Tag Archives: Exakta

hardly ever

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. In the late 1950s, I bought my Exakta VX IIa complete with an “ever-ready” case. Like many youths of the day, we called these “never-ready”cases since the camera couldn’t be used until the case was opened. When the box … Continue reading →

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Rokkin’ lenses

Posted on May 7, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. By 1963, the Japanese Optical industry was a tsunami roaring across the Western world. No longer viewed as copy cats of German technology, Japan was rightfully recognized as a serious contender for high quality optical products. A December 6, … Continue reading →

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gearing up for great pix

Posted on April 17, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. In the early decades of photography, the media were so slow a hat or lens cap worked just fine to control exposures. Lenses were left open or used waterhouse stops inserted into a slot in the lens barrel until … Continue reading →

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plus ça change

Posted on April 13, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. It is said that the more things change, the more they are the same. Like the Zeiss Sonnar lens for example. Larry Gubas in his massive text “Zeiss and Photography” shows the Sonnar as it was initially sold in … Continue reading →

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Swiss knives and cameras

Posted on February 6, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. When the minicam bug took off in the mid 1930s, people traded size for resolution. Companies like Leitz touted the use of enlargers to make large images from the small negatives. And minicams proliferated. The cameras ranged from complex … Continue reading →

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Mack the Knife

Posted on February 2, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. In the days of film, there was colour, colour negative, or black and white films of various speeds and contrast curves. You could buy rolls of 20 (later 24 and 27) or 36 exposure. The more frames, the cheaper … Continue reading →

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slow down

Posted on February 1, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. by the early 1930s, the camera industry had settled on a slow shutter speed of 1 second. Anything slower could be taken using “bulb” or “time” settings. Leitz even offered an accessory called a HEBOO so those who bought … Continue reading →

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need a Flektogon 25mm plus an Exakta?

Posted on October 16, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. The Exakta brand is well known in collector and user circles. Exaktas were the earliest 35mm (kine) SLRs and were available new into the 1960s. The Flektogon f/4 25mm lens made by Zeiss Jena was only made for about … Continue reading →

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a long shot

Posted on August 17, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. I saw this Exakta ad long ago. In fact, it was part of my mental background making me decide to go for an Exakta decades ago back before I was married, or a father.  The big selling point was … Continue reading →

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belly-button school of photography

Posted on May 27, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. Camera makers tried to categorize their products as having a better way to make photos. Using a waist level finder was one way – introducing the “belly-button school of photography” – a term of which I had never heard … Continue reading →

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