Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/08/04
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Gerard, My first SLR was an Exakta with a 58mm Biotar (jena) lens. It was not a good camera by the standards of the 60s. I had a lot of trouble with the shutter mechanism. Also, the construction was strictly sheet metal, as far as I can recall. Finally, I gave my camera to a friend from Poland who had it serviced there and is still using it. Chris At 05:48 PM 6/5/96 +0200, you wrote: >>Back in the 60s my first reflex was an East German SLR called the Exakta. Is >>Exakta still a player in the German camera business? There was also the >>Praktica. Could someone catch me up on these outfits. My Exakta (Ithagee, >>Dresden) was the first model whose shutter dial didn't spin when making an >>exposure. Many lenses were available for the Exakta, as I recall. A junior >>version of the Exakta was available for under $100, known as the Exa. It was >>an interesting era, very affordable for young people breaking into >>photography. I believe that the Exakta design predated WWII. For a number of >>years it was the only SLR on the market, with the scientific market as its >>major source of income. SLRs didn't catch on until Nikon hit its stride, I >>understand. Leica disdained making an SLR for many years, depending on the >>Visaflex accessory way to SLR work. >> >>Bob Rosen >> >The Exacta was developed and build before WWII by a camera factory in >Dresden (Ihagee), owned by a Dutch businessman, Mr. Steenbergen. Before the >war, the factory grew big on the camera's success as the Exacta was one of >the first reflexcameras that was easy to operate and quite reliable. > >After the war, Eastern Germany continued to build the camera and the 1950 >modernized models were not bad. What finally killed Exacta was that the >bayonet mount was too small and that the final models were build rather >sloppy. People stopped buying Exacta's and the brand disappeared from the >market. > >Gerard Captijn, >Geneva, Switzerland. >__________________________________________________ >INTERNET PROVIDER: GROUPE VTX > CH-1009 PULLY > >MAIL TO: info@vtx.ch > > >