The simple & mighty Exa 1c - Analog camera review

Hey! In this video, let's celebrate the beauty of simplicity: I'm taking out my Exa 1c for a spin. It's one of the most basic, but also most charming, analog SLR cameras out there: So come along with me to find out why!
Use these time stamps to jump to the sections that you're most interested into:
0:00 Prolog
0:28 Time travel to 1986
1:10 Original box & paperwork from 1986
2:32 Loading film
3:28 Starting to shoot
3:51 History of the Exa
5:14 Setting your film counter
5:32 Waist level finder
6:10 Funny old design decisions & feature set
8:05 Flash sync & M42 mount
9:15 Peculiarities in use & limitations
10:39 The good and the bad about waist level finders
11:28 Strolling around in Cologne
12:23 Rewinding & unloading
12:53 The unique Exa shutter
14:13 Verdict
15:47 Outro
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Many thanks for Takahiro Oda for filming! Visit his channel here:
/ @takahirooda
Many thanks to Flints Auctions for giving me permission to use two of their great product photos in my video:
www.flintsauctions.com
Here's where I develop my film:
www.kontrastlab.de​
(This is no affiliate link or anything like that. I'm just very happy there's still a dedicated analog development & printing service in Cologne!)
My instagram:
/ ​
My photo & camera gear blog:
tomscameras.wordpress.com​
------------------------------
Score:
Gypsy Dance - Topher Mohr and Alex Elena
Nothing On Me - Patrick Patrikios
(Both available at the KZbin audio library)

[@abdulrahmanzidan9253]

I've just got one and I'm surprised with the results you've taken with such a simple camera I'm actually excited to go out and play with it, i rarely comment on any video but this one was enjoyable and you definitely worth my subscription, thank you for the good work and i hope you keep it going

[@tomscameras]

Hey and many thanks for your feedback! The camera is super simple but it’s the lens that takes the picture … and your creativity! I hope you’ll enjoy your camera!

[@osprey_8864]

I didn't immediately realize you were in Köln! I realized when I saw that some of those backgrounds were subjects for me and my Nikon F2 when I visited last summer. Beautiful city, would love to come again from USA!!

[@tomscameras]

Yes, I'm located in good old Germany. I hope you had a great time over here!

[@donaldlampert331]

I just got my first Exa 1c, and it’s not up to the build quality of it’s predecessors, but still a fun camera to use, and I like it! The M42 mount, makes it pretty universal as far as lens goes! Thanks

[@tomscameras]

Yes it’s obvious that all the plastic body parts are not as well made as the full metal parts in older Exa cameras. But overall it’s still a very sturdy little camera! Great to hear that you enjoy it!

[@1973sonvis]

Great pictures! And a lovely video! Danke! 😊👍🏻

[@tomscameras]

Many thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@rentedtux1883]

I love those cameras. Beautiful photos

[@tomscameras]

Thanks a lot for your feedback!

[@tonymckeage1028]

Good Morning from New Zealand, wonderful analog Video, thanks for sharing, have a great week

[@tomscameras]

Thanks Tony! Wish you a great week as well :)

[@manugeee]

A very nice video about this camera. I have an exa 1b just because of the mirror/shutter mechanics. The camera itself is very limited, as you said, but it is unique and has its own charm. 😄

[@tomscameras]

Thanks for your comment! I totally agree! :)

[@carum1000]

Die EXA 1C war neu ganz schon teuer. Kameravorstellung mit Beispielsbildern ist immer interessant. Danke.

[@tomscameras]

Vielen Dank für Deinen netten Kommentar. Ja, es war viel Geld ... aber die anderen Kameras waren damals nochmals deutlich teurer!

[@beraviktor7641]

I didn't even know there was a Ic. I use my Ia and VX1000 a lot, but the cheaper Exa's 1/175 is very limiting with tele lenses especially. Using a 135mm f4 Triotar handheld is a nightmare for me. The VX1000 is a champ tho.

[@tomscameras]

Yes it is true, long lenses and also I think superwide lenses are not suitable for the Exa because of its unique shutter design. On the other hand, the 1/175 second also is very limiting with a long lens. Personally I'd never go beyond 100mm, if even ... to be honest I never shot my Exa 1c with anything else than 50mm lenses so far!

[@pablomarone8455]

really nice video, I love my 1961 exa! thanks a lot!!!

[@tomscameras]

You're welcome! I've still got an Exa II and an Exakte Varex to shoot and also do a review about. All these are gorgeous cameras. But it might take some time - as winter is approaching now, I'm shooting the old cameras much less than in spring and summer.

[@luzr6613]

How curious - such a horrible little camera, but i really want to get one and make friends with it. Thanks for the informative and inspiring video - and that piece of 1924 architecture is stellar! All the best from New Zealand.

[@tomscameras]

It's extremely basic, but still I wouldn't call it "horrible". :) Many thanks for your comment!

[@luzr6613]

@@tomscameras You have to allow for the fact that, as is so often the case, i make my comment from a position of extreme ignorance. Great vid, btw, i really enjoyed it. Cheers.

[@tomscameras]

@@luzr6613 oh … please don’t worry! And I get what you mean! I mean, it’s not like this camera is a pro tool that everyone will envy 😄

[@petersnow389]

Hello, A really good review of a superb small camera. I do hope that one day, you are able to post a similar review of a Exakta Varex.

[@tomscameras]

Many thanks for your feedback! Actually now that you mention it, I got an Exakta VX1000 recently together with a huge collection of other (non-SLR) cameras. So maybe yes, I should eventually also treat that camera to a review!

[@petersnow389]

Many thanks for the reply Tom, I have subscribed to your channel, and look forward to seeing this review in due course.

[@rajkanchwala6679]

Hey , ich hab das gekauft , es ist wirklich eine wunderschöne Kamera , klein aber funktionell. So soll alles im leben sein

[@tomscameras]

Hey Rai! Ja, Du hast absolut Recht damit! Ich hoffe, Du hast viel Spaß mit der Exa!

[@andytol1976]

I would love to see modern camera manufacturers return to waist level viewfinders. For "out and about" photography I find them more comfortable, and less obtrusive in public settings (people don't feel like they're being aimed at). Also am a big fan of the lenses Pentacon/Exacta had in their catalogue. The Meyer-Optik and Zeiss Jena lenses can have fun character, and some are still optically excellent even by modern standards. I would expect the lens you had there was the late model Meyer Oreston? Either that or the Pancolar I'd expect (which is one of those excellent lens).

[@tomscameras]

The lens on this Exa 1c is a modern version of the Meyer-Optik Oreston. The Zeiss Jena Pancolar was a really fantastic lens - much sharper than the Meyer-Optik lenses. They're also more expensive today like everything that says "Zeiss Jena" on it - but definitely worth to look for!

[@andytol1976]

@@tomscameras I have both actually, in different flavours from your example; never quite got a good look at the front of the lens while watching the video. Both are excellent lenses in their own way; the Oreston I love for isolated subject artistic work, the Pancolar is a workhorse of quality, with amazing colour transmission. The big downside to many of the East German lenses I've owned, wonky spring loading for the aperture blades. I'd suggest anyone seriously looking for Zeiss Jena/Exakta/Pentacon lenses, to buy older models before auto aperture features were added. Frozen blades suck, and has happened several times to me...

[@Joe-sein-Hobbykanal]

hi. ich habe auch die exa 1c. mit einem carl zeiss jena objektiv. eine tolle kammera aus der ehemaligen ddr. mein vater hatte früher auch mit so einer kammera viele bilder geschossen und seine filme selber entwickelt, alles schwarz weiss natürlich. ich habe vor näher in das analoge fotografieren einzusteigen und da ist das ne tolle kammera finde ich. man sollte so ein stück gut behüten. fast 400 mark war viel geld damals, die menschen haben ja nicht viel verdient. mein vater musste lange sparen bevor er seine fotoausrüstung zusammen hatte. danke für den upload. ich kann nur ganz wenig englisch, leider :)

[@tomscameras]

Vielen Dank für Deinen Kommentar! Oft ist es so, wenn man die Bilder anschaut, die Verwandte oder Freunde früher gemacht haben … dass man dann eine echte Hochachtung entwickelt dafür, dass das auch damals alles schon so gut geklappt hat. Ganz ohne high tech :)

[@saumitrajoshi6617]

Hello! I have just purchased an old working Exa 1c from Kleinanzeigen and i instantly looked for this video. Thanks alot for this! I am a complete rookie in photography and there are still many things I have questions about. Is there any way to contact you? I dont know if anyone else can help me with this camera! Thanks!

[@tomscameras]

Hey there! Feel free to contact me on my Instagram: instagram.com/my7views

[@rajkanchwala6679]

the camera works but when i put the film it comes out completely blank . i tested the shutter as well , all is working the film is also good installed . iam using a agfa 100 bw. i have no idea why the film negatives are blank

[@tomscameras]

That is truly weird. What do you mean with "blank" - not exposed at all, or totally over exposed? If it's not exposed at all, there are not many possibilities, actually. Either the shutter won't open at all (which I never heard to happen so far with an Exa) or maybe the film is not winding properly? What you could do is load it with an old / surplus roll of film, fire the shutter a few times and then open the back to see if the film is really transporting correctly. Also take off the lens and fire it, to see if you can see the film through the lens mount, confirming again that the shutter does open correctly. If it is totally over exposed, then try to shoot at f/8, f/11, f/16 and see what happens there. Make sure the aperture mechanism in your lens works properly.

[@25myma]

This camera is so cool!! Shutter speed is not that much of a problem with slower film... Im a bit confused though, shouldn't a lefthanded camera be British🤔😜

[@tomscameras]

Hehe! The British actually once made a camera with a eye-level finder (no waist level) with reversed image / upside-down when taking a portrait shot :p ... that one was called the Wrayflex!

[@25myma]

@@tomscameras haha, so you got the reversed image like the film does, what an idea😂

[@tomscameras]

@@25myma it was a cool design with innovative ideas. But just a little bit flawed :)

[@tomscameras]

@@25myma Actually it was a cool camera, very ingenious and interesting, just with that one fatal flaw :p check it out here: www.pentax-slr.com/108413522

[@andytol1976]

I was going to mention that when this camera was originally designed, 100 speed film was fast! 🙂

[@tomislavmiletic_]

My dad's Retina IIc, which he BOUGHT in 1954, in Cologne of all places, had ALL exposure times available. But with that being said, he bought that course Leica was a "bit" too expensive for him. Sadly that camera doesn't work anymore, not course it was a bad product, but because of overuse...

[@tomscameras]

Retina’s are superb cameras. They were made in Stuttgart, that’s why they were popular in Germany and Europe. Of course it’s not an SLR plus it was made in West, not East Germany at the time, so maybe not directly comparable to the Exa I. The Retina is a very well made camera (maybe the best that Kodak ever sold) so you dad must have used it a LOT !

[@tomislavmiletic_]

@@tomscameras Oh boy yes he did! He left me with close to 6000 (!!!) slide photos alone (mostly shot with that camera) to scan them before they deteriorate...

[@Pepsiphopia]

This video made me pick up one. 49 euro on ebay. The 50mm lens need some service tho

[@tomscameras]

Many thanks for your comment. I hope you'll have a lot of fun with your Exa!

[@TwangThang57]

Might be interesting to see the results when used with a better lens.

[@tomscameras]

Yes I thought already the same! The Pentacon is okay but there are definitely better M42 lenses out there!

[@TwangThang57]

@@tomscameras The images from that lens looked very soft and milky on my monitor.

[@tomscameras]

@@TwangThang57 There can always be some quality variations with these “lower cost” East German lenses. But if using an Exa, it’s easy to fix that: any other M42 lens will fit as well ;) Only with certain super wide angle or long telephotos there can be shading issues due to the Exa’s special shutter mechanism.

[@rentedtux1883]

The original version of that lens, the Meyer Optik Oreston, is a magnificent lens

[@tomscameras]

I am currently working on my review on the grandfather of these lenses, the Primoplan 58. I very much like that lens! Maybe I also find an opportunity soon to compare my Pentacon 50s. Got various samples here.

[@naveenmannam]

Woow...

[@tomscameras]

Thanks, hope you liked it!

[@graycheng888]

This camera is rare! Only ~1000 pieces were made!

[@tomscameras]

That would be nice if it was rare! But are you sure? I thought they made about 100,000 Exa 1c cameras! Here's a link (you have to scroll down a lot ... it says 103,900 were made): www.dresdner-kameras.de/ihagee_exakta/exa/exa.html

[@Shaun-sh1op]

Slr box camera

[@tomscameras]

In a way yes 🤣

[@udoharnando5575]

Suka👍👍

[@tomscameras]

Thank you! :)

[@hgrgrnd1206]

want to sell it :)

[@tomscameras]

Wish you good luck with the sale! It's a though little camera and should find a new fan soon!

[@hgrgrnd1206]

@@tomscameras no no, I meant do you want to sells yours to me:) But after watching your vid, I had to pick one up! I purchased an exa 1b with a 50mm 2.8 domiplan. I love quirky vintage cameras