Harvest Classic Motorcycle Show taken with Exakta VX500.

[tunalegs]

I've certainly never said anybody needed a complicated camera to take (technically) nice photos. Went out to the classic motorcycle show in Luckenbach, Texas a couple months ago and took photos using my Exakta VX500, a Tessar 2.8/50, and a Pentacon 3.5/30 lens. One roll of Ektar. Wish I had time to stay longer, but it was a longer drive out than anticipated so I was rushed for time.

The VX500 is probably the best of the Exaktas for use today. Yes, it's a stripped down VX1000 with lots of the signature Exakta complications ripped out - that just means it's lighter and there's fewer intricate parts to gum up or break. Also, despite what most people claiming about Exakta's quality going down once they were rolled into Pentacon, I've found the VX500s tend to have better fit and finish than the VX1000s made in the last days of Ihagee Dresden (can't imagine workers cared much about quality for a product they knew was on the chopping block).

So what do you get in the VX500? Shutter speeds from 1/30 through 1/500. Interchangeable viewfinders and focusing screens. No self timer, no film cutting knife as in older models. Fine. But it works and you have the ability to use all those nice (albeit overrated) old German lenses.

In my case, the lenses are actually rather newer than the camera, and common CZJ and Pentacon products - though I have a fair share of the more exotic Schachts, Steinheils, Schneiders, and so on.



Untitled by Berang Berang, on Flickr


Untitled by Berang Berang, on Flickr


Untitled by Berang Berang, on Flickr


Untitled by Berang Berang, on Flickr


A Puch "Twingle" made for Sears Allstate. The Twingle name comes from the 2-stroke "twin single" engine, where two cylinders share one combustion chamber in the pursuit of efficient cylinder scavenging. One cylinder has the intake port, one cylinder has the exhaust port, so the fresh charge of fuel and air has to travel from the bottom of one cylinder, up through the combustion chamber, and then down the other cylinder - the effect being the cylinders are well cleared of exhaust gasses.



Untitled by Berang Berang, on Flickr


Untitled by Berang Berang, on Flickr


Untitled by Berang Berang, on Flickr


Some prewar Vincents.


Untitled by Berang Berang, on Flickr


Jawa sidecar - alas not paired with a Jawa motorcycle. I once owned a Jawa moped... it was maybe the worst vehicle I've ever owned. Even compared to other mopeds.


Untitled by Berang Berang, on Flickr


Untitled by Berang Berang, on Flickr


Untitled by Berang Berang, on Flickr


Untitled by Berang Berang, on Flickr


Untitled by Berang Berang, on Flickr


Little 2-stroke Bridgestone. I'd like to have one like that someday... 🙂

 

[Doug]

Interesting bike show! As to the blue Bridgestone.... My first bike was a red Bridgestone 60cc that someone had put a larger carburetor on. It did not belong on the freeway, but I ran it there anyway, if only briefly from one exit to the next. Full throttle till it seized, then declutch and coast to a stop to cool off! The larger Bridgestones seemed very attractive to me then... 🙂

PS: This 2-stroke motor had a more sophisticated porting than the common piston-port... There was a disk valve on the crank that opened into the crankcase with non-symmetrical timing for more efficient performance. The carburetor was inside the left crankcase cover. Regular piston-port for the exhaust though. Same Bridgestone company that still makes tires...

 

[tunalegs]

Bridgestone also made bicycles. I used to have one, they featured very unusual construction. The joints on the frame, instead of being welded or brazed together, were joined by aluminum castings. The ends of the frame tubes would be inserted into a mold, the aluminum injected, and once it cooled and shrunk the joint was as strong as a weld - at least when the frame was new!

 

[zuiko85]

Thanks for the post. I have a real soft spot for dead simple, very minimal 35mm SLR's. There is something special about a camera that could have it's instruction manual on a single sheet of printer paper. I had a Ricoh SLX500 that I foolishly sold in a fit of wanting to clear out 90% of a too big collection. The meter was in-op but who cares. It also had the 1/30 through 1/500 shutter speed range so no slow speed escapement to gum up. This left me without a M42 mount body until I picked up a Fujica ST605n that, aside from the expanded shutter speed range is still very basic.

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

Great photography!
We used to go out to the British bike ralley in New Ulm, Tx. Picture. Has Luckenbach show replaced, or absorbed that one?

 

[tunalegs]

I don't think Harvest Classic replaces the british bike rally, but I think there is some sort of affiliation with the British Motorcycle Owners Association.