Exakta Photoknips (Nr. 100, Model A)

The Photoknips (Nr. 100, Model A) represents Exakta's significant, though often overlooked, contribution to the nascent 35mm camera market during the 1920s and early 1930s. Produced concurrently with and in direct competition to the earliest Leicas, it utilized the burgeoning 35mm cine film, offering photographers a compact, handheld alternative to bulky plate and roll-film cameras. Characterized by a sturdy metal body design typical of the era, the Photoknips featured a focal plane shutter and a fixed, relatively fast lens, providing the essentials for rapid, candid shooting that defined the emerging 35mm era. While lacking the interchangeable lens systems or advanced rangefinder focusing that defined later Exakta SLRs and Leica contemporaries, its construction and specifications were practical and representative of the technological leap towards modern small-format photography.

Primarily aimed at serious amateurs and professionals seeking portability and efficiency, the Photoknips filled a crucial niche before the rise of more sophisticated SLR designs. Its production span nearly a decade, reflecting Exakta's commitment to the 35mm format and its establishment as a key player alongside ICA (which became Zeiss Ikon) and Leica in the pioneering years of miniature cameras. Its significance lies less in revolutionary innovation and more in its role as one of the robust, functional early 35mm cameras that helped legitimize the format for serious work before the advent of the dominant Leica model I and later, the Exakta VSLR.