Exakta Kine Exakta I (square viewfinder) (before war edition)

The Kine Exakta I, specifically the early "square viewfinder" edition produced before the outbreak of World War II, represents a monumental achievement in photographic history. Marketed by Ihagee in Dresden around 1936, it was the world's first commercially successful 35mm single-lens reflex (SLR) camera to reach the market. Prior to this, SLR concepts existed but were cumbersome or not adaptable to the compact 35mm film format. The Kine Exakta solved this, offering photographers through-the-lens viewing and focusing with a waist-level finder featuring a ground glass screen and a folding hood. This innovation fundamentally changed professional and advanced amateur photography, providing greater accuracy and versatility compared to rangefinder cameras of the era. Its robust, all-metal construction and distinctive, angular design became hallmarks of the early Exakta line, influencing camera design for decades to come.

This pioneering camera introduced several key features that became SLR standards. It utilized a focal plane shutter with speeds ranging from 1 second to 1/1000th second, a significant range for the time. The unique square reflex finder provided a direct view of the lens image, albeit upside-down laterally. Interchangeable lenses, a common feature in SLRs, were supported, allowing users to adapt the camera for various focal lengths and tasks. Its release generated considerable excitement and was quickly adopted by press photographers, documentarians, and serious amateurs who valued its precise framing and potential for perspective control. While later wartime production and subsequent models like the Exakta Varex incorporated pentaprisms for eye-level viewing, the original Kine Exakta (square finder) remains the iconic progenitor of the 35mm SLR revolution, marking the dawn of a new era in camera design.