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Exakta

Exa 1a has a different mechanical approach for handling shutter speeds than the curtain kind of exakta. This gives 1a and 1b rock solid. Yes, it has no fancy speeds like 1/175+ I doubt if we would really need more anyway.
Regardless 1a and 1b looks ridiculously cheap, I would consider it rather go for a shutter curtain designed ones.
Cheers
 

Both mine worked ok off the shelf cept:

- one had a few pin prick rust spots on pressure plate.
- both needed qtips & Zippo cause they are all crevices.

25 & 50 GBP with CZJ /2.8 Tessar and /2 pancolar resp.

Be sure you get the OEM take up spool
 
Not sure about later camera like the VX-1000, but on earlier ones like the VX an empty reloadable film cartridge can be used for a take up spool. Not all types will fit, however. I tried this on my VX with a generic stamped sheet metal cartridge from Freestyle and it worked. But I did have to trim a little of light trap felt to get it to fit.
 
Most cassette spools will work ok to but the OEM spool clips in place and has a slot to feed film end into.
 
I purchased a Kine Exakta a few months ago. It is missing the take up spool so I can't use it. Does anyone know where I can get one? My Exakta is the 1955 model.
 
The inner spool from a normal factory cassette normally will do & a mini lab will give you used cassettes for free.

Open carefully with a bottle opener and if the spool fits ok cut a groove at 45 degrees to slot the film leader into.

Their are diagrams on the web ask google.

Getting an OEM one difficult.
 
I've got a Varex iia, which is first class mechanically but suffers, as many do, from pinholes in the (crinkly) second shutter curtain. This is a shame, as the action of the mechanism is incredibly smooth and with no mirror return, the noise is minimal. Zorkikat has a very good set of instructions on how to replace the curtains and this could be a nice little job for a long, dark winter's evening.
At first, using a left-handed camera seemed odd, but after a very short while it became unremarkable. After all, in the UK we change gears in our cars, fiddle with the radio/cassette controls and adjust the heater, etc. left-handed, so advancing the film and pressing the shutter left handed is (as my younger colleagues would say) "no biggie". Indeed, this arguably leaves the sturdier right hand gripping the camera firmly, rather than having a right index finger flailing around pressing the shutter release!

Steve
 
Hi Steve

Suggest trying the rubberized black paint first.

Noel
 
When I was a teen and just getting into photography my dad bought me a IIa so he could get his Argus C4 back. It was definitely a quirky camera, and I had forgotten about the film knife until someone here mentioned it. I used it to shoot late 1960s high school football games, with pre-loaded double cassettes for quick film changes. You could switch from Tri-X to Panatomic mid-roll.
But my camera had shutter problems. I remember being given an Exa as a loaner by the camera shop, which I believe had a vertical focal plane shutter.
But hey, the Exacta was good enough for James Stewart in "Rear window." If you wanted a honker 400 mm in the 1950s, there wasn't much else around.
 
MontanaJay said:
I remember being given an Exa as a loaner by the camera shop, which I believe had a vertical focal plane shutter.
Click to expand...

The Exas had different shutters:

-) lower-end models had a unique claps-shutter, with the mirror acting as first clap

-) higher-end models had vertical cloth curtain-shutter
 
I have 3 VX's. One is my age and 2 are older. 2 of them are still working fine and one is a parts camera. Unfortunately I let a friend 'mess' with it and he wound the slow speed dial while the fast speed dial was set to 50 and locked up the mechanism. Lesson learned!
I had a V but was talked out of it for a nice price.
 
A few years ago, while visiting St. Louis, a friend took me to an antique mall across the river in Illinois, and I was tempted by a IIa. I didn't buy it, though, since the works seemed to be locked up and they wanted $75 for it. Patience paid off, though, since I recently found a Varex IIa at my local camera store for $20! It seems to be in perfect working order. Now all I need is a chrome lens for it and I'm scouting around to find one. I'm being a cheapskate, though, since I don't want to massively overspend what I paid for the camera.
 
Wade D said:
... I let a friend 'mess' with it and he wound the slow speed dial while the fast speed dial was set to 50 and locked up the mechanism. Lesson learned! ...
Click to expand...

See post #22 for what I believe the valid dial combinations are. You can set 1/1000 to 1/25 on the main dial and then wind and set a red number on the secondary dial.

If the secondary dial is wound and set to a black number, the main dial should be on B or T.

I am not aware that a "mis-setting" can cause a jam. Maybe he wound it too tightly?
 
I have 4 exakta's and a complete set of auto steinheil lenses 35mm 55mm 100mm 135mm 2.8 135mm 3.5 all restored and clean I don't use them much I don't like left handed operation. but nice camera's.
 
I sent one of my exaktas to fedka Yuri sent it to the Ukraine changed out the dry curtains for some fresh ones. Cleane and oiled works nice.
 
I recently received a bunch of old mostly non functioning cameras, amongst which are 4 Exactas, and 2 Exa II's. 1 VX which seems to function fine. 1 VX IIa with a stuck shutter, 1 VX1000 with a shutter that wont latch closed when wound, and another VX1000 with a stripped wind mechanism. I have gotten this last to wind a couple times and then the shutter seems good. One of the Exa's works but the wind is very tight and needs to be looked at, the other is locked up and wont wind or fire. I love the design of these things and will definitely be looking to use the working VX soon. Once I have a chance I'll decide on how to proceed with the others but hopefully will get at least a couple of them working. The working VX has a 58mm Zeiss Jena f2 Biotar, and the VX IIa a 35mm f2.8 Steinheil Munchen Auto D Quinaron. The one working Exa came with a 50mm f2.8 Zeiss Jena Tessar. The rest are just the bodies. I really like the design of these cameras. Odd enough to be interesting with a real quality feel. I'm really looking forward to using and working on them.
 

The settings you mention in post #22 are what I use as well. A camera technician at Central Camera told me of the dire consequences of winding both dials and firing the shutter. This was many decades ago and I didn't seek a second opinion. I just took his word for it.
 
my exakta set





Complete steinheil auto set all in working condidtion
 
That's a nice collection. The VX1000 set in the Classified forum also has some nice lenses. Were it not overseas, I'd be interested.
 
I picked up a BellowsScope for my Exakta on a whim recently. Playing around with it, it is REALLY hard to focus. The image is so dark on the ground glass that with the f40 it reportedly gives, focusing is beyond a mere challenge.
Any hints or tips from people who have done macro via a bellows attachment?
 
alanrockwood said:
Regarding the left handed film wind, I once read that this actually made it more convenient to wind the film when the Exakta is set up on a copy stand.
Click to expand...

Considered by some to be a left handed camera, so since I am left handed I have always been interested in Exaktas.
 

Photo flood for focus ring flash for exposure reverse lens for greater than 1:
 
I understand that there is some kind of attachment you can get for a tripod socket that can move the camera (bellows and all) for focusing.
 
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