Exakta

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1 35mm SLR
2 Exa line
3 120 SLR
4 today
5 Links

35mm SLR

In 1930 mechanician Karl Nüchterlein's career as Ihagee's ingenious camera constructor began with the Exakta SLR cameras for 4×6.5 exposure format. After the remarkable success of the first cameras for 35mm film (Leica, Contax) he developed a SLR camera for that film format. The original Kine Exakta (1936) was the first 35mm SLR. The Kine Exakta was based on the original Exakta SLR for 127 film, the Exakta A; the word Kine derives from its use of 35mm cinema film. At least two variations of the Kine Exakta exist: the earlier one has a round loupe in the hood; later ones have a rectangular loupe.

After Nüchterlein's times the camera series had been continued. Of course a lot of accessories were offered for this long living camera series. Many Exakta's and Exa's had exchangeable viewfinder modules. A great variety of finders were developed, even some with built-in meters or with a bayonet for mounting a lens as loupe.

Exaktas:

Exakta A
Exakta B
Kine Exakta
Kine Exakta II
V (Varex) 1950
Vx (Varex) 1951 to 1956
Vx II (Varex II)
Vx IIa (Varex IIa)
Vx IIb
Vx 1000
Vx 500
TL 500
TL 1000
RTL 1000

In 1969 Ihagee was incorporated into Pentacon. The RTL1000 was really a Praktica (from the L, LTL, LLC series) with the Exakta bayonet mount instead of the 42mm screw mount. It also had interchangeable viewfinder heads. One head offered TTL metering but it was a fairly crude arrangement. The RTL1000 lacks the precise design of the Ihagee models, and many consider the RTL1000 not to be a true Exakta. The TL 500 & TL 1000 were also not "real Exaktas", being made for Ihagee West by Petri in Japan in c.1967, with a 42mm screw mount and TTL metering.

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Exa line

The Exa SLR cameras were smaller, lighter and cheaper than the Exaktas and had reduced functionality, but they shared the same lens mount and many design features.

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