Your thoughts and advice please - Exa 2B camera

Trev4

Trev4

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Trev
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I wonder if I can ask you film guys for your opinions please. I have my fathers Exa 2B camera and lenses which haven't been used since well before he passed away in 1981. Looking at them recently, the mechanism is stiff (understandably) so I cant try the camera out. I have had a quote to have a basic clean and service on the body and the 50mm lens of, £60.00 and £30.00 respectively. That of course is providing that no major parts are needed, something I wont know until its in the service agents hands.

OK then. I have been thinking about trying some film photography (almost all my experience to date has been with digital cameras) and learn a new discipline, so do I look at buying a film camera, or get these serviced. I must add that being a soft old sod, there is some emotional attachment to my fathers gear, plus I also have a range of lenses (Prinz from Dixons of old) for his camera, ranging from 35mm to 125mm and an extender as well, this is in addition to the 50mm.

I know the camera isn't of any value, and I don't know where it stands in the ranges of (vintage) cameras that are available. Would you say that I am wasting my time and money having this camera serviced, and that it wouldn't give me any real experience of working with film if the results are going to be rubbish anyway, or can I expect reasonable results, enough to let me play and learn.

I've included a couple of pics of some of the gear here:


My Fathers Exacta IIb camera circa 1960 by Trev4 Photography, on Flickr


My Fathers Exacta IIb camera and some kit circa 1960 by Trev4 Photography, on Flickr

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Trev
 
Trev in my opinion your asking the 6 million dollar question as to the quality of the photos this camera will produce that my friend will be up to you and how willing you are to experiment and discover the cameras abilities and quarks ... this is all part of the film experience.


As to the camera I don't personally know this model but I would have the body serviced and then put some film through it and take some pictures with the lenses. Get these developed and see what they look like. That will tell you if the lens are needing a clean. Before this though just look through the lenses and clean the outside glass with a lens cloth your looking for what can look like threads in the lens. if this is their the lens may have fungus inside and really needs to be serviced properly. If the lens looks clean it may be ok.


Film is an entirely different world to digital, they both create an image but how its done are completely different processes and experiences for the photographer.
 
I'm pretty sure you could get a better camera and lens for your £90... but I also suspect that's not entirely the point. It was a camera and other kit assembled by your father, and that changes everything. I will shortly get my father's old Zeiss Ikonta, and even though I've never been a fan of old folders, I am really looking forward to trying to get that camera to sing again. If I were you, I would go for it, then run some film through it, then share some results here... then buy a few different cameras to get a feel for the alternatives!
 
Just leave it as it is Trev as a momento of your dad's, I don't think it would be worth servicing it, The Domiplan lens was always quoted as the worst lens ever tested by A P Magazine in the old days when they used to photograph an old battleship across the Thames i think it was,

Toonie
 
:Dkids eh! Personally I'd get it up and running and run a few films through it. There's many a good tune played on an old fiddle and in this little area of tp we have more than our fair share of old fiddles.

Andy
 
Personally I would get it serviced and run some films, price wise its just a wee bit of money to find out what your father experienced, yes absolutely go for it :)
 
see how it looks and feels to you to use (well as much as you can) if you enjoy the feel of it, then get it serviced :)
i got my grandads pentax spotmatic that i use and enjoy, and in theory theres a om1 or 2 somewhere, but i suspect my mum threw that out along with my grandads slides :(

oddly i dont feel much for my dads pentax's from the 70-80 period
 
Thanks everyone for your thoughts, I do appreciate them. Your right about the 6 million dollar question Eric, I realise that, which if I'm honest, prompted me to ask the question. As Chris inferred, in one way, my head is saying its a waste of money and put the cash towards buying a decent film camera to learn with, but then the heart says...

I've read and absorbed all you have said, including the AP reference Toonie, and I'm happy to be called 'kid' any day at my age Andy :)

I was hoping that just maybe someone knew this model, but that was a long shot. I have used it myself in the dim and distant past, but as to how it performed, the old memory has long since discarded that data.

I am going to go along the rout of getting the body and the 50mm lens serviced, the other lenses look in good clean working condition. I wont say that the general consensus here has made that decision for me, but it has helped me to realise that I am not the only one who would decide that its worth a punt if only for sentimental reasons, and in the hope that just maybe there will be a workable camera at the end of it. To Paul and Paul, yes, that's the way I'm going cheers.

Thanks again to you all for taking time to comment (y)

Trev
 
If you need any encouragement to get your Dad's Exa up and running look no further than Ped's epic journey with his late Grandfather's Braun Paxette.

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/my-braun-super-paxette-project.221978/

Although the Paxette worked and didn't need a complete overhaul like your Exa Ped has ended up with probably the nicest one brand collection I've ever seen and he's got a very useable classic camera.
 
what part of the mechanism is stiff ? i would have thought it would be unlikely that it would be that bad that it cant be used,,,,are you using it right ? if you can get something moving ,it might free up a bit by keep tripping the shutter ,,,,,failing that i would second what eric said ,just get the body serviced and see how the lens performs first .
 
Sorry Trev, I was on my phone when I typed that....no avatars. So long as you are young at heart, thats what really matters. :)
 
This model was the first camera I ever had, I later sold it to buy a Practica Super TL, which I regret to this day. (The Practica was OK, but I regretted parting with the Exa)
From memory the Exa/Exacta ranges were not the most easiest convenient cameras to operate, but capable of decent results in the right hands.
Get it serviced and give it a go.
 
Thanks again for your comments. Don't apologise Andy, it made me smile, just wish the outside bit felt as young as the mind :D. The manual link is useful Paul, I missed that when I was looking for info, its much better than the guide that I have, the guide only briefs over the whole range and doesn't give any specific detail.
Its mainly the mirror that is stiff and seems to want to remain in the locked up position donut, it does come down rather reluctantly when I operate the winder, so something is wrong and I am not comfortable in trying to force anything, its got to be left to the specialists for me.
The link you posted Nick is very inspiring, however, I cant see me going to those lengths with the display cabinet and all, but it certainly interesting to see what someone else has done.
I've been in touch with mwcamerarepairs who seems to be recommended on this film section of TP so its going to be on its way very soon John, I don't mind a challenge so it should be an interesting experience. Up to now my main interest has been wildlife and bird photography (digital of course) which is a challenge in itself and one that I enjoy, so this is going to be a whole new genre of the hobby for me.

Cheers guys (y)
 
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The Exa IIB was my first SLR, and I used it for about 18 months (by which time the mirror or shutter was giving problems with the lower half of the frame not being exposed). I traded it for an Exakta, which I still have.

I've seen the comments re the Domiplan lens (I still have the one it came with) before, and seen it held up as an example to use to demonstrate aberrations. My first film through the camera was exposed in Whitby, and I was very pleased with the results. In retrospect, the resolution from my previous 35mm camera's lens was greater, but it also vignetted, so overall I wasn't disappointed with the results.

If I remember correctly, the back has to be completely removed to load a film (unlike most cameras where you can just swing it open) and this means you have something else to hold or put down to make things easier. Good practice for changing the backs on a medium format camera though.

The fresnel rings were very prominent, and you might find this a distraction in use; and I found that the top shutter speed of 1/250th a little long for the sports I was photographing at the time.

You can certainly get something better for the money, depending on how you define "better". But that will be true whatever the camera is, if you define "better" in different ways.
 
the Exas were the bottom end of the Exacta range as was the domiplan and prinz lenses. ( but not as far down as a meritar lens)
what to do with them depends on their sentimental value to you, not on their pedigree as camera equipment, which is fairly dire.
A collector of Exacta equipment would certainly pay for a nice clean example like that, and many are sold on Ebay..
It is not a vintage camera I would choose as a user.

The original Exa 1 and ll up to 1954 were far more interesting cameras and even had interchangeable hoods. and came fitted with Tessar lenses
 
just a thought, but it could be the lubrication has dried up or gone sticky
 
Thanks John, Terry, and Paul, its interesting to see where it lies overall, but as you said, its as much sentimental value as anything else. Sticky lubrication would certainly fit the problems, its not something I would tackle though. I have sent the camera and lens off now so will await the response as to whether there's anything more serious wrong other than just a service.
I am not conversant with the term 'fresnel rings' Stephen, I assume its the focusing aid your referring to in the view finder, and yes, if that's what they are, they are prominent for sure. The back does have to be removed completely to load the film.

Cheers all (y)
 
The Fresnel rings are the concentric circles surrounding the split image focusing aid in the viewfinder. Their purpose is to make the screen brighter; a plain ground glass screen would be darker and probably (depending on the lens) darken very noticeably in the corners. It didn't bother me at the time - but then, as I said, it was my first SLR so I had nothing to compare it with. Your thread has brought back memories of using it.

It was possible to buy the EXA IIB with a Meritar lens (£29-19-6d) as the bottom model, and add £10 to get it with a Domiplan and a further £10 got it with the Tessar. The Meritar and Domiplan were three element lenses, and the Tessar (as the name suggests) four elements. I still have a soft spot for the Exakta, and would probably try to collect a reasonable outfit if I still used 35mm film.
 
Thanks for the explanation, that makes more sense. So, with the Domiplan lens the cost would be nearly £40-00-00 when this camera was bought, around 1956 I think. That would represent about 2 1/2 - 3 weeks wages, possibly a little more. Proportioning this out, an entry level DSLR is around 1 -2 weeks today, all depending on many variables I know, its only using average wages/costs and a bit of guesstimating. So really, the costs have come down substantially now.
Trev
 
I think you may have transposed digital in the date. I bought my ExaIIB in 1965, and that is the date given for the introduction of the model in Exakta Cameras 1933-1978, p113. If you're interested in the history (plus seeing the range of lenses made for the camera) it's worth looking at this book. There is at least one site devoted to all things Exakta.

Edit to add: Oddly enough I was in our local photo dealers this morning, and they had an Exa IIB with Domiplan for sale.
 
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Trevor, I would give anything to be able to use a camera owned and played with by my old dad. Regardless of the cost, simply relive the joy of a new toy that he would have had from it and enjoy the same learning curves he must have had.
Talk to him as you suss it all out and get the best shots you can, they will all be keepers.:)

I envy you that.
 
StephenM said:
I think you may have transposed digital in the date. I bought my ExaIIB in 1965, and that is the date given for the introduction of the model in Exakta Cameras 1933-1978, p113. If you're interested in the history (plus seeing the range of lenses made for the camera) it's worth looking at this book. There is at least one site devoted to all things Exakta.

Edit to add: Oddly enough I was in our local photo dealers this morning, and they had an Exa IIB with Domiplan for sale.
Click to expand...
Yes, something else that comes with age lol, 1965. I'll do a search for those links, I have done some research already but haven't found them all, that one looks interesting.
I wonder, and purely out of interest, what the:) camera you saw was being sold for. It makes no difference to me though, this camera is something I'll be keeping working or not
 
Steve T said:
Trevor, I would give anything to be able to use a camera owned and played with by my old dad. Regardless of the cost, simply relive the joy of a new toy that he would have had from it and enjoy the same learning curves he must have had.
Talk to him as you suss it all out and get the best shots you can, they will all be keepers.:)

I envy you that.
Click to expand...

I'm not the only one that thinks that way then, thank you Stephen :)
I do remember how proud he was after saving up to buy it and when he finally bought it from the shop. I even remember the shop in Birmingham, it was on a corner of 2 main roads in the city centre opposite the council house, it was called 'Galloways, the corner was called Galoways Corner, named after the camera shop, he would spend what seemed like hours gazing longingly at the cameras on display in the window.
The engineer has emailed me to say that it has arrived ok, I thought it was nice of him to do that especially on a Saturday morning when I wouldn't expect him to be working. I just wait now to see what he says when he's taken a look at it.
Once again, thanks for your thoughts, I'll be using it for sure, so long as it is repairable, and I hope it is (y)
 
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Trev4 said:
I wonder, and purely out of interest, what the:) camera you saw was being sold for. It makes no difference to me though, this camera is something I'll be keeping working or not
Click to expand...

Easily answered. £90 - which I thought was high, to be honest, given the price of the Olympii (sic) and Nikons etc they had on sale.
 
After all your thoughts and help through this thread, I thought I should bring it up to date and to close it.

I have had a report from the service engineer, and he states that apart from the normal service, the shutter blind has deteriorated and needs replacing, plus there is some corrosion that is detrimental to the camera. He has offered a price for the repairs but in all honesty, it well exceeds the possible cost of the camera, not that that was the big criteria, but there comes a point where its not sensible to carry on with repairs. Its a bit disappointing but I have decided not to continue with the repair, naturally the camera will be retained by me as an important memento.

Thanks again for all you advice through this thread (n)

Trev
 
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