unfortunately;not my expwerience;a brand-new Praktika bought in 1972 came with a shutter that lasted just one week before it broke.luvkely. I got my hard-owned money back and saved up for a Nikon FM,which I still have and which still works flawlessly. Noe they can be had for less than $50. It's an easy choice really.I beg to differ on reliability of Prakticas, especially their shutter has been close to bullet proof, I'd venture to say not less reliable than majority of shutters ever produced. The mediocrity is also a stretch to apply to ALL of them. Again, Prakticas were hardly mediocre in many areas and are rather reliable (and cheap) bodies for M42 crowd. Surely a lot of cameras from Western side had better fit and finish and overall give higher confidence. Praktica / Zenit are not on my high list, but have a few in my collection and they do not fall very far from many other makes / models.
I've already stated that it all depends on price. In Czech Republic it is entirely possible he can find either camera for $20-30 in great condition and with lens of course. If he is looking at paying above $50, then I would definitely aim at Western / Japanese models. Sometimes I check prices for DDR/Soviet cameras on western versions of eBay and find them stupendously ridiculous and far above market value. If that's the source, than for sure a much better cameras can be had for same money.
Of course, if someone thinks that his/her photography stinks because gear was not from the premium section of a store, then I rest my case.
unfortunately;not my expwerience;a brand-new Praktika bought in 1972 came with a shutter that lasted just one week before it broke.luvkely. I got my hard-owned money back and saved up for a Nikon FM,which I still have and which still works flawlessly. Noe they can be had for less than $50. It's an easy choice really.
For the L series, I have a VLC3 which was the latest attempt to make a professional camera, I would say it's pretty good.
Pentacon spoiled the chance for a Praktina successor with the Pentacon Super coming too late.
I do not think the VLC was intended as such, but rather to offer a model with more features, likely being more profitable, and without competition in its price segment.
Pentacon Super was in entirely different sphere of design and sophistication. They must have realized that trying to compete in Pro world was too expensive and too challenging (with need to only produce a comparable camera, but associated world wide support etc.). Praktica VLC was just a version of well .. Praktica.I still think the VLC was a direct and simplified replacement of the Pentacon Super.
The one I have gives the impression of a Nikon F competitor arrived on the market 10 years later...it doesn't look like a "cheap" camera as it offer interchangeble viewfinders, screens etc...plus open lens TTL metering...all it lacked was a motordrive.
It's not a case the flagship of the L series was discontinued after the B series was introduced, in short there was no VLC4.
For Zenit, the 12XP is a good camera, if you want something comparable to a Pentax Spotmatic I think the 19 is a serious contender, so I would recommend that model especially if it comes with a Zenitar 50 mm f1.7.
Pentacon Super was in entirely different sphere of design and sophistication. They must have realized that trying to compete in Pro world was too expensive and too challenging (with need to only produce a comparable camera, but associated world wide support etc.). Praktica VLC was just a version of well .. Praktica.
I had a brand new old stock 12SD which was delivered with pinholes in the shutter. Here next to my R8
I had a brand new old stock 12SD which was delivered with pinholes in the shutter.
Well a NOS camera with at least 30 years might have issues,
I would not say so for both manufacturers, Pentacon and KMZ. Both made high-end stuff.Interesting discussion...both cameras represent the low end of two cheap and mass produced companies.
I am somewhat attracted by the ugliness of the KM plus, the latest "flagship" from Zenit with fast shutter speeds, motordrive etc...definitely it looks cheap.
Actually it was a rebranded Exakta, the RTL1000 to be precise, that was meant to be a professional camera. Not as sophisticated as a Nikon F but definitely not a "simple" Praktica. The fact that open TTL metering was available with the same electric system as the Super for instance.
Well a NOS camera with at least 30 years might have issues, I bought my 12XP for £10 including strap, bag, flash and TWO Helios 44s. It was one of my first cameras I picked up when I restarted shooting in 2013 and to be honest.
I am somewhat attracted by the ugliness of the KM plus, the latest "flagship" from Zenit with fast shutter speeds, motordrive etc...definitely it looks cheap.
I would not say so for both manufacturers, Pentacon and KMZ. Both made high-end stuff.
Only that both their cameras series of Praktica and Zenit are consumer grade. With the Zenit even far behind the Praktica.
And even for both series they at least partially made above consumer-grade lenses.
Pentacon even introduced quite some "firsts" in camera technology.
A noisy beast of a camera, and easy to shoot off a couple of unintended frames since there's no single/continuous mode or even a power switch. But it works pretty good if you can remember how to rewind the film! Seem to recall that particular detail was not especially intuitive. Though it's finder covers 90%+ of the film area, I found it a bit tougher to see the edges of the frame versus the "classic" finders in the 122 and 412.
There's no question that former communist countries knew how to make superb gear, however the planned economy made it impossible to do so. If you were a senior party member or working for the sectors you mention, you had access to some great stuff. Same with cars and no doubt plenty of other stuff. Peter Hitchens, who worked in Moscow as a journalist under the FSU, noticed the difference between apartments for foreign workers and Russians. No doubt party officials got a still higher standard of accommodation.With high end stuff I meant the industrial/scientific/military stuff. For Pentacon just think of the cine projectors, microfilming devices.
I often heard that, but for the former I so far found no evidence at all, but would appreciate a hint at such.It's said export cameras were well built and tested to a higher standard than those for domestic consumption, and in the UK at least the importer individually tested each camera before sale and provided a certificate to that end.
Too busy to track down the article at present, but regarding the later Kiev 4 I read examples for home market were so poor owners sent them to repairers for rebuilding on purchase. At one point the entire 4M model production was dumped as scrap, so low had standards become.I often heard that, but for the former I so far found no evidence at all, but would appreciate a hint at such.
Concerning importers, aside of british TOE I do not know either who did so.
A noisy beast of a camera, and easy to shoot off a couple of unintended frames since there's no single/continuous mode or even a power switch. But it works pretty good if you can remember how to rewind the film! Seem to recall that particular detail was not especially intuitive. Though it's finder covers 90%+ of the film area, I found it a bit tougher to see the edges of the frame versus the "classic" finders in the 122 and 412.
Does it meter a full aperture? This also applies to the 122k?
Personally I view all Zenits after the B (and later derivatives including 12XP) to be some of the ugliest ever manufactured. I'd have serious difficulties shooting film if all I had was a 122, 212 or one of those.
And while I like the looks of earlier from before B, the B is to me the cutest of all with no meter, plain and simple.
And Angelina Jolie is surely the most beatiful that ever graced the planet earth.The Zenit 212 and its Leica twin are arguably the most beautiful kameras ever made.
She is a very attractive lady.And Angelina Jolie is surely the most beatiful that ever graced the planet earth.
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