Exakta IIA

[StephenM]

The camera (amazingly well packed) arrived about 25 minutes ago, and if you hadn't mentioned the screw on the back I wouldn't have noticed - it looks immaculate. I'll check the functioning shortly, but at the very least I've got a pentaprism and a Pancolar lens.

I traded in my Exa IIB body for an Exakta body and waist level finder. I couldn't afford the pentaprism then (13 guineas; the body was just over £48) and had the Domiplan lens that came with my Exa IIB. That lens was the lowest spec lens that Exaktas were sold with, the Pancolar being the top lens and a Tessar in the middle. The top spec Exakta was a penny or so under £100, so at about £62 for body and prism, that gives the price of the lens.

My Exakta IIB has a non working shutter, and a prism that rattles after it fell off a microscope, so I'm ahead now. My older Varex IIA (they changed the body style in 1961) has a waist level finder, so I now have a prism that will go with it, even if this IIA doesn't function. Although I preferred ther waist level finder in the end (except for vertical photos) as I found it easier to focus, and had no trouble panning with it to follow sports at school.

Thanks a lot for this. I shall enjoy it.

 

[Solo man]

@StephenM ... Stephen, glad it got to you ok. I hope it works or at the least you can fiddle about and get it working from bits and pieces you have around.

Thank you too for the extra bits of information that you add in your replies. All interesting to read.

 

[StephenM]

Well, it appears to work insofar as the shutter opens and closes (more than my Varex IIB's shutter does, which just opens and half closes)and appears to uncover the whole frame from looking through with the back open. The only way to confirm it works is to put a film in. It's also in better cosmetic condition than mine - I'll have to provide a side by side photo to show you.

The depth of field scale on the Pancolar was a great surprise to me, in that with all the years I've messed around with cameras, I've never come across one like it before. To have moving parts on a depth of field scale that change as the aperture changes is novel to me.

 

[Solo man]

Well, it appears to work insofar as the shutter opens and closes (more than my Varex IIB's shutter does, which just opens and half closes)and appears to uncover the whole frame from looking through with the back open. The only way to confirm it works is to put a film in. It's also in better cosmetic condition than mine - I'll have to provide a side by side photo to show you.

The depth of field scale on the Pancolar was a great surprise to me, in that with all the years I've messed around with cameras, I've never come across one like it before. To have moving parts on a depth of field scale that change as the aperture changes is novel to me.

Yes put a roll of film through...as now I'd like to see if it works or not. To be honest though I have no idea what you're on about with the lens, I never even noticed anything different

 

[john.margetts]

The depth of field scale on the Pancolar was a great surprise to me, in that with all the years I've messed around with cameras, I've never come across one like it before. To have moving parts on a depth of field scale that change as the aperture changes is novel to me.

Voigtlander Bessamatics have the same arrangement on their lenses.

 

[StephenM]

Yes put a roll of film through...as now I'd like to see if it works or not. To be honest though I have no idea what you're on about with the lens, I never even noticed anything different

Looks like I need a video....

 

[Tori_T]

@StephenM , would you like me to move part of this thread (from post #4 down) to F&C, as it seems to have morphed into a My New Camera! thread that would be better appreciated in The Dark Room.

 

[StephenM]

I was thinking that it had rather developed (which is an appropriate qualification for The Dark Room) and was wondering whether to start a continuation thread there with photos. Moving this one would be most helpful. Thanks.

 

[Tori_T]

Done!

 

[StephenM]

I've now used the Pancolar lens with a Sony a7rii body; the jpgs can be found here. I'm chosen to include them in this way so anyone interested can see them full size.

All are wide open at f/2. I've got four of a couple of wall mounted display boards in the Foredown Tower, hand held at 1/125th second which is slower than I'd like for a test of absolute sharpness. They show evidence of some darkening in the corners (nothing that can't be corrected, if it was really present as the indoor illumination isn't guaranteed even anyway) and in one case fall off of sharpness away from the centre. I suspect that this is down to photographing a flat surface from a close distance, and normal photos wouldn't have this effect. It is, after all, the elimination of this that makes macro lenses macro lenses.

The two non-board photos are against the light, to check for flare. I've had far, far worse from much more recent lenses. The one of the window with just the sky visible really impressed me. The other shows extraordinary resolution of the central plant when viewed at 100%.

Well worth every penny I didn't pay - thanks Lee.

I now find that I'll be housebound tomorrow waiting for a parcel delivery, but I'll get some film shots as soon as I can. I have at the moment no reason to think that the camera isn't fully functional, at least with the higher shutter speeds. The slower ones (which use a separate mechanism) of 1/10th to 12 seconds are easy to check manually, or at least the ones from 1/4 and longer, without needing a film.