Ihagee Exa I a (Type 2) + Meritar 2.9/50mm | Single lens reflex camera (SLR)

The Ihagee Exa I a (Type 2), equipped with a Meritar 2.9/50mm lens, is a vintage single-lens reflex (SLR) camera produced in East Germany around the 1950s. Known for its deceptively simple design, the Exa series stands out as an affordable and reliable SLR option during the post-war era. Unlike many more complex contemporaries, the Ihagee Exa uses a leaf shutter within the lens rather than a focal plane shutter, a distinctive feature that influenced shutter speeds and flash synchronization. Its 50mm f/2.9 Meritar lens offers a moderate aperture and normal focal length, suitable for general-purpose photography. This camera’s build quality and historical context make it interesting for collectors and photographers intrigued by Cold War-era German camera engineering. The Exa models are appreciated for their compactness, ease of use, and contribution to popularizing SLR photography in Eastern Europe at a time when such technology was less widespread.