Exacta Varex IIb with Isco Westron 35mm f/3.5

[Julio1fer]

I had got this camera several months ago but had not found the time to test it. Last weekend it finally went out with a short load of FP4+. We are in our mild winter, with typical temperatures of 5 C minimum / 15 C maximum, lots of rain, fog and overcast.

Actually the camera came in because of the lens - I wanted a 35mm lens for my Exacta Varex IIb. But the lens had another Varex IIb body attached in its rear end, and the body had an Examat prism on it. However, cost of camera + prism + lens was less than cost of lens alone (according to completed listings in the well-known site), which just shows that economics is a dismal science.

Now I have two VXIIb bodies, and I am beginning to understand how one gets to have hundreds of cameras!

The obligatory camera shot



In the test, light was a bit strange, very overcast skies but sometimes a bit of sun would get through.

Three samples of the roll, taken in the usual testing place at Buceo fishing dock. Aperture was f/4 or f/5,6 in all the shots, shutter speed 1/100 or 1/250, film FP4+ processed in Beutler.









I scanned to optimize the tonal range, no sharpening.

The prism had no battery, it uses a mercury 625 and I have not bothered to look for a replacement.

Thanks for looking!

[melek]

Julio - those tones in your photos are excellent (love the compositions, too).

I had an Isco lens with a Praktica FX3. Mine was a 50mm with a preset spring-loaded aperture, similar to some of the Biotars. Twist the aperture ring, and it stays open at full aperture. When you take your photo, it pushes the pin on the back of the lens and closes down the aperture.

I thought the Isco lens was so-so, but I probably didn't give it a chance. I am very impressed with your photos.

How do you like the ergonomics of the Exakta. I've never really felt comfortable with it. I'm constantly fumbling with it and trying to find a comfortable way to hold, focus and shoot.

... and that is how you end up with hundreds of cameras.

[LarryD]

Thank the dark-room gods I am now below 100 but it is still a struggle. Those are great.

[Julio1fer]

Thanks, Mike and Larry.

About ergonomics - compared to later designs such as the Pentax, the main differences for me are the left-hand position of shutter controls, and the very long travel of the film winding lever. I believe it is not that bad. I just pretend to be leftie, hold and operate with left hand except for focus and aperture adjustment. After a couple of rolls, you get used.

All the other quirks - how you open the back, that little wheel for setting frame counter, etc. are just amusing features.

I find that the front-operated shutter release actually works better for me. The release finger confronts the thumb in a very sensible way and I believe that I get less movement of the camera, when releasing this way.

This lens is optically decent, but it does not have automatic aperture. You are in DOF preview all the time. The real problem is if you have other lenses that do have auto aperture. Thinking about composition, light, etc. you may just forget how your mounted lens operates!

[minoly]

That is a neat Exakta and lens outfit which surely did a good job in the three posted photos-- the first one is my favorite: the man looking back at the photographer from the group on the left makes the moment stand out, too. The camera looks more streamlined than the Exaktas that I've seen: is it one of the later models? I'd like to hear more about it.

Best wishes,

Bill Delehanty

[Julio1fer]

Thanks Bill. As I understand it, the VX IIb, or Varex IIb (same camera, different names for U.S. and rest of world) is the last version of the "classical" Exaktas, and one of the most common ones. Bodies are cheap, while lenses are not so, especially the best types.

The IIb is very similar to the earlier IIa, main visible difference being that the prism is removed just with pressure. In the IIa it has a latch to secure it.

This body has an early serial number, and has "small screws" in the front plate. It comes from about 1963 IIRC. I am far from an expert in Exaktas, but here are some sites that may be useful for additional information.

Wrotniak's pages: http://www.wrotniak.net/photo/exakta/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Exaktaphile: http://captjack.exaktaphile.com/index.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. See also http://www.exataphile.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for other stuff.

Ihagee.org; http://www.ihagee.org/#equipment" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[PFMcFarland]

Great photos, Julio. Just read a discussion on RFF tonight, and according to one owner, the IIb was made in two versions. The earlier ones have the Exacta mount, while the later ones have the M42 mount. But then he could have the dividing point wrong, and they made both versions at the same time, or they changed the serial numbering system to reflect the different mount.

PF