Recommended lenses for Exa / Exacta?

[Austerby]

I've just picked up an Exa 1a, just like my father had when I was a kid. It's a delightful little camera, nice to hold, and I love that it doesn't have a normal shutter - it's actually the mirror flip-up that exposes the film, which does limit the available shutter speeds between 1/30 and 1/175!

It came with the Meyer Domiplan 50mm f2.8 lens which does not have a stellar reputation.

A quick search online has revealed a reasonably plentiful supply of alternative lenses - both 50mm and other focal lengths - from Carl Zeiss Jena, Meyer and others, with which I'm unfamiliar.

What are the killer lenses in the Exa/Exacta mount?

 

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

Top 50mm is supposed to be the Tessar f2.8. Most sought after wide is the 20mm Flektagon. Best long lens is allegedly the 120mm Biometer.

Check out Captain Jack's page for more than you probably want to know. 🙂

 

[Mark Wood]

The 30mm/f3.5 Meyer Lydith is a very nice, medium contrast, sharp lens and still (usually) fairly reasonably priced.

The 25mm/f4 Flektogon is a very large lump of glass and now getting pricey but again, it's very good.

Stopped down, even the Domiplan is usually perfectly usable, the photographer as usual being the main limiting factor!

 

[mbf4755]

Many think the Zeiss Pancolor is the best Exakta 50. It is an excellent lens. I prefer the 58 Biotar (maybe because it was my Dad's lens).

I think my "killer" Exakta lenses are the 75/1.5 CZJ Biotar and 35/2.8 CJZ Flektogon.

As Sejanus mentioned, the 20 (and 25) Flektogon are well known, too. I think the 20 is better than the 25.

Then there is the "Rear Window" Kilfitt 400. An excellent lens, but a bit large for an Exa. Also, lenses at about 135 and longer vignette on the Exa.

I love the Exakta system. Have fun!

Matt

 

[sevo]

If you can comprehend German (or googletranslated Gibberish), check out http://photobutmore.de/exakta/objektive/ - that is the most complete site that I know. The only thing they missed are Topcon lenses.

 

[sevo]

Many think the Zeiss Pancolor is the best Exakta 50. It is an excellent lens. I prefer the 58 Biotar (maybe because it was my Dad's lens).

The Meyer Domiron is generally considered even better - these days more expensive than either of the above, though.

 

[raid]

My 50 lens for the EXA is a FSU 58/2.0. It is very good for portraits. I would not spend much money on expensive lenses for the Exakta.

 

[KoNickon]

Suggest that you look for later versions of these lenses, with the "plunger" that allow full aperture viewing and which automatically stop down to the set aperture as you press the shutter release. Some lenses (like the Meyer Lydith, which is the real bargain of Exakta lenses) never were made with the auto-stop down feature, however.

 

[Austerby]

Great input, many thanks all.

I think a wide angle lens will work well with the top-down viewer of the Exa, so I'll have a look at the Flektogons of various sizes and pick up the best value one I can find.

In the meantime I'll have some fun exploring the limitations of the Domiplan as much as I can.

 

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

In the meantime I'll have some fun exploring the limitations of the Domiplan as much as I can.

You may find those limitations rather fewer than you fear. My first SLR lens was the Meritar, a three element lens of very similar design and construction to the Domiplan but generally distributed in a "preset" mount (basically, completely manual).

As it was all I had, I was forced to make the most of it and it could produce some remarkable results, when used with care. This shot was made with the Meritar and, enlarged to 20 inches wide, was part of a set that won me a "Distinction" while I was at school...

 

[ampguy]

for a budget wide angle, there are some old 28/2.8 Vivitars in exacta mount out there. These were often made by Komine, Kiron and others, some focus are close focus, most are .3m, also there are f2.0, f2.5 variants with filter sizes from 49mm to 62mm.

 

[Luddite Frank]

Hard to go wrong with Carl Zeiss or Carl Zeiss Jena lenses on the Exakta.

Schneider also made great lenses, but sometimes they get pricey.

Vivitar and Soligor also made decent lenses for the Exakta, and usually don't command ridiculous prices.

I would agree with the others who favor the auto-stop-down lenses. Manual-set lenses are a bother.

 

[rhl-oregon]

I'll second the CZJ Flektogon 35 2.8 as a candidate. Very very close focus possible. The most delightful image I have from my Varex is with that lens.

 

[rhl-oregon]

Here's why the 35 Flekto is a keeper for me, even though the Exakta is ordinarily such a cabinet dweller.

 

[peter_n]

I use a 25/4 Flektogon, 58/2 Biotar, and 135/4 Sonnar all from CZJ. They are wonderful lenses, although they have very long focus throws and the Flektogon is a bit of a beast. I think the gem of the CZJ lineup is supposed to be the 75/1.5 Biotar but I've never used one.

 

[ronnies]

Watch out with the Exas with the "mirror shutter" though. The mirror shutter design causes cut off in images with lenses outside the 35-100mm focal lengths apparently. I can't remember where I read that though. It might have been on the cameraquest website.

Ronnie

 

[rbelyell]

in my experience there is simply no reason to deviate from zeiss, as these are some of the best lenses theyve ever made. in particular the 50 pancolar, the 75 biotar and the 120 biometar are outstanding and were my favorites when i shot slr.
tony

 

[KoNickon]

Agree that you can't go wrong with CZ or Schneider lenses. But a big part of the fun with Exaktas/Exas is the variety of fine lenses, from makers that are obscure names now but which were well known at the time. Steinheil (the 35/2.8 Quinaron is excellent), Meyer, Schacht, Enna, Kilfitt come to mind among the German brands. And if you come across any Angenieux lenses, those are top quality.

 

[Vince Lupo]

Watch out with the Exas with the "mirror shutter" though. The mirror shutter design causes cut off in images with lenses outside the 35-100mm focal lengths apparently. I can't remember where I read that though. It might have been on the cameraquest website.

Ronnie

According to Aguila and Rouah (Exakta Cameras, 1933-1978), "The Exa could (also) accept all the lenses designed for the Exakta, but vignetting occured with focal lengths greater than 100mm, with extension tubes and macro bellows."

 

[KoNickon]

For me, the very limited top shutter speed of 1/175 is what makes the Exas not very practical. So that, plus the vignetting, makes them basically good only for standard and wide angle lenses.