SUMMARY
Founded in Dresden in 1912, Ihagee produced cameras under the brand name Ihagee, pronounced IHG. The company gained international recognition in 1936 with the Kine Exakta, the world's first 35mm SLR camera. Before this, Ihagee had developed significant models like the Roll-Paff Reflex and the compact Vest Pocket Exakta. Despite surviving WWII bombings, the company's post-war dominance waned with the rise of Japanese SLRs in the mid-1950s. Ihagee was eventually absorbed into Pentacon around 1970, ending Exakta production.
TAKEAWAYS
Ihagee's Kine Exakta, launched in 1936, was the world's first 35mm SLR.
The Vest Pocket Exakta, introduced in 1933, was an early compact SLR.
Exakta cameras dominated the 35mm SLR market with over 95% share before the mid-1950s.
The Ihagee factory was destroyed in WWII bombings, impacting post-war production.