Loading film into Exakta vx

brent.bousquet · Apr 20, 2017

An Exakta VX recently came into my possession and I cant for the life of me figure out how to load it or unload it. Obviously I know about take up spools and stuff, I shoot medium format all the time but never 35mm. How can I tell when im at the first frame once the spools in? how do I wind it back into the canister after I'm done? Any good videos or literature explaining this?

Ian Grant · Apr 20, 2017

The manuals are available from Butkus online, I I have 3 Exacta cameras and it's quite straight forward get the manual from the link I've posted. I have 3 Focal Press camera books with short précis from their Focal Press Camera Guides for the major 35mm. 120 and sub-Miniature cameras available in their year of publication, one covers I think the Varex IIa, I could scan that if needed;

The Varex name was registered to another company in the US so models sold there were labelled VX instead.hey are fun camears to use and the Xeiss lenses are superb optically.

Ian

brent.bousquet · Apr 20, 2017

Thanks I got it figured out. I'm amazed how quite the shutter is especially compared to my medium format cameras. The camera came with two lenses a westromat 2.8/35 and a 2.8/50 zeiss Jena. Looking online im amazed how sensibly priced everything is.

Ian Grant · Apr 21, 2017

Some of the rarer (often better) Exacta fit lenses tend to fetch very high prices, surprisingly there was quite a wide range of mostly German companies offering lenses for them, In general though you can put together an Exacta system for very little outlay.

Ian

AgX · Apr 21, 2017

brent.bousquet said:
The camera came with two lenses a westromat 2.8/35 and a 2.8/50 zeiss Jena.

Westromat is not the maker but the model designation. Manufacturer is Isco.

brent.bousquet · Apr 21, 2017

Thanks for letting me know the words on the front of the lens are faded off so that's all I could make out.

anfenglin · Apr 21, 2017

Oh, and btw, its "ExaKta", not ExaCta". There is one variety of the Kine-Exakta, spelt with a C, but that only wnet on for a few thousand cameras.
All the others are Exaktas. Just like it is PentaCon, not PentaGon. The latter is some sort of building in the US, the former is a former camera maker from Dresden, Germany.
Sorry, but I insist.

Theo Sulphate · Apr 21, 2017

The film counter is set manually.

Also, to rewind, keep in mind that the knob on the bottom has an inner concentric push-in piece. You need to press that in to get the fork to engage the spool.

Also, with the back open, check the faster speeds to ensure the shutter isn't capping.

Here's a great site:

http://www.wrotniak.net/photo/exakta/index.html

My notes regarding the timed and slow speeds:

----

A note on shutter speeds: you have the main dial (with 1/1000-1/25, B, T) and the secondary dial with black and red numbers.

-- To use 1/1000 through 1/25, B, or T, just set it on the main dial; leave the secondary dial unwound.

-- To use 1/5sec to 12sec, set B on main dial; wind and set to black number on secondary dial

-- To use fixed delay before 1/1000-1/25, set speed on main dial; wind and set any red number on secondary dial

-- To use fixed delay before 1/5-6sec, set B on main dial; wind and select a red number on secondary dial

---

Enjoy your VX. I have three VX's, a VXIIa, and an Exakta500.

AgX · Apr 21, 2017

anfenglin said:
Just like it is PentaCon, not PentaGon.

Pentaprism + Contax

brent.bousquet · Apr 21, 2017

Wow thanks for the tips. So far I'm having fun with it I'm not used to getting so many shots so i don't know when I will finish the roll I put in but I'm looking forward to seeing the results. I checked the shutter and its smooth. Idk if speeds are accurate but I was told they where when last used. The camera is in great shape and I just detailed it so I'll post a picture when I get home from work.

brent.bousquet · Apr 21, 2017

Where there kits sold to re wrap these cameras? I did some interneting and they all seems to have different materials on them. My camera has brown leather and I only saw one other with it on eBay.

AgX · Apr 21, 2017

There were no covering kits.
(Actually cameraleather.com was the first firm I got to know selling such kits.)

Different coverings may be intentional, but also a result of supply issues.

brent.bousquet · Apr 21, 2017

Here she is after I detailed the front letters and cleaned her up.

AgX · Apr 21, 2017

The split-triangle fastener is a newer accessory. Contempory fastener would have been a carbine-ring attached to a line.

brent.bousquet · Apr 21, 2017

AgX said:
The split-triangle fastener is a newer accessory. Contempory fastener would have been a carbine-ring attached to a line.

Not sure what that means haha in new to 35mm and Exakta

AgX · Apr 21, 2017

I refer to the fasteners to take a strap to hang the camera on your neck.

Could that brown covering be a user modification? (You already hinted at this with your remark on covering kits.)

brent.bousquet · Apr 21, 2017

Ohh I see. I was going to take them off as the one on the left sometimes gets stuck in-between the winding lever and the body.

If it is props to whoever did it because they did an amazing job, the fit is super tight. I sometimes wrap cameras and I have to use my laser cutter to get it that nice.

AgX · Apr 22, 2017

With a laser cutter you likely are King among us tinkerers...

anfenglin · Apr 22, 2017

Exaktas are extremely pretty cameras, so far, I only have an Exa from the fifties, an Exa 0 if you will, I have had my eyes on an Exakta for quite a while now, a VX like yours would do very nicely.
Have fun with yours!

brent.bousquet · Apr 22, 2017

I don't know about king haha I have a YouTube channel where I build things and I work in the classic car restoration industry so a variety of tools is a must. Im gearing up right now to make my own camera. My vx came with a second camera a Varex. Not sure what the difference is but the shutter was supposed to be jammed however I have found that not to be the case. I can't tell if the speeds are accurate but the problem is that the knob to set the shutter is in the wrong spot in comparison to the shutter speed. If I get it working it's going up for sale for pretty cheap.

Tenchi · Jun 25, 2023

How do we know the film is correctly loaded onto the take up spool? Modern SLR can see the direction of the rewind knob turning...how about VX?

markjwyatt · Jun 25, 2023

Tenchi said:
How do we know the film is correctly loaded onto the take up spool? Modern SLR can see the direction of the rewind knob turning...how about VX?

There is a little window on the top plate, far right side, next to the slow speed dial. In that window re some lines that you can see turning as the film feeds through. That was an issue for me until I found that out.

Tenchi · Jun 25, 2023

markjwyatt said:
There is a little window on the top plate, far right side, next to the slow speed dial. In that window re some lines that you can see turning as the film feeds through. That was an issue for me until I found that out.

So is this loaded correctly?

markjwyatt · Jun 25, 2023

Tenchi said:
So is this loaded correctly?

View attachment 342227

I do not know if it is loaded correctly, but as you wind it, the redlines should rotate. This tells you that the film is moving from teh feed cartridge to the take-up spool. This is the same indication that you get watching the take-up spool rotate on other 35mm cameras.

Tenchi · Jun 25, 2023

markjwyatt said:
I do not know if it is loaded correctly, but as you wind it, the redlines should rotate. This tells you that the film is moving from teh feed cartridge to the take-up spool. This is the same indication that you get watching the take-up spool rotate on other 35mm cameras.

Ok noted with thanks...will observe that indicator when I go for next frame later.

Loading film into Exakta vx

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