EXAKTA varex II a best classic camera ?

[rick_drawbridge]

subbarayan_prassana said:

I did this for a hobby and renewed quite a few abandoned Exaktas. It made me feel a few years younger, after each renewal.

 

I'm sure SP wouldn't mind if I revealed that the Varex IIa I pictured above is in full working trim, thanks only to his expertise. I had two cosmetically excellent and mechanically sound Varex bodies with shutter curtains in a state of total disarray, and it was worth my while to post them across the planet for him to repair. Each time I use one I think of SP and silently thank him again!

[rodeo_joe1]

This is probably the longest time delay of mechanical camera

Since the self-timer of many old cameras will likely jam up completely; I think you'll find a lot of mechanical cameras have a delay time up to infinity seconds!:cool:

 

And how often is a delay time of over 10 seconds really needed? The subject could have got bored and walked away, or the light have completely changed in 15 seconds.

[chuck_foreman1]

Right before my marriage in 1992 I came across a kit with the block logo Varex IIa with three Zeiss lenses. The Panacolar, the 35mm Flektogon and the 120 Biometar. I could write a chapter on each as they were not all of the best vintage, problems with the camera and lenses initially but they all work now. Along the way someone gave me the Exa Ia of similar 1960s vintage with the WL finder and a Tessar. Also the Tessar was broke. I enjoyed using these and have some nice shots. Most recently though the Varex packed it in at the end of a roll. I was so disappointed I indulged myself by acquiring an earlier model (nothing near as beutiful as Rick D showed) I was so enamored with the embossed logo and it came with another Tessar, I then found the Exa to match with the corresponding prism finder, The downside is the shutter on the Exa needs wwork. It trips when cocking,. after some exercise it will behave but needs work. I'm not left handed, but I like quirkiness of the cameras and the lenses are cool too. I often use the block logo Exa with the Flektogon.

 

 

 

[MTC Photography]

I have a second Exakta Varex IIa, this one has a Meyer Optik Gorlitz Primagon 1:4.5/35 lens and a waist level finder with flip up

cover

I also have a Ihagee Exa slr, waist level finder. However I havent figure out how the shutter works

[MTC Photography]

I have two Exacta Varex IIa, one with aus Jena Flektogon 4/20 super wide angle lens, this lens has a shutter plunger. This camera as pentaprism viewfinder

Second Exacta Varex II has Meyer Optik Gorlitz Primagon 1:45/35 lens

This lens is smaller, hence it has no shutter plunger, this camera has waiste level finder, but

it has no magnifier, hence hard do critical focusing.

 

Varex has horizontal travelling cloth shutter

Edited December 19, 2021 by MTC Photography