Question about Exakta cloth shutter

Katastrofo · Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 4363 Location: Alabama

Got the VXIIa today, and it came with bellows, extension tube set, old red
book on shooting with 35mm Exakta cameras. There is dust on the mirror,
don't have my Giotto rocket at work, and am not sure what I should be
looking at when it comes to the cloth shutters. There's an internal bellows
and the cloth across the film gate is in good shape. Is there something I'm
missing? Mirror return and shutter release is fine. The seller has had second
thoughts about the Flek 4/20 and is sending me the 80 after it is repaired.

I'm shooting a roll through this before I send him any more money.

Bill

luisalegria · Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 9:30 pm Post subject:

Internal bellows ?

The Exakta shutter looks (or should look) like any other fabric shutter, just a piece of flat black material. If its pleated or crumpled, thats bad.

What to do - open the back and watch the shutter as you cock and release at all speeds, make sure it doesn't stick.

Look through the back with the front toward a light source, look for pinholes.
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Pentax K100D, SV, SP1000, SP500, LX, SF10, Mamiya 1000TL, Sears/Ricoh TLS, Exakta VX, VXIIb, Olympus OM-10, Nikon FM, Zeiss Contaflex B, Retina Reflex S, IV, Rolleiflex, Speed Graphic & Meridian 4x5, misc. rangefinders and folders, several dozen lenses and etc., et. al., ad infinitum.

Katastrofo · Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 4363 Location: Alabama

Luis, yeah, it helps to look inside with a good light source. No internal bellows
just looks like that but are only grooves in the walls of the chamber. The
shutter is in great shape, no folds or pinholes, and all shutter speeds sound
appropriate, at least there's a discernible difference between settings.

Thanks for your help.

Bill

luisalegria · Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 10:45 pm Post subject:

"all shutter speeds sound
appropriate, at least there's a discernible difference between settings. "

Thats good !

A functional shutter on the thing is most of its value right there. It seems like every other Exakta for sale isn't functional, and its always the shutter.

Don't get me started on Retina Reflex.
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Pentax K100D, SV, SP1000, SP500, LX, SF10, Mamiya 1000TL, Sears/Ricoh TLS, Exakta VX, VXIIb, Olympus OM-10, Nikon FM, Zeiss Contaflex B, Retina Reflex S, IV, Rolleiflex, Speed Graphic & Meridian 4x5, misc. rangefinders and folders, several dozen lenses and etc., et. al., ad infinitum.

Katastrofo · Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 4363 Location: Alabama

Thanks, Luis, I'll be putting a roll through this very soon, just to make sure
there are no issues.

Bill

maddog10 · Joined: 08 Apr 2008 Posts: 1003 Location: Maryland, USA

Katastrofo · Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 4363 Location: Alabama

Well, I'm keeping the camera, and told him he could keep his 80. I don't like dealing with sellers that say one thing, then do another.

Bill