EXA 00 - licensed to kill ?

CameraQuest

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I have one of the very early Exas, black lens bayonet, 1/150th shutter

Serial number is .....

00

just 00 -- that is all.

Does anyone have a reference what 00 means in the Exa world?

Thanks,
Stephen
 
Are you sure there aren't more punched digits beside the 00 that has lost the white colouring? With a black ring and 1/150s it should be the RH 041 model made between 1951 and 1952. It looks like Exa prototypes had serial numbers, so maybe a production error?
 
Are you sure there aren't more punched digits beside the 00 that has lost the white colouring? With a black ring and 1/150s it should be the RH 041 model made between 1951 and 1952. It looks like Exa prototypes had serial numbers, so maybe a production error?

no mistake. the serial number is clearly 00
 
That's really interesting, and I think mr. Wrotniak or Horst Neuhaus of photobutmore.de would be interested too. I would send them an email with photos, maybe they have some info. There is also this site: http://www.exaktaphile.com/index.html which lists the serial numbers of Exa / Exakta cameras.
I had a similar discovery last year with my Yashica YE that has a lower serial than previously registered.
 
exakta_exa_1.2_27.jpg


exakta_exa_1.2_23.jpg


exakta_exa_1.2_22.jpg


exakta_exa_1.2_21.jpg
 
As Spock would say: fascinating.

With such a serial number, you’ve got something interesting there, no doubt.
 
I took the liberty to send an email to Horst Neuhaus of photobutmore.de regarding the serial no. 00, and here is his reply:

"Usually, Ihagee gave preproduction cameras such low numbers. I know some of them with numbers like 00xx or 000xx. But I haven't seen a camera without a follow-up number behind 00. If no milling of a previous number is recognizable, it could also be an error engraving or a camera for internal purposes. Since the photos show no signs of use, it is, in my opinion, an in-house camera from around 1952/53."
 
That is a really pretty camera! Do I remember right that the low top shutter speed is because the mirror acts as the shutter?
 
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