Exakta

[AgX]

A macro-rail. You use it to establish the image scale, and the helicoid to focus.

 

[nokia2010]

I am! I found out about them in an East-German book that was translated an published in Romania in 1958 (it was a translate after an 1956 edition). A book by Helmult Stapf. At 1st I thought it was a nice camera, but during the time passed I realized what amazing camera it was. The single puerly mechanical camera at you can set exposure time over a second (even in self shooting mode). And that film cut is also intresting...
I wish me one, but finding a pre 1958-1959 one in Romania at a decent price (for Romania) is Mission Impossbile.
I wonder if you set the self exposure time at long exposure times (for eg 7 seconds) without fixing the camera onto a tripod, the camera will shake when the mirror will rise and thus ruin your image or it will be o.k.

 

[AgX]

Mirror shake typically is of practical influence only for a certain range of exposure times.

7 seconds are much longer than the camera shaking will take place, the effect of the resulting image shake on the film thus will fade beyond the effect of the static image.

 

[Sirius Glass]

For seven seconds I would recommend a tripod rather than setting the camera down on a surface.

 

[nokia2010]

I wish me a good one, but a good one is very expensive in Romania.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I saw them when I was in high school. A very interesting camera. Since it is one of the few left handed cameras, I wish I would have bought one and several lenses.

 

[CMoore]

I wish me a good one, but a good one is very expensive in Romania.

What about other 35mm SLR.....Canon, Olympus, Minolta.?
Are cameras made in 1970-1980 also expensive.?

 

[nokia2010]

"Minolta" no... through lensese are somtimes more expensive then camera + lenseses.

I saw them when I was in high school. A very interesting camera. Since it is one of the few left handed cameras, I wish I would have bought one and several lenses.

What left handed cameras?

 

[Sirius Glass]

If I remember correctly the shutter release is on the left side of the camera.

 

[AgX]

What left handed cameras?

Well, the Exakta is "left handed". The Pentina, and a variant of the Samurai too.

Be warned, once used to releasing with the right hand and focusing with the left, operating a left handed camera can be very irritating.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Well, the Exakta is "left handed". The Pentina, and a variant of the Samurai too.

Be warned, once used to releasing with the right hand and focusing with the left, operating a left handed camera can be very irritating.

Not if you are left handed. The rest of the cameras are right handed or very right hand which for a left handed person is a fucking pain in the ass. Mamiya CXxx focuses with either hand. Hasselblads are triggered with the left index finger. Perhaps you need to live as a person who uses both the right and left brain with equal ability. Give it a try and you will find out what 90% of the world is missing.

 

[AgX]

Not if you are left handed. The rest of the cameras are right handed or very right hand which for a left handed person is a fucking pain in the ass.

That is why there is at least one camera that was available in two versions.

I myself already find it annoying when a lens helicoid focuses "the wrong way". Maybe others are less sensitive to a camera that is left handed than me, I just wanted to say...

I was already disappointed by gripping the Exakta: it looks as being great to be gripped, but did not at all feel so to me. That already is one reason I so far did not getan Exakta.

 

[alanrockwood]

That is why there is at least one camera that was available in two versions.

I myself already find it annoying when a lens helicoid focuses "the wrong way". Maybe others are less sensitive to a camera that is left handed than me, I just wanted to say...

I was already disappointed by gripping the Exakta: it looks as being great to be gripped, but did not at all feel so to me. That already is one reason I so far did not getan Exakta.

I like the feel of Exakta in the hand. Of course, it was my first SLR camera, so I got used to it.

 

[markjwyatt]

Well, the Exakta is "left handed". The Pentina, and a variant of the Samurai too.

Be warned, once used to releasing with the right hand and focusing with the left, operating a left handed camera can be very irritating.

I picked up a VX in classified here late last year, and it is my first left handed camera. I really had no issues with it. I really enjoyed using it ( I think I shot two rolls- time to load another). It probably is not the best camera for fast action photography, but for more contemplative photography (i.e., no rush), it is really nice. I like the diaphragm auto spring release (springblende) on the CZJ 58mm f2 Biotar. If not in a hurry, I push halfway, and examine the dof. If I do not like it, I change apertures, recock the lens, and repeat. It came with a Meyer-Optik Gorlitz Domiplan also with druckblende (I am guessing this is lever release). It works also, but I like the action of the spring release better (though it requires an extra step). The Domiplan is a cheaper lens, but at smaller apertures is actually quite shapr and contrasty. More open it has a vintage triplet look to it. I am using the language of Werner Wurst (Werner Sauage) in Exakta, Kleinbild-fotografie. I did not realize the book was in German (i just rapid fire ordered 3 books on Exakta off Amazon), but I can muddle through bits of it (technical German is a monster). It appears to be a very complete book on Exakta (1968 edition) published in Leipzig. Another good one in English is by Deschin with about half the pages as Wurst. It is funny that I would be saying Wurst is the best, but that is a joke for another time.

I drove a left hand drive car on one trip (Australia), and with implicit symmetry considerations, it was a very easy transition. I was expecting a learning curve, and there was, but for about 30 minutes at most. A few lights and turns , and it was quite an easy transition (I had no problems hen I returned home either). I am not right-handed, ambidextrous (or if I am it was never developed).

 

[AgX]

Concerning the left/right handedness: I can operated a left-handed camera. In contrast to hand-writing with my left. But I just find it annoying to change a common routine. Also my right hand is stronger, better apt and used to handle torque as in holding a camera with long lens.

Furthermore, we are likely to mix up things:
There are cameras were only the release button is moved from right to left. And there are cameras, where both, cocking lever and release button, moved to the left.

The Domiplan is a cheaper lens, but at smaller apertures is actually quite shapr and contrasty. More open it has a vintage triplet look to it.

Actually it IS a plain triplet.

 

[Martin Rickards]

Although my Exacta was the post Pentacon merger, I thought the RTL 1000 was more than an adequate camera at the time I first bought it in the 60s. the metered prism took a lot of getting used to and it made the thing rather unwieldly.

 

[AgX]

You mix up cameras. In spite of its name the Exakta RTL 1000 is an Exakta only by name.
It is a camera based on the Praktica L chassis. What it well shared with an Exakta was its mount and the release on the left side.

 

[nokia2010]

The only anoying part will be to switch hands when cocking the shutter and set the exposure time, because I will do the focusing with my right hand. I played with such a camera one day at an photo store, but I dond't remember how did I used my hands. Didn't bought the camera because of the price and the fact that it had focusing problems.
But I just can't wait to get one. And try long exposure time with self timer and no tripod.
This was I think one of the most advanced and versatile cameras before the Japanese invasion. And I wonder if there where any other puerly mechanical cameras that allowed setting of exposure times longer then 1 second.
But how at this camera you choose which of the 2 exposure time wheels you are going to use, meaning how you "enable" the use of one as "desable" the use of the other.

 

[nokia2010]

I was looking earlier to an "Minolta" SR-2 manual (I'm a "Minolta" user, but I don't have that model) and the mentioned "Exakta" mount - "Minolta" lens adapter... that was something, the Germans where still an voice in the industry.

 

[Martin Rickards]

You mix up cameras. In spite of its name the Exakta RTL 1000 is an Exakta only by name.
It is a camera based on the Praktica L chassis. What it well shared with an Exakta was its mount and the release on the left side.

it also had replaceable focusing screens I seem to recall. I am not mixing up; I said it was a a post Pentacon merger camera.

 

[AgX]

But it had most of the design features of the Praktica L series. Actually from it the Practica VLC evolved.
I rather see the Exakta RTL 1000 as illegetime child of the L-family, result of some affair, but still coming over as an L-child.

But I admit authors submit it as child from the Exakta family.


And then there was another illegetime child, but recognisable as from the Exakta family, the shortlived (1000 samples) Exakta Real from the west-german heir of Ihagee.

 

[nokia2010]

it also had replaceable focusing screens I seem to recall. I am not mixing up; I said it was a a post Pentacon merger camera.

The replacebele focusing screens where there from the '50's.

 

[railwayman3]

My late father had a couple of Exakta Varex and various lenses and accessories back in the late 60 and early 70's. Fascinating cameras, but he had ongoing problems with the shutters (shutter bounce) and the standard Pancolor lens (very poor definition), Seemed to be poor QC towards the end of the production. In the end he charged the lot for a Rolleiflex 35 mm outfit, in the mid-1970's, when these were being sold-off at very good prices......brilliant german Zeiss lenses, Planar, Sonnar, etc. Lasted him well into the 1990's.

 

[removedacct2]

where else can you find a camera with a film knife?

that film cut is also interesting...

the KMZ Start has the knife.

I saw a 1962 Varex yesterday nearby, with a Tessar 2.8, (and case) sold cheap. Besides the beauty of the camera and versatility of very slow speeds, it's the knife that interests me. The Start became my main 35 SLR because the knife. I rarely shot a full 24x roll (so even less a 36x), so knife is very convenient, instead of darkbag manipulations.

Have read here and there that pre-war ones have better build. Maybe, but this one has a good curtain (little curl on 2nd, and a well sitting repair patch) and regular speeds are ok. Must open and check the delay/slow mechanism, delay times are off and slow speeds don't work, so I suspect solidified lubricant, but then the regular speeds are good.

The focusing of the Tessar was completely stuck. Even with lot of force I could not turn it. Very easy to open, have fixed it.

the only little annoyance may be sometimes the speeds range: it goes from 1/25 to 1/5, 1/2. The Start uses a Zorki-3/4 shutter with 1/30, 1/15, 1/8. The 1/15 and 1/8 can be very convenient in lower light.

 

[polka]

useful for people with handicap as can be operated left handed

Left handed like me are !not! handicapped, Leonardo Da Vinci was too (Einstein, I don't know)
POLKa