My recently cla'd Alpa 6b and Exakta Varex VX

leica M2 fan

leica M2 fan

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Just love these two, they give me hours and hours of delight! The colors of the two lenses Alpa-Curtagon and Steinheil Auto Quinaron both in 35 mm are nice and contrasty and they render beautiful color.
DSC_4325.jpg
 
These two are on the list for me -- particularly the Alpa. That's the one with the rangefinder in addition to the prism finder, correct?
 
One synch outlet, X, is for zero delay electronic flash while the other has about a 30 millisecond delay for FP flash bulbs. My Leica M bodies have that also.

That model Alpa only has the viewfinder, but no rangefinder.

The Exakta Varex, also called the VX, was made in the late 1950's.
 
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I have a slightly younger Exakta Varex IIa in mint condition - almost new, as the first owner did not like the Exakta WLF, bought a Pentax Spotmatic and put the Exakta in the cupboard. It is smooth, relatively accurate on all speeds and has no light leaks at all.

I'm still looking for the perfect prism viewfinder for this camera and would highly appreciate to have your opinion regarding that.

Best regards

Petur Thorsteinsson
Iceland
 
photony texas said:
That Exakta Varex is beautiful. What is up with the 2 flash syncs, very interesting to see two on one camera. Do you have any idea of the approximate year it was made?
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Like Al says, one is X for electronic flash and the other is M for Focal plane flash Bulbs. Mine is from 1956 as far as I know. It does clean up nicely.
 
Al Kaplan said:
One synch outlet, X, is for zeo delay electronic flash while the other has about a 30 millisecond delay for FP flash bulbs. My Leica M bodies have that also.

That model Alpa only has the viewfinder, but no rangefinder.

The Exakta Varex, also called the VX, was made in the late 1950's.
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My 6b is just a VF with no rangefinder, that didn't appear in the Alpa line until the 7b model I believe.
 
The Carl Zeiss Jena lenses for the Exakta were excellent, as were the ones by Schneider and Angenieux, but the Isco and Meyer lenses weren't in the same class. They were also a lot less expensive.
 
paxnobiscum said:
I have a slightly younger Exakta Varex IIa in mint condition - almost new, as the first owner did not like the Exakta WLF, bought a Pentax Spotmatic and put the Exakta in the cupboard. It is smooth, relatively accurate on all speeds and has no light leaks at all.

I'm still looking for the perfect prism viewfinder for this camera and would highly appreciate to have your opinion regarding that.

Best regards

Petur Thorsteinsson
Iceland
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Petur, my Exakta Varex VX has a version 2 prism which I like very much. It has a split image in the horizontal position in the middle of the viewing field. The view is slightly magnified to give me a good view and quick to the focus point. It works very well for me, I'm sorry I don't know in later versions if they were any better. I also have a WLF that I like also but it is not as quick to focus, you have to hunt for focus. Hope this helps.
 
Al Kaplan said:
The Carl Zeiss Jena lenses for the Exakta were excellent, as were the ones by Schneider and Angenieux, but the Isco and Meyer lenses weren't in the same class. They were also a lot less expensive.
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At one time I did have a Meyer lens and it wasn't very good, the sweet spot was like f8.
 
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Very nice image of your cameras. When I consider them, I could always be tempted by Alpa for their entertaining idiosyncrasies and made from unobtainium lenses. But then I remember that I have a hard time affording FD lenses & come back to my senses... :D

Thank you for sharing these.

William
 
leica M2 fan said:
Like Al says, one is X for electronic flash and the other is M for Focal plane flash Bulbs. Mine is from 1956 as far as I know. It does clean up nicely.
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The Alpa Model 6 was introduced in 1956 but the "b" series came three years later. Alpa began production of the "b" series (on models 4 through 8) in 1959 and they offered the 6b until 1972. The "b" series was an upgrade to the existing models by providing a lever for the film advance (in place of the knob) and an instant return mirror -- both nice features to have (although my Dad doesn't like the "b" as well).

My Dad got me started with these cameras when I was a kid and I've enjoyed them ever since. I currently have the Model 1, 4b, 5, two 6b (silver and black), 7, 8b, two 9d (silver and black), 11el, and 11si.

As another post mentioned the Schneider and Angenieux lenses are indeed fine, but the real killer optics for Alpa are the apochromats made by Kern and Kinoptik. The Kern 50/1.8 Switar, which later became the Macro-Switar, and later still redesigned as the 50/1.9 Macro-Switar -- all are absolutely superb. Some of the original Kern-Switar's (smaller body than the Macro) have been modified for Leica mount. The 100/2 Kinoptik is legendary, truly an amazing lens to this day as are the other Kinoptiks (150 and 210 were popular, longer lenses were available ). Great to see you are using and enjoying your Alpa!

This is my Model 1 with a collapsible 50/2.9 Angenieux (and rf):
U634I1247293266.SEQ.0.jpg
 
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Nice to see you back here D2! :) I have an Exakta VX IIa with CZJ Biotar 58/2 and Flektogon 25/4. Can I ask the OP where he got the Varex CLA'd and was he happy with the job?
 
We had some friends circa 1970, Paul and Luise Dana, who were retired, fairly well off, and avid amateur photographers. Paul was a Leica man through and through, had an M4 and added an M5 as soon as they hit the market, plus a Leicaflex SL and loads of lenses for both. Louise was Alpa all the way with a nice selection of glass running from the 24mm Angenieux through the 210mm Kinoptic. Watching those Kodachrome II slides on a matte screen with a Leitz Pradovit projector on a Saturday night was an experience not many people will ever come close to.

I lost touch with them back in the eighties and I have no idea what became of their photos or equipment. Paul would be well over 100 today and Louise well up in her 80's at least.

Paul also had an old 8x10 view camera which I borrowed a few times (when I could afford a box of film) which he'd spray painted white, bellows and all, to keep it cool in the Florida sun. As for Paul's Leitz lenses vs. Louise's collection of mostly Swiss made optics? Leitz came in second.
 
peter_n said:
Nice to see you back here D2! :) I have an Exakta VX IIa with CZJ Biotar 58/2 and Flektogon 25/4. Can I ask the OP where he got the Varex CLA'd and was he happy with the job?
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peter, my first Exakta was the VXlla which i recently replaced with this Varex VX. The VXlla had a Schneider Xenon 50/1.9 (if I remember correctly). I liked that lens a lot.
I sent the Varex to Radu Lesaru at 3rcamera Service in Flushing, NY and am extremely happy with his work. He is really easy to talk to and answers e-mails quickly. Try [email protected] for a rundown on their services, you'll notice he works on old Agfas, Edixas, Alpa and Exakta. It came back very shiny and clean. All speeds are right on, even the slow speeds work now. The mirror is clean and the viewfinder and it is quiet! Not like a Leica but for an SLR noticeably quiet. I am very satisfied, it cost me $170 which is way more than what I paid for the camera but well worth it to me for the nostalgia <sighs> Tony
 
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Honu-Hugger said:
The Alpa Model 6 was introduced in 1956 but the "b" series came three years later. Alpa began production of the "b" series (on models 4 through 8) in 1959 and they offered the 6b until 1972. The "b" series was an upgrade to the existing models by providing a lever for the film advance (in place of the knob) and an instant return mirror -- both nice features to have (although my Dad doesn't like the "b" as well).

My Dad got me started with these cameras when I was a kid and I've enjoyed them ever since. I currently have the Model 1, 4b, 5, two 6b (silver and black), 7, 8b, two 9d (silver and black), 11el, and 11si.

As another post mentioned the Schneider and Angenieux lenses are indeed fine, but the real killer optics for Alpa are the apochromats made by Kern and Kinoptik. The Kern 50/1.8 Switar, which later became the Macro-Switar, and later still redesigned as the 50/1.9 Macro-Switar -- all are absolutely superb. Some of the original Kern-Switar's (smaller body than the Macro) have been modified for Leica mount. The 100/2 Kinoptik is legendary, truly an amazing lens to this day as are the other Kinoptiks (150 and 210 were popular, longer lenses were available ). Great to see you are using and enjoying your Alpa!

This is my Model 1 with a collapsible 50/2.9 Angenieux (and rf):
U634I1247293266.SEQ.0.jpg
Click to expand...
Thanks for all the great info, I envy your great collection of these fine Alpas. I was originally after the 8b but the prices were way over what I wanted to pay but I'm happy with the 6b. At first it was difficult to get used to the 45º angle of view but I quickly adapted and now it seems so natural. I also have a 50 Macro-Switar 1.8 which is a great lens also. Thanks also for including the picture of the Model 1 with the beautiful Angenieux collapsible. It is a true beauty, it's hard to surpass this beauty! Tony
 
leica M2 fan said:
peter, my first Exakta was the VXlla which i recently replaced with this Varex VX. The VXlla had a Schneider Xenon 50/1.9 (if I remember correctly). I liked that lens a lot.
I sent the Varex to Radu Lesaru at 3rcamera Service in Flushing, NY and am extremely happy with his work. He is really easy to talk to and answers e-mails quickly. Try [email protected] for a rundown on their services, you'll notice he works on old Agfas, Edixas, Alpa and Exakta. It came back very shiny and clean. All speeds are right on, even the slow speeds work now. The mirror is clean and the viewfinder and it is quiet! Not like a Leica but for an SLR noticeably quiet. I am very satisfied, it cost me $170 which is way more than what I paid for the camera but well worth it to me for the nostalgia <sighs> Tony
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Thanks Tony, I'll look up 3rcamera Service! :)
 
Hi Doug,

good to see you're back.

My family grew a little, a mint 9d is missing on this shot ;)


Family_700.jpg


Models 6, 8b, 11si (with the Kinoptik 100/2), and my bigger guns....
 
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