Industrial

So Exakta! What does it mean? Shortly: it's a legend, symbol, dream of photographers
living in the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s. It was first 35 mm SLR camera in the world, produced
by Ihagee Dresden Company. That was the beginning, in 1936. Canon, Nikon and Minolta
made their first SLR cameras only in 1959. In the 50s or 60s in Poland Exakta costed 5,
6 average salaries, depending on lens, so more or less as much as today Canon Eos
1V, Nikon F6 or Minolta Dynax 9 cost! Exakta lovers clubs were created in the whole world
- also in Japan. In the offer of 40 companies, during almost 40 years of production of this
camera, there were about 2.000 of interchangeable lenses! Nowadays there are still
many lovers of this system, they have their own websites, organize their own reunions,
publish books and issue other publications. Personally, I hadn't a lot of to do with Exakta
cameras, because in 1974 they were withdrawn from production. I only remember that
there was and there still is in our house chamois, maroon box with following gold
inscription: Exakta Varex - remnant after my grandfather camera. His camera was stolen
in the 50s. My father had only prospectus presenting additional accessories for Exakta
RTL 1000. I saw this kind of camera in use only once, at the beginning of the 80s, one of
the holidaymakers had this model at the seaside. And that's all. Recently I have decided
to gather more information about this legendary system. Now I would like to share with
you other remarks concerning this camera. Following bodies will be described here: Kine
Exakta, Exakta Varex VX, Exakta Varex IIa, Exakta Varex IIb, Exakta VX 1000, Exakta VX
500, Exakta RTL 1000 and younger sister of Exakta: Exa 1a, Exa II, Exa IIa, Exa IIb and
Exa 500. In addition, I will describe most of system lenses for Exakta (mainly from the 60s)
made by: Meyer-Optik Goerlitz (later called: PENTACON) and Carl Zeiss Jena. I will also
present removable view finders, focusing screens and whole accessories for macro and
micro-photography, reproductions, copying slides etc. Equipment description will include
product line from the 60s and 70s. Previous cameras will be only mentioned. It results
from the conviction that those cameras and lenses are good enough for taking photos
and have good results! And one more little remark at the end - page concerning Exakta
was designed in yellow and black colors. Why? Because they were two trade colors of
Exakta. The company offered boxes, instructions and brochures for these cameras
exactly in these two colors. Maybe one of nowadays companies do exactly the same?