8, 58/1.8, 58/1.4 100/2.8, 135/3.5, 200/5.6, and 300/5.6 (manual) lenses are common and cheap. Unfortunately, the 25/3.5, 28/2.8 and 300/5.6 (auto) lenses are somewhat rare and pricey, and the 20/4, 85/1.8, 300/2.8 and 500/5.6 lenses are crazy rare and pricey. (Well, pricey in Topcon terms, like $1000. Not pricey in Leica terms.)

Hi Rahul,

 

I think you are under control regarding Exakta choices, so I'll just add a couple of historical things.

 

Ihagee Exakta's from 1933 to about 1936 were 645's (1 5/8'x 2 1/4), 8 frames on 127 film. The B model was my favorite since it had the slow shutter speeds and flash sync.

 

In 1936 or so, they introduced the Kine Exakta 35mm(hence the name Kine because of 35mm film) and that caused the end of the 645 models.

 

After WWII they were in the Soviet Zone (East Gemany) and the quality control became terrible. That was a shame because there were terrific features in the camera.

 

In the past (way past, the 1950's)I was a medical photographer shooting thousands of pictures monthly. Exaktas while convenient, needed repairs every 5,000 or so exposures (1 repair in less than 2 months). After 4 or 5 repairs they weren't repairable and had to be junked. For this reason in the studio, I used Leicas with the 135 short mount Hektors, reflex adapter and bellows attachment. It was heavy and expensive but the repair frequency was over one quarter million exposures!

 

And John Shriver, regarding your interest in Beseler Topcon's, the designers bought these cameras for the beauty alone (I think the best looking 35mm SLR ever designed). You are right, they were very tough and tolerated lots of exposures. If you are looking at the purchase of one of these give it a test. Shoot a grey card or grey background which must be carefully metered to be the same exposure across, pricisely. Shoot at several different shutter speeds and process the film VERY carefully and check the density all the way across. The most common failure in Topcons was "Focal Plane Shutter Compensation Failure". In virtually all FP shutters, they tend to accelerate as they transport and the slit has to be ever so slightly narrowed during the transport in order that the exposure be even.

 

Lynn

Rahul,<p>

 

The viewfinder image vignetting was a problem with the Exa caused by its shutter configuration, and will not occur on an Exakta. I believe the film-cutting knife was on all Exakta VX/Varex models except the VX500.<p>

 

My favorites from the Exakta line are the late VX (Varex) and early VXIIa. The later cameras (after changing to the rectangular nameplate with VXIIa version 5) have always seemed a little "cheaper" to me, or maybe I just prefer the classic styling. I would avoid the VXIIb due to the lack of a viewfinder release knob, which seems to make the viewfinder less secure. Im my limited experience, the shutter curtains on the VXIIa or later are more likely to have pinholes than the earlier VX models, but it would be wise to check the curtains carefully on any Exakta you buy.<p>

 

If your Sonnar uses the outer bayonet mount, you will want to make sure that your Exakta has a mount with both inner and outer bayonets (VX version 2 or later).<p>

 

Here is a useful website, if you haven't been there yet:

<a href="http://captjack.exaktaphile.com/">Captain Jack's Exakta Pages</a>

If you are used to an instant return mirror then the only option is the VX1000 - however IMHO mine is noway as well put together as the earlier Varexs - my favourite would be a IIb - and don't knock the waistlevel finder - as soon as you have the camera on a tripod it really comes into its own - mind you one of the nice things about Exactas is that you can choose. you can even go as far as TTL metering if you want, but the units are hard to find, and often need working on before you can use them accurately. As for the Exa 500 - it was my only camera as a teenager in the late 60s, and I have one for nostalgias sake, but the shutter appears to be just a bit fragile to reccommend it here.

 

Nick<div></div>

Re-reading your original question, I noticed that you are using the Exa II, rather than the original Exa. I haven't owned either, but it was my understanding that the telephoto viewfinder vignetting was fixed in the Exa II. So, I'm not sure about image cutoff with the 300mm Sonnar (I've never used one of those, either).

 

I wouldn't knock the interchangeable focusing screens. I've often found it frustrating to use the usual split-image screen with telephoto lenses, and it is nice to be able to put in a plain ground glass screen.

I just checked out a 300.4 lens on my Exakta VXIIa.... it's not a Zeiss lens, and different teles will probably behave differently. The upper edge of the finder image fades away over the last 2, maybe 3mm of the screen. So there's some cutoff at 300mm but not enough to affect composition, with this particular lens.

 

I think the nicest of the Exaktas overall are the VXIIa and VXIIb models, and early VXIIa's are prettier than the VXIIb or later IIa's. The IIa and IIb have a quieter gear system for the slow speeds than earlier models, and they have standard PC contacts for flash. In other features they resemble the early V and VX.... interchangeable WL and prism finders, speeds from 12 seconds to 1/1000, cute film-cutting knife that you'll never use. They do NOT have instant-return mirrors or other modern conveniences.....

 

:)=

When the VX1000 and VX500 came out, they had instant return mirrors. But they did also somewhere have abit rougher gearing. An old Pop or Modern article in that 1960's era said that sone gearing was stamped instead of machine cut. With a 400mm on my Exakta VX, ther was some "mirror cutt off" one could see in the viewfinder. One doesnt get all this on the image. The Nikon F has a tad of VIEWFINDER mirror cuttoff too, compared to the F2.

John, actually, I have and use an Exa II; unlike with the Exa, here, the mirror is not part of the shutter mechanism. Nevertheless, I found this article (http://www.cameraquest.com/exa500.htm) that states that the "short mirror" of the Exa 500 causes the "upper 20% of your viewfinder" to go black when using with it lenses more longer than 200mm. As the Exa 500 is of a similar design to the Exa II, I take it that this problem is not restricted to the former camera. I just hope Exaktas -- in all their glory -- are free of this limitation.

Thanks for your explanation, though, of why most SLRs wouldn't incorporate a "full-size" mirror.

 

Perry, thanks very much for your words. Looking at Wotniak.net, I, too, noticed that the VX IIb had no "button" to release the viewfinder; yet, I'm sure the camera, like all Exaktas, was suited to accept different viewfinders, both eye-level and waist-level. So, my question is, how in the world does the VX IIb accomodate the changing of viewfinders? Is there a super-secret button hidden somewhere on the back of the body? Does one just five the camera a good smack at its base (lol...I hope "lol")?

Personally, I, too, like the "look" of the older Varexes/VXes; the VX IIas look nice, as well, but I don't like that "1960s'"/"plain capital-letter font on rectangular black background" version.

The 4/300 Zeiss Sonnar uses the inner-mount, so I'll be fine either way.

One thing that did come to mind is the flash-synch. connections; the older Vs (and even the older VXes) won't have concentric flash connections, and will this be incompatible with to-day's external flashes.

 

Nick, what's the big deal about instant-return mirrors? I've read that this was a "huge advancement" in the field of photography, and that the VX1000 has an edge over other Exaktas, in that it is the only one that incorporates the technology (the Exa 500, as well, uses it); why does it matter, though? Thanks.

I don't want to knock the waist-level finders, but they just seem much less practical for "all-purpose" use than do the eye-level ones. Also, I've read that they display a dimmer image than their pentaprism-using counterparts.

What's the attached image for? I take it that the top-left shows a VX1000; the bottom-right, a VX IIb. Am I correct?

 

Richard, thanks for checking with your 300mm lens. It seems the Exaktas, then, will be better equipped to handle these long-focus beasts of lenses, than will the more compact Exas (II or 500).

 

Kelly, thanks for writing about your experience with a long-focus lens on your Exakta.

 

Thanks, all. :-D

Rahul - The IIa does indeed have a release button for the viewfinder assembly.; the IIb does not...it is just a friction fit which sort of seats itself. I have owned both and personally prefer the IIa for the release button and aesthetics...but both operate very nicely. IMHO the trick these days is finding a good repairperson. The Captain Jack site lists an individual who I contacted earlier this year, but he isn't accepting work until late this year or early next year due to some sort of consignment he tied into. Eventually I found somebody in Chicago to help me with my issue. Back to your original question....I've put several long lenses (400-500mm) on both the IIa & IIb and had only slight vignetting on both...which was fully acceptable for me. BTW, if you're interested...I've got a IIb I'm preparing to put on the eBay site next week. Let me know offline at scl@BIQ5.com if you want to see pictures or discuss price. <p> Steve

To clarify a bit, the image cutoff that you see in the finder is ONLY in the finder, there is no cutoff on the film. I believe that in the Exa, at least the early ones with the mirror/shutter, there was actually some cutoff on the film caused by the narrow passage through the rather forward-mounted shutter, with lenses over about 100mm focal length. This does not occur in any Exakta, nor, I believe, with the later cloth-shuttered Exas.

 

Exaktas are reasonably simple mechanisms, and if you feel inclined toward such things an Exakta is the sort of camera that you can probably service yourself. I can't speak for any models later than the VXIIb, though, and I have never worked on an Exa either....

 

:)=

Hi, Rahul Good to see that you're considering moving up on the Ihagee ladder, from Exa 11 to Exakta. Some of the other guys seem to go along with my personal preference model-wise for the early type VX/Varex 11a with the embossed lettering, which is nice to see.

 

Regarding the bug-bear of only getting an instant-return mirror on the VX1000, this is a model with a reputation for poor build quality compared to earlier stuff. So, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. An instant return mirror is one very handy feature that we've taken for granted since the early 60s (or late 50s if you had a Pentax or Miranda). The problem with all the pre-VX1000 Exaktas is that you can't see anything until you've cocked the shutter. So, you HAVE to either then take a picture or leave the thing cocked which can't be doing all those springs and mechanical gizmos much good in the long term. I guess early Exakta owners took a lot of one-off pictures of Tiddles the cat or their aspidistra, rather than chance having expensive problems with that oh-so-complex shutter! ~~PN~~

In sports usage, the NON instant return mirror is abit of a drag. There is a lag in time while your wind up the zillion :) degree left wind knob. Also one has to be sure one doesnt burn a hole in the shutter, if you dont rewind and are just doing a vacation, shopping at a street fair. This also is a risk with a Leica, or Zorki too.

Hello Rahul,

 

I would agree with Perry Bain that the earlier Exaktas are nicer looking, but in my own (very limited) experience I would say you are more likely to get pin-hole free curtains in a Varex IIb or a VX1000. If you are buying online try to find out if either of the curtains is wrinkled (not every seller will know how to check for pin-holes, and those that do may not try too hard!). If the curtains are wrinkled it is because the rubber coating on the front has hardened and cracked, and if they are not letting light in yet, it is a sure bet they will be soon. Often only one curtain is wrinkled. If the camera has been stored with the shutter cocked the left-hand curtain will be wrinkled, if stored uncocked it will be the right.

 

Anyway, you should definitely get one. The Exakta is one of the all-time great camera designs, and you can buy a good one for a fraction of the price of one of the more fashionable classics.

Stephen, I've e-mailed you (at scl@BIQ5.com) regarding the Exakta VX IIb that you wish to sell; please look for the message.

I think I, too, would actually be more comfortable with a "release mechanism" than with a "friction fit," but, well...whatever. I believe the person you tried to contact was Miles Upton ﾗ the "go-to guy" for all things Exakta ﾗ and, indeed, I think he's currently quite busy. I myself e-mailed him a while ago, in the hopes of acquiring an Exakta-mount Pancolar (in a certain cosmetic variation), but found his price a bit too high.

 

Richard, I understand that the "cut-off" will not affect my actual negatives (or, thus, images). The thing is, with about 20% of the top of the image blacked out in my viewfinder (i.e., with the lens wide open), composition can become a bit tricky and bothersome. Well, I suppose this is just one of those things that we Exakta-users must bear.

 

Peter, I knew you'd be pleased ﾗ lol. I actually started a thread here earlier about how to store Exa/kta cameras (i.e., shutter cocked or released), and the consensus seemed to be, "it really doesn't mattter much." Nonetheless, I, too, keep my Exa II "released" when for long(er) storage, and can understand the advantage (now) of instant-return mirrors. Nonetheless, this still doesn't strike me as a terribly important technology, especially as, when shooting, I'd still have to take me eye off the viewfinder to advance the film; a mirror that jumps back into place, so to let me keep seeing the world, then, just doesn't help me so very greatly.

 

Kelly, again, I can imagine how bad a Nikon of Canon, nowadays, used for sports photography, would be without an instant-return mirror; oh, those missed shots! Nevertheless, with an Exakta, which would never have an automated film-advance, I don't think it would make too much of a difference.

 

Steve, thanks for the tip; I'll definitely keep it in mind as I "eBay" around for a nice, working Exakta.

 

:)

As Stephen said, the VXIIb does have interchangeable findres, but just without a lock. It seems a bit insecure to me, although I have never heard of anyone dropping the finder off their Exakta IIb due to this. It must have been an unpopular cost-cutting measure, as they brought the release lock button back on the VX1000.

 

The non-PC flash connections of the older cameras can be a nuisance. I have a simple adapter, which used to be common, but I haven't noticed any for sale in a long time.

 

I have not been bothered by the non-instant-return mirror. I find that I can't really keep my eye at the finder while winding the camera, anyway (at least with the pentaprism). So, I treat it like a one shot camera, then wind and bring it back up for another shot. I think if you are going to enjoy the experience of using an Exakta, you really need be able to accept that it is not going to be as fast to use or as convenient as a modern camera. It is not an ideal camera for everyone, but it can be a lot of fun to use.

 

And you don't have to take a picture to unload the shutter spring. Just release the shutter with the lens cap on, and when you're ready to view/shoot again, just cock the shutter by winding the shutter speed knob. No need for wasted film.

My favorite two Exakta models are:

 

The early VX (Varex) model that has the flip up rewind release lever behind the shutter cocking lever. It was changed to a push-down button in later models and the button has to be held down continuously. The lever stay up by itself. (I have both and I looked long and hard to find the flip-up release model)

 

The early VXIIa model with the all metal front plate (not the black nameplate) I have both, and while they function identically, the early model looks better. If you can get this model, be sure and pair it up with proper all chrome-top pentaprism finder.

 

My least favorite and one of the hardest Dresden Exaktas to find on e-bay is the VXIIb. My mother had one. Don't bother unless you need it to fill-out a collection. It is identical operationally to the late model VXIIa, but it has a folding rewind crank instead of a knob. The crank is awful. It is too small for even my small fingers and it has to be pressed in at an angle to engage while you are cranking.

 

-Paul

I actually HAVE burned a hole through the shutter curtain of an Exakta by letting it ride (shutter released, with a 58/1.9 lens on it) on the passenger's seat of my car as I drove home. By the time the half hour drive was over, the front of the curtain had a 2mm diameter hole through it, plus little tracks all over the front that looked like worm trails. Not feeling like replacing the curtains, I patched over the hole with a piece of changing bag fabric that I punched out with a 1/4" diameter paper punch. I was more careful after that.... just because the camera isn't in the sun when you set it down, doesn't mean that it WON'T be in the sun before you pick it back up.

 

:)=

Paul, I'd never before heard of a rewind-lever in place of a rewind-button; it sounds like a good idea. I'll try to get that model of a Varex if I can, but I'm not sure that it would support the "PC-flash sockets," which I think would be a more important feature.

 

Richard, sorry to hear about your experience. That must have been a mighty sunny day on which you were driving home, though.

This is the model I was trying to describe. It does utilize the 2-pin flash synchronization.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/EXAKTA-VX-Version-1-35mm-SLR_W0QQitemZ150015829709QQihZ005QQcategoryZ15241QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

-Paul

Hi! I just completed cleaning and lubricating Exaktas VXIIa and VXIIb. I agree that the older version of the VXIIa is better assembled than the VXIIb. Thanks to Rick Olson and Myles Upton I got encouraged and did all the CLA stuff and rebuilt the curtains fully from scratch at home! It is time consuming [as any good job is!]and needs tenacity. Very rewarding. I got curtain material from Japan. Has silk cloth on both sides with a sandwich layer of latex. Find it better than the one-sided rubber. Only the Japanese ribbon is funny. It is machine made [automated] with long strands held together by another long strand that goes criss-cross. When you cut it you pull the criss-cross strand accidentally there is an explosion! And you are left only with strands and no ribbon. Better to go for hand woven or braided ribbons from the local market; they are stronger. And, why are so many people looking for repairmen? Do it at home for most jobs! It is a lot of fun. Costs very little! The rewind button is only a luxury, I think. The camera will work well even if you lose it. After all the Exakta has the knife; so use another cassette to receive the film as the old Europenas did! Thanks to all Rick Olson and Myles Upton, especially.