Exakta EXA 500

[Stephen]

The last of the Exakta EXA designs, from 1966, and by far the best, the strange mirror shutter had gone, a fuller speed range 1/2th to 1/500th, an instant return mirror, and an auto diaphragm, via the external stop down lever on Exakta lens. No removable prism though, just the built in one. The back was not hinged, but fully removed. Very easy to load etc.

It boasts a decent vertical cloth shutter with B and T positions, the T provided by the Shutter lock on the back. The Auto diaphragm does not work on the T position, you have to fit a special soft release to make the lens go to manual. It has an extended pin to push the release and close the diaphragm. The shutter is very quiet and there is little mirror vibration, unless out of adjustment. The speed dial has no fixed steps, and can be adjusted before or after a shot.

Also Exakta had added a very decent screen, with a Fresnel main area and focus spot microprism, altogether a much more modern camera, but too late for commercial success, except perhaps in Europe.

They are quite reliable, but the Domiplan standard lens can develop a bad linkage to the diaphragm, but it can be cured easily by taking the back of the lens off, it does not expose the iris, but you can adjust and lube the linkage.

Takes most Exakta accessories easily, and given a good lens, (Pancolor are best), works fine. The restriction on telephoto lenses on EXA had also gone, it takes anything that fits an Exakta on the internal bayonet. Very long lens have a black edge in the viewfinder due to the mirror size, nothing appears on the film of course.

The Domiplan lens was a variable lens, some were bad, some OK, this one is OK, sharpness is very decent from F4, softer at full aperture.

There were several minor variations in the model details whilst in production, before it's sad demise.

Stephen.

[col]

Hi Stephen that's another camera on my 'must get someday' list

[Stephen]

The Exa and Exakta are going up in prices now, the lenses are now usable on digital reflex cameras, and the long lull in prices is over. I bought this one about 5 years ago, it was cheap, at under £15 with case, now they go for about £40 or more. The Pancolor Standard lens in Exakta mount has rocketed in price, as people with digital reflexes have realised the mount converters are now made for Exakta. Complete cameras are being bought just for the lens.
Exakta were never really widely available in the States, the importation was patchy, the best source is still the German market place, or the UK, where large quantities were sold. There must be thousands put away in drawers since the digital boom, just a matter of finding them!!
Stephen.

[hansz]

The Exa and Exakta are going up in prices now

Stephen, I can't agree more with you, here in NL it is hardly possible to get a decent Flektogon (2.8/35) for less than € 50. Let alone the 4/25, 4/20 or 2.8/20... The latter are doing € 200 plus:-(

In NL also a lot of Exaktas were sold (due to the once Dutch owner Steenbergen???)

Hans

[Stephen]

I think a lot of photographers did assume it was at least half Dutch, but of course it was made in Dresden.
Stephen.

[Peltigera]

Sept 22, 2012 17:21:23 GMT -5 Stephen said:

They are quite reliable, but the Domiplan standard lens can develop a bad linkage to the diaphragm, but it can be cured easily by taking the back of the lens off, it does not expose the iris, but you can adjust and lube the linkage.

Stephen.

My Domiplan lens which came with my new Exa IB has this problem and as I mentioned elsewhere, my posh screwdrivers do not fit the Exa screws so I cannot take the back off the lens. but I have put some clock oil around the joint of the lug which has improved the problem even if not cured it.

I find with old cameras that many defects cure themselves once you start using the camera on a regular basis so I shall use this lens for a roll of film and see if it gets better.

[midwichcuckoo]

Hi Stephen et al. Apologies if this is not the right thread to be asking about problems with my Exa 500's....please redirect me if necessary.
I have two Exa 500's, one bought working (although the shutter curtains were sluggish) and one cosmetically lovely but with a jammed winder. I managed to free the jammed one (using info from a now moribund classic camera repair forum....thanks to another gentleman named Steve...your good self??). Anyway, after freeing it, it simply would not cock the shutter. I could wind the lower of the two big sprockets inside with my fingers to engage the cocking pawl lever, then it would fire, but the advance/winding lever would come to a stop when the peg on the lower (second curtain?) sprocket was about half a tooth away from being held by the locking pawl. Very frustrating.
Well, I decided to do a straight forward judicious lubrication of the curtain spindles etc on the working example. Having exposed to internals, I wound it on and released it a couple of times to see if anything would indicate what was wrong with the other camera. Wouldn't you know it, this one immediately became beset with the same problem!,..ie not quite engaging the cocking pawl! So now I have two nice looking cameras, neither of which I can use unless anyone can give me some pointers on this deeply frustrating issue. Many many thanks in advance if you can. Peter.