Post War Ihagee Exakta 66


Serial number 015. Please notice that the number on this body is in a small rectangular recession. This is a key point in discovering the background of this camera. In the factory, the body shells were cast, machined, chromed, painted and then engraved with a unique serial number on the flat surface seen in the photo. This camera's original serial number was removed (thus the recessed area) and then number 015 was applied. At high magnification, I can see that the recess was made after the body shell was first painted. This indicates that the body shell started life as a normal part and for some reason it was re-engraved using a pre-production number. Afterwards, the camera was assembled. My guess - it was a test camera for an internal change of some type. Was Ihagee addressing the slightly unpopular affairs of the 66 as they were discovered?


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