Diamond in the rough, Is mine a 1936 Kine Exakta version 1??

[Macca]

I picked up a box of "Camera Junk" for £10 from a local ad the yesterday, the gent selling insisted I take it all. I`d spotted an OM 10 and 2 lenses in his picture so figured I could at least double my money and see what else was in there.

There was a few old folding and box brownies, disc cameras, a couple of cheap 8mm cine cameras, an old Finetta, various miniature and toy cameras.

There was also a seemingly rare 1938 Carl Zeiss Movikon K 16mm cine camera with 2.5cm 1.4 Sonnar lens......and an Kine Exakta 35mm which I thought on first glance given it had a rectangular magnifier was a version 2 or later going by internet sources, but according to the serial number it is a version 1...one of the original 1400 first 35mm SLR cameras ever made?? It has Carl Zeiss Tessar 50mm 2.8 lens.

According to Captain Jacks Exakta page some of the originals were returned to have the updated rectangular magnifier instead of the round one, could this be one of the original exaktas?

The serial number is 481890.

Photos to follow this evening.It obviously needs some restoration but had a roll of FP4 in it so it was working at some point in the past 20/30 or so years!

Any thoughts from Exakta minded members, should I get even mildly excited?

[Nesster]

Like this but different?


The Kine Exakta Camera 1937 by Nesster, on Flickr

[Macca]

Yes identical except for the round magnifier. According to this website the serial number makes it an original...
http://www.wrotniak.net/photo/exakta/exakta-serial.html
Unless anyone has another explanation?

[Macca]

Some quick shots taken last night.
#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

[luisalegria]

You got a lot for your 10 !

A "new" Exakta is always exciting !
This one looks like a rather curious item.
It seems to have had some other work done, such as a new flash PC socket.
The shutter curtain looks bad.

A prewar model for sure.

Whats the serial number on the Tessar ? It looks to me like 191xxxxx
If so that puts it at 1936-37, matching the body.

[Macca]

Thanks Luis, the Tessar serial number is 1913945. The wrotniak resource seems to indicate the serial number is a first version, what do you think?

[luisalegria]

No idea. All I know I learned on the internet.
Pathetic but thats all I've got.

This site has loads of tips and data -
http://www.ihagee.org/
I'm sure you've been there

Captain Jacks bibliography also looks like a place to start -

http://captjack.exaktaphile.com/Book%20Page.htm

Just to speculate -
- It may be a first gen camera that had the circular magnifier and then repaired/upgraded with a slightly later part - not a bad theory given that its obviously been worked on and modified by a knowledgeable technician.
- It may be a second gen, that used the larger finder but with a body casting leftover from a first gen run.
- It may be a first gen in which part of the production run actually had later type magnifiers.

Given that Ihagee production details are rather obscure and the impression I have that these guys often winged it as far as product standardization went, any of the above could be true. What constitutes a first gen or second may be a fuzzy concept.

For sure it seems to be a camera produced in 1936-1937, so very early.

[Macca]

Thanks again Luis, all theories are possible as you describe them. Not sure what I`m going to do with it as yet, if it`s a fairly rare and or historical piece it deserves some restoration if possible. I`ll have a think about it.

[philslizzy]

Nice and very interesting model. It would look nice cleaned up even if it was not working. A fine piece of German engineering. Congrats. Any 1957-ish models in the box that I may be interested in?

http://forum.mflenses.com/my-1957-collection-so-far-t62046,highlight,%2B1957.html

[Macca]

Philslizzy, I`ll have a look. Some stuff may be hard to date, there`s a box and a bakelite brownie, a folding Brownie portrait camera, a 1926 Coronet folding made in Birmingham, not very valuable but interesting nonetheless. An Inovar toy camera, a couple of nameless miniatures, some point and shoot cheap 80`s types, a couple of disc cameras. Two other cines 8mm Prinz and a Kopil zoom 8 EE with Kopil 10-30mm f/1.8 which may be 1961/62. And the Finetta, not sure what year that is.(EDIT Finetta closed in 1957, so it`s unlikely to be that year.)

If any of it turns out to be 1957 you are welcome to it, otherwise its going to basement before car booting or donating somewhere!