Who Made the 54mm Exaktar?



5 different normal lenses for the prewar Kine Exakta. Compare the 4 unlabeled lenses to the Exaktar (in the center of the page) and use your detective skills to deduce which company most likely made the 54mm Ihagee Exaktar. The serial number rings are blackened to keep your focus on the design of the lens barrel.


Anonymous Lens #1 Anonymous Lens #2

54/3.5 Jhagee Exaktar

Anonymous Lens #3 Anonymous Lens #4


What you are observing in the photos is the different machinery and tooling of each factory - even the different employees' skills at operating machinery. Look for the clues a manufacturer may have left behind - finish, texture, engravings... and compare them to the Exaktar. When you've made your decision, click the hyperlink below to see who the likely culprit is.



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