A film by Guenter Eiselt. 90 minutes, Dresden 1997, English version. ***PAL NORM (Not US)- this is old style video tape***

The film does not only concern itself with technological history and facts. Because of its excellent construction and dependable design, this camera set the standard of decades to come. In 1950 the "EXAKTA Varex" model became a worldwide first as the only system camera with a wide selection fo accessories.

The story is also told by the eyewitnesses of the time: former employees in widely varying positions, relatives of the founders, photographers, domestic and international dealers, salesmen, scientists and collectors. Documents which became available in 1990 tell the tragic tale of the Ihagee organization:
- founded in 1912 by the Dutchman Johan Steenbergen who along with five partners in Dresden made the company a world wide name
- declared as "enemy property" and taken over by the Nazis in 1941
- destroyed by bombs in 1945
- 1947 put under Soviet military control then the state of Saxony which formally returned it to it's owners
- 1950 declared a foreign owned company and put under trusteeship
- used as a major source of foreign currency but not given the needed financial support and finally, in 1970, illegally sold to the cooperative VEB Pentacon.

This documentary film follows the colorful History of the Ihagee Exakta. Many unusual stories are connected with the Ihagee Exakta and take us back in time as the eye witnesses lead us on a journey through the years 1936 to 1970.

***Please notice: 2 english versions of the Video is available. NTSC-Norm for the US and PAL-Norm for other English speaking customers. Please make sure you purchase the correct system.***

This film was supported by the state of Saxony, the Steenbergen Foundation Den Haag, the Netherlands, the state capital of Dresden and the Stadtsparkasse Dresden's ARt and Culture Foundation.