Praktica Appreciation Thread

AgX · Aug 12, 2015

I know, but still...

AgX · Aug 12, 2015

As a side note:

AgX said:
The photograph shows the central building out of the complex housing the Ministry of State Security of the GDR.

It is worthwhile to have look at an aerial photograph of this complex. You'll be surprised...

cuthbert · Aug 12, 2015

darthj said:
The subject for today is an organisation that really appreciated Praktica and other East-German cameras. So much that they became one of Pentacon's most important customers. If not the most important one.

This was their headquarters. Today it's a museum.

(to be continued)

I doubt that.

Most of the Praktica production went abroad to help the DDR economy and for what I've seen STASI used more...peculiar equipment than the inoffensive MTLs or Bs.

Xmas · Aug 12, 2015

The photo I'm looking at is of an Mi5 section A4 observation post with camera mounting tray suspended from ceiling.

Circa 1970.

The camera is an Exakta with large telephoto lens...

Plate 59 in
The defence of the Realm
Christopher Andrew

If Mi5 were using GDR equipment... What were the Stazi doing?

Sewin · Aug 12, 2015

Seems that they liked the Zenit Photosniper, image from the STASI museum.

darthj · Aug 12, 2015

Quote :

" Important and largest are not synonyms "

Indeed.
Not the purchase of many ordinary cameras but their relentless not-to-be-refused requests for 'peculiar' material made the Stasi such an important customer. A situation that put a serious strain on Pentacon's resources and development.

darthj · Aug 12, 2015

But let's continue our visit ...

Quote :

" It is worthwhile to have look at an aerial photograph of this complex. You'll be surprised..."

There is a 3d model of the impressive complex on display.

AgX · Aug 12, 2015

darthj said:
Not the purchase of many ordinary cameras but their relentless not-to-be-refused requests for 'peculiar' material made the Stasi such an important customer. A situation that put a serious strain on Pentacon's resources and development.

You seem to be better informed than Pentacon people themselves. If you have source for this please pm me.

Concerning the aerial view I was refering to a current photo, not the complex in Stasi times.

darthj · Aug 12, 2015

Travelling in style with a Barkas B1000 GTW. Prisoner transport disguised as ordinary delivery van. Room for up to 5 "passengers".

darthj · Aug 12, 2015

quote :

" You seem to be better informed than Pentacon people themselves. If you have source for this please pm me."

I received my first Praktica, an old IV, around 1980 and bought my first Praktica, a brand new B100, in July 1985. Really collecting East-German cameras, miniature vehicles and other items only started a few years ago, Ebay made that possible.
As a collector I try find as much information as possible about my collection, reading every book, catalogue and magazine, watching every documentary or movie, following every internet discussion with native East-Germans, etc... concerning the subject You end up learning about local politics and ecomics, not 1 source but a lot of literature to catch up with.

AgX · Aug 12, 2015

I know a bit about Pentacon and also about Stasi technics. The Stasi relied on their own research department but also on GDR manufacturers and also bought abroad. Pentacon thus only was one of their partners. I have no hint whatsoever that the Pentacon work for the Stasi put a serious strain on them, in the meaning of hampering their civil work.

But you are right in the sense that heads of GDR manufacturers were not free in deciding what to produce and where to put the center of gravity of their production.

cuthbert · Aug 12, 2015

Sewin said:
Seems that they liked the Zenit Photosniper, image from the STASI museum.

Yes the Photosniper was probably developed for the Soviet secret serviced (KGB or more likely the less known but more powerful GRU) and was standard issue in all the Eastern block.

AgX said:
You seem to be better informed than Pentacon people themselves. If you have source for this please pm me.

Yes I would also be curious to know which "special cameras" Stasi ordered to Pentacon. To be honest I think in the DDR there were organisations more important than Stasi that actually ordered a lot of stuff to Carl Zeiss Jena putting a lot of pressure on the manufacture, for instance the orders from the NVA for new smaller binocles that led to the creation of the EDF 7X40, very cool and advanced design for the time.

AgX · Aug 12, 2015

Pentacon modified one of their Prakticas for the Stasi into a silent motordriven one. That was a major order.
But the project as a whole was a joint venture, as indicated above.

AgX · Aug 12, 2015

cuthbert said:
To be honest I think in the DDR there were organisations more important than Stasi that actually ordered a lot of stuff...

See my post #109.

darthj · Aug 15, 2015

Your Praktica for today. I leave the comments to others.

AgX · Aug 15, 2015

Quite rare with that emblem of the italian importer. And weird is that the warranty sticker is attached to the body outer.

GRHazelton · Aug 15, 2015

My Praktica is a LTL, imported or marketed by Hanimex. Thus it bears an ugly Hanimex name plate covering the Praktica lettering on the prism housing. I'd pry the plate off except it would probably damage the top plate. Without the added name plate it would have the clean, minimalist exterior of its unadorned brothers.

OptiKen · Aug 15, 2015

Having never owned or used a Praktica camera but loving my Exakta and Exa, I decided to pick up a Praktica FX3.
It won't arrive for another week or so but I am looking forward to the experience

AgX · Aug 16, 2015

GRHazelton said:
My Praktica is a LTL, imported or marketed by Hanimex. Thus it bears an ugly Hanimex name plate covering the Praktica lettering on the prism housing. I'd pry the plate off except it would probably damage the top plate. Without the added name plate it would have the clean, minimalist exterior of its unadorned brothers.

You might find out, by spilled residue, what kind of glue was used and then weaken it by means of solvent. Or just try with solvent directly.
If done properly the worst case would be that you would have to re-fill the original lettering.

darthj · Aug 16, 2015

Obvious Praktica for today.

cuthbert · Aug 16, 2015

AgX said:
Quite rare with that emblem of the italian importer. And weird is that the warranty sticker is attached to the body outer.

That is not a warranty ticket but a "VISA" from the customs, it was used to prove the camera was legally imported in Italy and all the duties paid.

Usually they sticked it inside, in the cavity of the film roll.

However, yesterday I took my Jenaflex and visited a city nearby, here there are some shots:

Pancolar 50mm f1.4 bokeh:

Statue of Shakespeare, same lens at f8:

Lanscape with Flektogon 20mm:

Another shot with the Flek:

Swan chicks, Vario-Sonnar at 200mm:

Other two shots with the Vario-Sonnar wide open:

The film is not so great (Ultramax) and sometimes it was cloudy but I think it's one of my best systems.

foc · Aug 16, 2015

My first 35mm SLR was a second hand Praktica Super TL in the mid 1970's. It had a Mayer Domiplan lens that broke in the early 1980's so I replaced it with a Helios from a Zenit. I then lost interest in the Praktica when I bought into the Olympus OM system which I used in my professional wedding, press and studio work until mid 1990's. I then changed to Canon EOS.

In 2011 I was cleaning out the attic in the house when I came across the Praktica Super TL in a box. The meter didn't work but the shutter was good.

Hear is a link to a photo of it after I cleaned it up.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/50664634@N08/5796816426/in/dateposted-public/

This attic find renewed my interest in Praktica and I bought a second hand MTL50 to keep the SuperTL company.

I often wonder what other makes of cameras could sit in a box in the attic for 25 years and still work first time out of hibernation.

AgX · Aug 17, 2015

cuthbert said:
That is not a warranty ticket but a "VISA" from the customs, it was used to prove the camera was legally imported in Italy and all the duties paid.

Thus like the ones we got here on cigarette packs (the only kind of such stickers I ever came across).

Thank you. I wondered too about it being a warranty sticker, but took that information from a otherwise well-informed source.

Sewin · Aug 17, 2015

It's nice to see the old underdog is getting the respect it deserves, keep it up

darthj · Aug 17, 2015

There is an identical "duty paid" sticker inside the camera. I doubt Pentacon Italia was pleased with the overzealous outside sticker.

And this is the warranty sticker.

Praktica Appreciation Thread

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