Exakta: I have been selling off a number of old lenses, and came across my Mamiya/Sekor 55/1.4. I plan on keeping this one, and it usually goes on my EM-1. I wanted to shoot a pic with...

appreciate the journey Loc: Idaho

I have been selling off a number of old lenses, and came across my Mamiya/Sekor 55/1.4. I plan on keeping this one, and it usually goes on my EM-1. I wanted to shoot a pic with it, and decided a shot of my 1959 Exakta VXlla with the Isco was in order.
I acquired this camera in a lot which I purchased mainly for the lenses. The camera turned out to be in near new condition.

Shot at near minimum distance at f11

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NMGal Loc: NE NM

Nice looking camera.

J-SPEIGHT Loc: Akron, Ohio

appreciate the journey wrote:

I have been selling off a number of old lenses, and came across my Mamiya/Sekor 55/1.4. I plan on keeping this one, and it usually goes on my EM-1. I wanted to shoot a pic with it, and decided a shot of my 1959 Exakta VXlla with the Isco was in order.
I acquired this camera in a lot which I purchased mainly for the lenses. The camera turned out to be in near new condition.

Shot at near minimum distance at f11

DirtFarmer Loc: Way too close to New York City

I had a lot of fun with my Exakta when I was younger last millennium. The only thing I have left is a lens, 135mm f/3.5 Angineux which has seen better days. It will probably go to the dump next time I move.

I don't miss the darkroom.

ORpilot Loc: Prineville, Or

The exa and Exakta are the only cameras to have the shutter trigger on the left hand side. My Exakta VX1000 also had a built in knife to cut the film if you used a two film can system.

DirtFarmer Loc: Way too close to New York City

I used that knife frequently when I had a short shoot. I used to load my own film and could cram 40-45 exposures into a canister so when I shot 10 shots I never had to waste more than a couple inches of film.

I don't recall using two cans (this was 65 years ago) so I probably unloaded the film directly to the developing tank in the darkroom.

ELNikkor

Great photo of a grand old camera. I'm sure the old Exacta, Practika, Ansco, Agfa, Nikkormat cameras were excellent in their day, and still are, but these are cameras I could never own. I just don't find their names attractive. For the same reason, won't get Minolta, or anything "Fujifilm", (Kia or Hyundai, for that matter). "Fujifilm" needs to change their name to something more relevant, such as "Fujidigi" or something...

DaveyDitzer Loc: Western PA

Since my dad was an Exacta shooter, that was my first camera, but a more modern version - a Twin TL.

Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

It was a great camera. Had one in the early 50's and it got lost in shipping when I came home from Europe.

richardsaccount

Nice photo. At a public educational institution that I worked at for 21 years, we had Exactas. The boss was relectant to quit using them. We switched when another member of the department started to use his Minolta SRT 101
with its built in meter and fast lenses. The Exactas were in some ways a bit tricky to use. They had a built in knife
to cut film that only needed a part of the roll to develop. They sometimes were refered to as a scientists camera.
A few people would pull the built in knife by accident.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Very nice. I hope those old cameras survive.

Hereford Loc: Palm Coast, FL

I remember those as being very fine cameras in the day.

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appreciate the journey wrote:

I have been selling off a number of old lenses, and came across my Mamiya/Sekor 55/1.4. I plan on keeping this one, and it usually goes on my EM-1. I wanted to shoot a pic with it, and decided a shot of my 1959 Exakta VXlla with the Isco was in order.
I acquired this camera in a lot which I purchased mainly for the lenses. The camera turned out to be in near new condition.

Shot at near minimum distance at f11

Crossing a few generations
Crossing a few generations...

(Download)

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

Moving up from an Argus C-3 in 1958, I chose my Exakta VXIIa since it was the only affordable SLR at the time. The SLR configuration, of course, so I could see in my viewfinder the "exact" image that I would capture on the film. It was way ahead, to me, of other 35mm cameras. The availability of a wide range of lenses made it even more attractive. It served me well until I moved up to Nikon many year later. Great memories, great photo ops!

DaveC Loc: Illinois

Memories. I still have an Exacta VX2A. It’s in clean shape but needs cleaning to operate since it’s been many years since I’ve used it. I also have an Exa. From those early days (Symores camera) I bought several Exaktas and lots of equipment. I bae a Zeiss Pancolor lens but also some rarities, three Steinheil Macro lenses. These were double extension lenses, you focused at infinity and as you focused closer eventually a second barrel came out of the first and allowed one to focus very close-up. 3/16” of the front element on the 35mm, if I remember correctly. Lots of other accessories also. State of the art at the time.