Praktica Appreciation Thread

[cuthbert]

I assume I'm a lucky bastard because my Prakticas work just fine...few shots I just received with Ektar, those with the VLC3 and the Pancolar:

These are taken with a normal Pentacon and Bx20:

 

[AgX]

Unique metering system

Meanwhile I added a VLC 3 to my collection.

Pentacon had many worldwide "firsts".
The VLCs have a unique metering system:
The metering cell is located inside the mirror-box. As with many other cameras of competing manufacturers.
BUT the cell is located lateral and there is no collapsable accessory-mirror. Instead there is some reflection/refraction system located inside the flat mirror-assembly and similar perpendicular at the side of the mirror, guiding the metering light to the cell.

I know of no other camera using this approach.

Has anyone details on the used light-guide?
Can someone hint at a respective patent?

BUMP

(To my understanding the B-series uses a similar system to guide the light to the sensor. Am I right?)

 

[cuthbert]

BUMP

(To my understanding the B-series uses a similar system to guide the light to the sensor. Am I right?)

Here there is a cutaway of the VLC2:

This is a cutaway of the BX20 that shows its TTL system (alike the one of the Pentax LX):

I can't find a cutaway of the B series but I am sure it's different...so no, the VLC system is unique.

 

[AgX]

That is what you see when looking at our own VLCs.
But not visible is the guiding within the mirror assembly.

 

[baachitraka]

BX20 seems not so bad. I meant that TTL-OTF implementation.

 

[cuthbert]

BX20 seems not so bad. I meant that TTL-OTF implementation.

It's a nicely designed camera with a lot of features, a sort of cheap version of the Pentax LX, a pity for the outer shell made of plastic that seems taken from a dashboard of a car of the 80s (good grip, though) and the advance lever very unpleasant to operate as they introduced a more powerful winder so they reinforced the steel geartrain (same sensation as the F-1N on the matter).

P.S. It appears AGX is right, the B has the lightmeter positioned like the VLC at the side of the mirror, while the BX is more conventional:

http://t.hacquard.free.fr/site1/eclates_en.html

In both cases you see underneath the skin they are well designed camera, with decent building quality equal to a 80s amateur pro Japanese camera.

 

[cuthbert]

Received the Prakticar 50mm f1.4 First variant with thorium glass..few snapshot to show the qualities of the lens:

 

[cuthbert]

More Pancolar 50mm f1.4 p0rn:

Little chromed naked lady watches two old guys talking about cars:

50s nostalgia:

Triumph TR2 mirror:

TR8:

Waffles:

Blue, yellow and white:

Same Sprite as before, but different camera, lens and less good composition:

BC3, Prakticar 50mm f1.4, P-C Filter, Gold 200.

 

[cuthbert]

New Praktica lenses:

The Sonnar 200mm f2.8 doesn't need an intro as it's the scion of the Olympia Sonnar, this one is more mysterious:

Anybody have it?

 

[cuthbert]

It appears I'm the only active prakticant on the board, however these are some shots taken with the Sonnar.

razor sharp wide open.

 

[Dinis Figueira]

Is the Praktica Nova IB PL worth buying? Need a m42 replacement since my MTL3 is going to repair's and I found this camera completly new with the meter reacting to light and such.

 

[cuthbert]

Is the Praktica Nova IB PL worth buying? Need a m42 replacement since my MTL3 is going to repair's and I found this camera completly new with the meter reacting to light and such.

It looks like an old model from the 60s, if you are using as a shooter I would recommend a PLC3 or a VLC3 with working lightmeter.

 

[Dinis Figueira]

It looks like an old model from the 60s, if you are using as a shooter I would recommend a PLC3 or a VLC3 with working lightmeter.

The VLC I get it. You can have both the waist level finder and a normal viewfinder.
But why the PLC?

 

[cuthbert]

The VLC I get it. You can have both the waist level finder and a normal viewfinder.
But why the PLC?

Because these were the "expensive" Praktica Ls and they offer open metering with Pentacon and CZJ electric lenses as previously discussed.

I missed few shots with my MTL50 because of the dark viewfinder when I step down for metering.

 

[Dinis Figueira]

Because these were the "expensive" Praktica Ls and they offer open metering with Pentacon and CZJ electric lenses as previously discussed.

I missed few shots with my MTL50 because of the dark viewfinder when I step down for metering.

Gotta check on them to see if I can get one before the start of the month. If not, gonna buy the NOVA...

 

[Sewin]

Couple of things to be aware of with the Nova, the viewfinder is dim and they have a cloth shutter.

 

[Dinis Figueira]

Couple of things to be aware of with the Nova, the viewfinder is dim and they have a cloth shutter.

The one I'm looking at, is almost mint both In cosmectic and mechanic.
The cloth shutter is completly new.

EDIT*: So, I finally understood what you meant by dim. How dark is it compared to a MTL3?
Since my MTL3 was a little dark and the mud/fungus on the viewfinder would make it worse.

 

[AgX]

Unique metering system

Meanwhile I added a VLC 3 to my collection.

Pentacon had many worldwide "firsts".
The VLCs have a unique metering system:
The metering cell is located inside the mirror-box. As with many other cameras of competing manufacturers.
BUT the cell is located lateral and there is no collapsable accessory-mirror. Instead there is some reflection/refraction system located inside the flat mirror-assembly and similar perpendicular at the side of the mirror, guiding the metering light to the cell.

I know of no other camera using this approach.

Has anyone details on the used light-guide?
Can someone hint at a respective patent?

I assume Pentacon used this principle at the VLC mirror, to laterally reflect light to the sensor, that Canon later used on the screens of their New F-1:

Canon sketch

 

[benjiboy]

The Canon New F1's do use a beam splitter in the focusing screens, but the light metering S.P.C cell isn't in the prism housing it's in the front left hand side of the body because Canon consider it gives more accurate exposures in that position.

 

[Dinis Figueira]

After using my new Praktica, which was fun, the only thing I mostly got was the idea that I have to get another one. This one has light sealing problems and the winding mechanism is pretty rought.

But still produced some nice photos, since it was my first roll without any kind of light meter.

Any ideas on the next Praktica?

The photos:
https://flic.kr/s/aHskEZ4XPt

 

[chuck3565]

After using my new Praktica, which was fun, the only thing I mostly got was the idea that I have to get another one. This one has light sealing problems and the winding mechanism is pretty rought.

But still produced some nice photos, since it was my first roll without any kind of light meter.

Any ideas on the next Praktica?

The photos:
https://flic.kr/s/aHskEZ4XPt

After using my new Praktica, which was fun, the only thing I mostly got was the idea that I have to get another one. This one has light sealing problems and the winding mechanism is pretty rought.

But still produced some nice photos, since it was my first roll without any kind of light meter.

Any ideas on the next Praktica?

The photos:
https://flic.kr/s/aHskEZ4XPt

I like the BC series; the 1, 3 , X etc. The electronics are sturdier than the BX models and the standard 50mm 1.8 lens is very sharp. One major flaw of the BX series is that the movable battery terminal is connected with a thin wire which flexes and falls off or, as the wire strands break, the increased resistance causes eratic operation. The BC series has a more durable flexable ribbon cable attached to the contact.

 

[AgX]

But how can a stranded wire break that is only moved once a year at most?


(Anyway, petite stranded wires break at a soldering point, just were the solder ends and the isolated strands begin. The whole wire has to be long enough, or the isoltion a bit too short to yield sufficient flexibility. It is the isolation that introduces too much stiffness.)

 

[Dinis Figueira]

I like the BC series; the 1, 3 , X etc. The electronics are sturdier than the BX models and the standard 50mm 1.8 lens is very sharp. One major flaw of the BX series is that the movable battery terminal is connected with a thin wire which flexes and falls off or, as the wire strands break, the increased resistance causes eratic operation. The BC series has a more durable flexable ribbon cable attached to the contact.

But the BC series use a different lens mount and I prefer to stick to the m42 for now.

 

[chuck3565]

But the BC series use a different lens mount and I prefer to stick to the m42 for now.

M42 Prakticas that I like include the MTL5B, MTL50 and any VLC models.

 

[baachitraka]

I prefer rather bright to very bright focus screens. MTL5B's screen is not that bright.

Are there any prakticas which have bright screens?