Ihagee Dresden · Legacy SLR mount

Exakta — flange distance, protocol, and adapter compatibility

The world's first practical 35 mm SLR mount, introduced by Ihagee Dresden in 1936 on the Kine Exakta. Bayonet interface with a left-handed front-mounted shutter release. Pure mechanical — auto-aperture via external lever, no electrical contacts ever. Carl Zeiss Jena (Biotar, Tessar), Schneider Kreuznach (Xenon), and Meyer-Optik (Trioplan, Primotar) built the most-collected glass for it. Discontinued in 1972 with Ihagee's collapse, but Exakta lenses adapt cleanly onto every mirrorless mount thanks to the modest 44.7 mm flange.

Mount specifications

Flange focal distance: 44.7 mm
Throat diameter: 38 mm
Electronic protocol: Mechanical only (no electronic coupling)
Supported formats: full-frame, APS-C
Manufacturer: Ihagee Dresden
Introduced: 1936 (discontinued)
Status: Discontinued

Adapting Exakta lenses onto other bodies

You own Exakta glass and want to mount it on a body with a different lens mount. Rows are sorted by feasibility.

Body mount	Result	Adapter examples	Caveats
Canon RF flange 20 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. ring	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between Exakta lens and Canon RF body.
Canon EF-M flange 18 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. ring1.5× crop	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between Exakta lens and Canon EF-M body.
Nikon Z flange 16 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. ring	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between Exakta lens and Nikon Z body.
Sony E (incl. FE) flange 18 mm	Mechanical ——Ap. ring	Fotodiox Exakta-NEX K&F Concept Exakta-NEX Generic Exa-NEX rings	Auto-aperture Exakta lenses use a side-mounted plunger to stop down — adapter doesn't actuate this; use the lens's manual A/M switch (where present) or stop down by hand. 26.7 mm flange clearance — comfortable adapter thickness.
Fujifilm X flange 17.7 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. ring1.5× crop	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between Exakta lens and Fujifilm X body.
Fujifilm GFX (G-mount) flange 26.7 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. ringvignettes	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between Exakta lens and Fujifilm GFX (G-mount) body.
Micro Four Thirds flange 19.25 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. ring2× crop	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between Exakta lens and Micro Four Thirds body.
L-Mount flange 20 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. ring	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between Exakta lens and L-Mount body.
Leica M flange 27.8 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. ring	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between Exakta lens and Leica M body.
Canon RF (cine) flange 20 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. ring	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between Exakta lens and Canon RF (cine) body.
C-mount flange 17.526 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. ring2.7× crop	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between Exakta lens and C-mount body.
Konica AR flange 40.5 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. ring	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between Exakta lens and Konica AR body.
Canon EF flange 44 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only 0.7 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Canon EF-S flange 44 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel1.5× crop	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only 0.7 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Nikon F flange 46.5 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -1.8 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Sony A / Minolta A flange 44.5 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only 0.2 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
M42 (Pentax / Praktica screw mount) flange 45.46 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -0.8 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Pentax K flange 45.46 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -0.8 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
PL (Positive Lock) flange 52 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -7.3 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Canon EF (cine) flange 44 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only 0.7 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
T-mount (T2) flange 55 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -10.3 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Praktica B flange 44.4 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only 0.3 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Minolta SR / MC / MD flange 43.5 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only 1.2 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.

Adapting other lenses onto a Exakta body

You own a Exakta body and want to mount glass from other systems. Mirrorless-lens-onto-DSLR-body combinations are omitted (rear element collides with the mirror box).

Lens mount	Result	Adapter examples	Caveats
PL (Positive Lock) flange 52 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. ring	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between PL (Positive Lock) lens and Exakta body.
T-mount (T2) flange 55 mm	Mechanical MFIS lens-onlyAp. ring	generic mechanical adapter ring (multiple vendors)	Mechanical adapter only — no electronic communication between T-mount (T2) lens and Exakta body.
Canon EF flange 44 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -0.7 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Canon EF-S flange 44 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheelvignettes	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -0.7 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Nikon F flange 46.5 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only 1.8 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Sony A / Minolta A flange 44.5 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -0.2 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
M42 (Pentax / Praktica screw mount) flange 45.46 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only 0.8 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Pentax K flange 45.46 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only 0.8 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Canon EF (cine) flange 44 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -0.7 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Praktica B flange 44.4 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -0.3 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Konica AR flange 40.5 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -4.2 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.
Minolta SR / MC / MD flange 43.5 mm	Speed booster MFIS lens-onlyAp. wheel	Speed Booster / focal-reducer family	Flange clearance is only -1.2 mm — a plain mechanical adapter cannot reach infinity focus; a focal reducer (Speed Booster) with optical glass is required. Speed Boosters typically widen the effective focal length (~0.71×) and add ~1 stop of light, which can be desirable on crop bodies.

Exakta — flange distance, protocol, and adapter compatibility

Mount specifications

Adapting Exakta lenses onto other bodies

Adapting other lenses onto a Exakta body

References

Keep exploring