Praktica L serie - Repair Thread

Helios 1984 · Jan 31, 2019

russell_w_b said:
1# How easy is it to change the focussing screen?

2# Is access to the flash socket tricky? Will I need to delve deep inside?
--
Kind Regds,
R.

On my Praktica L, you can remove the front cover by removing the plastic ring on the mount and then unscrewing 4 screws.
The tricky part is to push out the plastic ring from the inside of the camera (see post #8).
It should be the same on an MTL3, however, I don't know if your flash sync is wired or if it's a contact pin like on a Spotmatic.

Godspeed.

russell_w_b · Jan 31, 2019

Helios 1984 said:
On my Praktica L, you can remove the front cover by removing the plastic ring on the mount and then unscrewing 4 screws.
The tricky part is to push out the plastic ring from the inside of the camera (see post #8).
It should be the same on an MTL3, however, I don't know if your flash sync is wired or if it's a contact pin like on a Spotmatic.

Helios,

Many thanks. I removed the plastic ring as per your post #8 and replied on post #24. It wasn't so bad to remove the ring and I used a thin screwdriver to push it forward. There are two wires on the flash sync socket and one had come adrift because of a missing screw. When I got the camera I recall a screw falling loose from somewhere, but because everything worked, I just looked the other way! That's where it'll've come from. I'll find another.
--

Kind Regds,

R.

Helios 1984 · Jan 31, 2019

russell_w_b said:
Helios,

Many thanks. I removed the plastic ring as per your post #8 and replied on post #24. It wasn't so bad to remove the ring and I used a thin screwdriver to push it forward. There are two wires on the flash sync socket and one had come adrift because of a missing screw. When I got the camera I recall a screw falling loose from somewhere, but because everything worked, I just looked the other way! That's where it'll've come from. I'll find another.
--

Kind Regds,

R.

I'm glad that you identified the problem.
Would you mind sharing pictures?

russell_w_b · Feb 1, 2019

Helios 1984 said:
Would you mind sharing pictures?

Here are pics of 1): desoldering the LDR pending removal of the bezel and 2): the rear of the flash sync socket with the LDR wires tucked away. I noticed there was about an inch of slack on all wires so I hope I haven't yanked anything off!

AgX · Feb 1, 2019

I wonder why the center pole is not soldered too, but screw contacted.
One may argue that the core due to its smaller size is more heat sensitive, but other PC connectors are soldered too.

russell_w_b · Feb 1, 2019

AgX said:
One may argue that the core due to its smaller size is more heat sensitive, but other PC connectors are soldered too.

When I put it back together, the concentric ring with the tab to which the earth return wire is soldered came away from the rear of the socket. It looks like when the socket is removed, there's no need to desolder anything; merely a case of loosening the live screw and lifting the concentric ring with tweezers, then loosening the notched nut that secures the socket to the bezel. I wondered if the ring should be sintered to the socket? It's not likely to be disturbed where it is, anyway.

I couldn't find a suitable screw, so I just soldered the blue (live) wire to a tinned short length of solid copper wire that fitted snugly into the threads, soldered it to the socket live connection, and bent it over at 90 degrees so it doesn't short to earth on the casing. It works! Well, it reads short-cct when I meter across the flash sync socket and fire the shutter on 'B'. I'll try it on a flashgun next week. Light meter works too and the black plastic ring popped back into place easily. It's channelled, so as long as the sliver of insulation is beneath the LDR connections, there's no need for any sleeving - as long as the wires aren't of equal length and likely to touch.

Kostas gam · May 5, 2019

Hello everyone! I have a praktica l which has a problem.The frame counter does not reset and instead of 36 photos it takes only 20 to 25(something like this).Does anyone has any idea how i might fix it?
Thanks a lot

AgX · May 5, 2019

There is no Praktica 1. However the Praktiflex as first model could be designated this way.

I guess you mean the Praktica L (issue of lowercase- vs. uppercase-letters ...)

Kostas gam · May 6, 2019

Yes i mean the praktica L model

Helios 1984 · May 6, 2019

Kostas gam said:
Hello everyone! I have a praktica l which has a problem.The frame counter does not reset and instead of 36 photos it takes only 20 to 25(something like this).Does anyone has any idea how i might fix it?
Thanks a lot

Hi Kostas,

Does it reset from 25 to 20?

Kostas gam · May 6, 2019

Hello!The frame counter is at 36 when the camera has no film in.When i load the film, the counter does not reset and it stays at 36.
Instead starting of 1 ,it starts from 36 and when the counter reaches near 10 i can t shoot any more photos.
Thanks eveyone for your responses

chuck3565 · May 7, 2019

Kostas gam said:
Hello!The frame counter is at 36 when the camera has no film in.When i load the film, the counter does not reset and it stays at 36.
Instead starting of 1 ,it starts from 36 and when the counter reaches near 10 i can t shoot any more photos.
Thanks eveyone for your responses

It sounds like both counter levers aren't moving away from the counter wheel when the back is opened. Maybe foreign material is jamming the tab that moves out when the back is opened. The tab is at the upper right on the back of the body.

Kostas gam · May 7, 2019

Thanks a lot!I will try to open it and see whats going on inside...

Roman512 · Sep 2, 2019

Hi, I have praktica LTL but rapid wind lever will not do anything, I opened camera but I don't know how I can fix it
Here's some photos of opened camera: https://mega.nz/#F!gBFH0KJD!csJvCV2Q0knUzSHaQHflqg

Helios 1984 · Sep 2, 2019

Is the mirror locked up?

chuck3565 · Sep 2, 2019

Roman512 said:
Hi, I have praktica LTL but rapid wind lever will not do anything, I opened camera but I don't know how I can fix it
Here's some photos of opened camera: https://mega.nz/#F!gBFH0KJD!csJvCV2Q0knUzSHaQHflqg

Have you tried pulling down the shutter curtain with your fingernail?

AgX · Sep 2, 2019

The L-series got a metal segments shutter. Nothing to grip at. If pulling a curtain would be a good idea at all at this design.

chuck3565 · Sep 3, 2019

AgX said:
The L-series got a metal segments shutter. Nothing to grip at. If pulling a curtain would be a good idea at all at this design.

Yes I know that you can. I own over 40 L series cameras. I also repair them. You can definitely pull down on the shutter blades. If the shutter then fires, I could tell you where the problem lies.

AgX · Sep 4, 2019

Thank you.
I would not have tried, as one would grip on the blades themselves and not on a stiffening bar as with cloth shutters.

Sorry, I was not aware who I was replying to... Practically all of your postings are on Praktica technics.
I learned my lesson.

One of my samples got suddenly stuck too, I shall try the trick.

Roman512 · Sep 14, 2019

chuck3565 said:
Have you tried pulling down the shutter curtain with your fingernail?

Yes, ist working but that doesn't solved my problem

chriscrawfordphoto · Sep 14, 2019

Here's the factory service manual. Unfortunately it is in German, but it might help.

http://learncamerarepair.com/product.php?product=354&category=2&secondary=26

AgX · Sep 14, 2019

Roman512 said:
Yes, ist working but that doesn't solved my problem

To my understanding Chuck said, depending on whether the shutter segments can be pulled down or not, he can conclude on further steps to do.

Roman512 · Sep 14, 2019

chriscrawfordphoto said:
Here's the factory service manual. Unfortunately it is in German, but it might help.

http://learncamerarepair.com/product.php?product=354&category=2&secondary=26

This is manual to praktica L but I have praktica LTL

Helios 1984 · Sep 14, 2019

Roman512 said:
This is manual to praktica L but I have praktica LTL

The manual is for the L series, not just the L. Also, L is an LTL minus the lightmeter & self-timer.

AgX · Sep 14, 2019

Yes. There is most likely no other camera series with that many sub-models.

Praktica L serie - Repair Thread

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