Praktica Appreciation Thread

Agulliver · Sep 14, 2020

Back in the 1980s there was a perception that Praktica cameras were less reliable than Japanese and West German cameras....I never found this to be so. Going from personal experience I have four B-series bodies and a MTL5 and they all still work...I'll be picking up by BX20S next week from it's repair......£69 including parts and labour. I was even told "We don't get these in often."

The least reliable cameras I've seen are those with leaf shutters....and even then after decades.

I suspect that there was a rumour put about that Prakticas were less reliable than the more costly brands....at least in the UKprobably because camera shops tended not to sell the Prakticas much (they were to be found in chain stores). I mean....the people who told me Prakticas were unreliable (Kraptica was the term used) were the owners of camera shops and members of camera clubs. Everyone I know who actually owns one disagrees. "Got any Praktica B mount lenses in stock?"...."Oh but Sir, we don't sell those. That brand is so unrelaible. Can I interest you in a Canon?"....."Could you order this PB lens for me?"....."Well....I suppose if that is what Sir wants".....

I do recall an issue with some of the early BX20 bodies...I subscribed to a magazine at the time possibly called "Praktica Photographer"? There genuinely was an issue with a batch of BX20 bodies....but the perception that they were all crap was already around.

Reminds me of 3M (Scotch) spreading outright lies about BASF recording tape damaging heads....

AgX · Sep 14, 2020

Please tell us how you find the BX 20S. To me it is a design disaster due to the protruding right strap lug. I got small hands (size 7) and maybe someone with bigger hands has no problem with that lug.

AgX · Sep 14, 2020

Agulliver said:
Back in the 1980s there was a perception that Praktica cameras were less reliable than Japanese and West German cameras...

Well, there were not that much west-german competing manufacturers of SLRs (Wirgin, Zeis-Ikon, Rollei, Agfa, Kodak, Leitz). With models that all vanished before the Praktica. Many of their models were very complicated and by far behind the sales of Prakticas, which were millionsellers (wich of course does not say that much on quality).

Ian Grant · Sep 14, 2020

Agulliver said:
Back in the 1980s there was a perception that Praktica cameras were less reliable than Japanese and West German cameras....I never found this to be so. Going from personal experience I have four B-series bodies and a MTL5 and they all still work...I'll be picking up by BX20S next week from it's repair......£69 including parts and labour. I was even told "We don't get these in often."

The least reliable cameras I've seen are those with leaf shutters....and even then after decades.

I suspect that there was a rumour put about that Prakticas were less reliable than the more costly brands....at least in the UKprobably because camera shops tended not to sell the Prakticas much (they were to be found in chain stores). I mean....the people who told me Prakticas were unreliable (Kraptica was the term used) were the owners of camera shops and members of camera clubs. Everyone I know who actually owns one disagrees. "Got any Praktica B mount lenses in stock?"...."Oh but Sir, we don't sell those. That brand is so unrelaible. Can I interest you in a Canon?"....."Could you order this PB lens for me?"....."Well....I suppose if that is what Sir wants".....

I do recall an issue with some of the early BX20 bodies...I subscribed to a magazine at the time possibly called "Praktica Photographer"? There genuinely was an issue with a batch of BX20 bodies....but the perception that they were all crap was already around.

By the 1980's there were almost no West German SLR's, just Leicaflex. I've had a few Praktica's over the years and CZJ and Meyer lenses, the main shortcomings are the lubricants. My CZJ lenses were sharp and excellent contrast, but the lubricants and alloys used for focussing lens barrels poor. Rollei's SLRs were made in the far east.

The reality with Praktica's is with low use they are excellent. but they can't take heavy use, or in my terms normal use like my Pentax SLRs, but taht could be many other Japanese camera manufacturers.

Ian

Agulliver · Sep 17, 2020

One of my BX20S bodies is in for repair after 27 years, of which 20 years saw heavy use. There were certainly several years when I put over 100 films through the camera, sometimes as many as 10 in one day...and the last four years since I rediscovered film I've been approaching 25 films through that specific camera per year. I've probably shot something like 75-100K photos on it. I don't doubt there are true professional cameras with 5x that on them...but it's hardly light use. When I think of the plane cargo holds it's been in, the time I dropped it down the stairs...the time I spilled cider all over it....I cannot complain. And it's a cheap repair.

I do have to say that my 1930s Zeiss-Ikon folder *is* built better. Probably the only camera I'd say that of. As high tech as my Nikon F601M was for 1989, the back fell off. I've had a Nikon D50 which utterly refused to auto-focus after five years. Though I will say I have *never* come across a Pentax K1000 or Spotmatic which was knackered and they do take a hammering from students.

Anecdotal of course but I'd say the Prakticas in my ownership are as reliable as anything else, and more so than my film Nikons.

Agulliver · Oct 1, 2020

Got my BX20S back today, the repair engineer commented that Prakticas rarely fail....I mentioned how heavily it's been used and he replied, "they are real workhorses".

Clearly the people who actually repair cameras know how reliable Prakticas are.....and my suspicions about camera sellers in the 80s and 90s were spot on.

I meant Nikon F50 above not D50. Got my favourite body back in time for a shoot on Sunday

Dali · Oct 1, 2020

Agulliver said:
Anecdotal of course but I'd say the Prakticas in my ownership are as reliable as anything else, and more so than my film Nikons.

Heresy!

I bought used a Praktica SLR (Super TL2) more 12 years ago and it never let me down. The whole thing is a bit crude, no thrill and the metal shutter is pretty loud but everything works fine (meter included), even after I dropped it several times. At the opposite and it was already mentionned, CZJ, Pentacon and Meyer lenses are plagued by bad lubricant and need to be re-lubes to be reliable (diaphragm).

patois · Oct 1, 2020

I just got a Praktica and Flektogon 20 and I´m loving it.

MattKing · Oct 1, 2020

Agulliver said:
Clearly the people who actually repair cameras know how reliable Prakticas are.....and my suspicions about camera sellers in the 80s and 90s were spot on.

As I have posted up above, in the late 1970s and the early 1980s I worked in camera retail in British Columbia Canada, and the Practicas we sold had a really high rate of being defective right out of the box.
I don't know if they might have been particular models intended for distribution in the Canadian market.
They were our lowest price option, so customers were interested in them, but we came to hate selling them, because customers would end up disappointed and distrustful, and we would end up wasting time and incurring costs when we ended up refunding customers.

Agulliver · Oct 2, 2020

patois said:
I just got a Praktica and Flektogon 20 and I´m loving it.

I love my Flektogon 20/2.8

Regarding Prakticas being bad out of the box.....it is possible a bad shipment made it to Canada, or that there was a time when they were bad out of the box. It's not something I am aware of but it could be made to fit the evidence....the repair industry wouldn't see the cameras that were defective because they'd be replaced under warranty. However it seems that 30+ years on their reputation is in higher standing than it was when they were being made.

pentaxpete · Oct 7, 2020

I have been lout with my 'Gift' MTL5 + Russian MC Jupiter-9 85mm f2 ( got in a Camera Club Auction for £1 -00 !! ) as it it 'International Communist Cameras Days -- Red October 2020 as organised on FLICKR and got a few good snaps with July 2012 dated Ilford Delta 3200 I was given by a Camera Club mate. I rated film at 800 ASA and processed in home-made FX-15 ( Acutol-S Formula) Stock solution -- most negs were 'Thin' due to Under-Development so I'm adding 2 minutes on time next half of the Film.

Cholentpot · Oct 7, 2020

After a few seasons of using this camera I've really grown to like it. It's a plain good camera. I'm still rolling 16mm through it for panoramic shots. No issues, good solid camera.

jay moussy · Oct 13, 2020

Hmm.. what are the chances of getting the selenium metering working on the Hanimex Praktica nova 1b I found this one at a local tag sale?
First question is how to remove top plate?
Second, how much contact cleaning may be required to possibly revive the meter?

Deleted member 88956 · Oct 13, 2020

jay moussy said:
Hmm.. what are the chances of getting the selenium metering working on the Hanimex Praktica nova 1b I found this one at a local tag sale?
First question is how to remove top plate?
Second, how much contact cleaning may be required to possibly revive the meter?

I doubt it's about contact cleaning. Nova is so old, few have this meter properly working today. While I have one that responds to light still today, it is not close enough to bother using it. But if you like to tinker with things, surely somebody will come back with an advice.

jay moussy · Oct 13, 2020

Yes, the chances of messing up the camera are too great, for little gain, I think.
I did not realize it was older than most cameras discussed in this thread.

AgX · Oct 13, 2020

The Nova series ran from 1964-67. Your model is from 65-67.

hsandler · Oct 17, 2020

Here’s my MTL5, which mysteriously bears an LTL nameplate. I really like the close focus ability of the Pentacon 50mm f1.8 lens. Here’s a photo on XP2 in honour of Red Oktober.

Praktica MTL5 by Howard Sandler, on Flickr

Untitled by Howard Sandler, on Flickr

AgX · Oct 17, 2020

hsandler said:
I really like the close focus ability of the Pentacon 50mm f1.8 lens.

Nearly all standard lenses made by Meyer and CZJ yielded an extraordinary short minimum focusing distance, up to the factor 2 against for instance Canon.

A benefit often overlooked.

brainmonster · Oct 19, 2020

I did go through 3 prakticas before finding my current one and my BMS isn't perfect - it had some battery issues which I (think) I have fixed by THOROUGHLY cleaning the battery contacts, but it still kind of stops working sometimes and I have to reseat the battery. The battery door latch also seemed poorly designed by nature and I need to tape it down, it's just not properly made.

However, I love my BMS and I will continue to use it, maybe it's cognitive dissonance or masochism which makes me keep using it. The rendering on my 135mm is a bit rough, you get that swirly/harsh bokeh which I don't know, I think it's the quality control combined with the LOUD shutter and heavy mirror slap which affects some images. However I do like the "character" that the camera has, and I will continue to use it. It's more interesting than the perfectly working Japanese cameras that seem more smooth, refined, and less crude by comparison, but also somewhat boring.

There seems to be a passionate following for prakticas as some people in this thread show, so it seems like many people have had good experiences. But given some mixed experiences on the matter don't expect perfection if you invest in this system, but I think that's part of the adventure of using FSU cameras (Or GDR maybe that is the correct term, but the quality control seems up there with FSU cameras).

That being said I have 2 Kiev 60's, they work perfectly and have superceded their reputation as being unreliable. They are solid as rocks and work well and create great images. I've found these FSU lenses to be strangely better than the GDR lenses I have and they are perfect. Images are great and better than my Yashica TLR, I don't know why, but the rendition and contrast just seems a lot better. They also have a split screen focusing mechanism that works better.

I think the Pentacon 6 (I believe made by Praktica) seems to have a better reputation, but by default they came with a matte focusing screen with no split focusing aid, which is a deal breaker for me. My Kievs work so I will stick with them, I don't know how the CZJ medium format lenses compare, they seem to have a better reputation, but my experience with the Russian lenses have been good.

AgX · Oct 19, 2020

brainmonster said:
my BMS isn't perfect - it had some battery issues. The battery door latch also seemed poorly designed by nature and I need to tape it down, it's just not properly made.

This seems a sore patch in the whole industry, though Canon is hard to beat in messing up this task.

AgX · Oct 19, 2020

brainmonster said:
I think the Pentacon 6 (I believe made by Praktica)

Made by Pentacon, as this is the name of the manufacturer. But also used as name of some camera models.
Praktica is the name of of their middleclass SLR series.

darthj · Oct 24, 2020

Ian Brett Cooper said:
Does anyone know where the B-series electronic components were made? The other day I was skimming through some website and I thought I read that they were made in Japan. Then today, I was reading a forum somewhere and someone was saying that Praktica electronic components were bad (which of course made my blood boil) and he/she put it down to shoddy Soviet Bloc tech. I just think that, if they were made in Japan, it would be nice, if anyone makes a similar accusation in the future, to be able to set the record straight.

On a related note, has anyone noticed that Praktica cameras seem to suffer from pretty overt anti-Soviet bias? I mean, I don't think the cameras deserve the bad reputation they seem to have, especially here in the USA. I've even seen some photography articles online that seem almost laughably mired in Cold War propaganda. One example was that a reviewer scorned the Praktica MTL5b, suggesting its lack of electronics was an example of the Soviets not being able to keep up with the West, when the reality was that Praktica had released a fully electronic B200 six years before the MTL5b came onto the market. So it seems to me that the MTL5b was more an example of Praktica seeing value in offering a line of more traditional cameras at a time when everyone else was obsessing over making photography into a digital art form.

Of course, the flipside of the anti-Praktica bias is that it makes it a bit easier to find Praktica products at a low price.

A belated answer but the electronic circuit boards of the first "B", the B200 were made in Japan (by NEC if I remember correctly). From the second camera (B100) on the East-Germans could produce their own circuit boards..

It would be typically American not to make a difference between Soviet and East-German cameras. Soviet cameras were made according to the same principles as T-34 tanks : simple, rough but still functioning at -40°C. though sometimes not at room temperature. On the other hand before WW2 the now East-German camera manufacturers had a reputation for making some of the best cameras and optics in the world.

Almost all the new "B" cameras were exported to "western" countries as the GDR needed an ever increasing amount of foreign "hard" currency. For the internal market they kept the "L" line alive, resulting in the later MTL5B and MTL50 produced in the 1980s. Compared with the 'B' and foreign cameras they were completely outdated though.

AgX · Oct 24, 2020

darthj said:
A belated answer but the electronic circuit boards of the first "B", the B200 were made in Japan (by NEC if I remember correctly). From the second camera (B100) on the East-Germans could produce their own circuit boards..

Of course they could make circuit boards. As they could make IC's.

What at that time they could not make were foil circuits. And there was no reason to do so. The Praktika B-series was the first product that needed such. To bridge the time gap until the respective facilities were acquired or made and were running the flex-circuit was tollmanufactured in Japan. The japanese and german circuits look quite differently.

benjiboy · Apr 5, 2022

MattKing said:
As I have posted up above, in the late 1970s and the early 1980s I worked in camera retail in British Columbia Canada, and the Practicas we sold had a really high rate of being defective right out of the box.
I don't know if they might have been particular models intended for distribution in the Canadian market.
They were our lowest price option, so customers were interested in them, but we came to hate selling them, because customers would end up disappointed and distrustful, and we would end up wasting time and incurring costs when we ended up refunding customers.

Me too Mat, in those days in the camera store I managed I remember I had to remonstrate with my staff who used to call them "craptikas", and say that "for every ten we sold we got a dozen back as faulty"

AgX · Apr 5, 2022

Is this the explanation why Prakticas were amongst the most produced SLR's worldwide?

Praktica Appreciation Thread

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