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  #21  
Old 4th February 2018, 09:49 PM
John King John King is offline
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After my last post I googled 'Lens for a Praktina's' and there were a few limited focal lengths 35mm the widest and I think 200 the longest. The list is quite extensive:-

Carl Zeiss Jena. Meyer-Optik Görlitz, Angenieux Paris, Enna-Werk München, Feinmess Dresden, Isco Göttingen, Kilfitt München, A.Schacht Ulm. Schneider Kreuznach, Steinheil München
Tele-Converters, Others manufacturers

ACCESSORIES

Praktina Accessories
Viewing System
Motor and Winder
Magazine Back
Close-up Accessories
Stereo Accessories
KW Accessories
Third-party Access

There are some quite well respected manufacturers in the list, I wonder why the camera never continued in production?

Last edited by John King; 4th February 2018 at 10:01 PM.
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  #22  
Old 8th February 2018, 05:29 PM
skier skier is offline
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Well, the camera arrived and it had a broken shutter curtain. Seemed to operate well otherwise. Some reading seemed to indicate that it would be difficult or impossible to fix.

I started doing some reading to see if another camera would be a good option, or if I should try again for a Zenit. There's just something about the Zenit being fully mechanical that draws me to it. So, I ordered another one. This one is a Zenit B (same as the E, but without the lightmeter) and it is shipping from the UK. The seller said they had run a roll of film through it recently and it functioned well.

I'm hopeful it will arrive in good working condition.
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  #23  
Old 8th February 2018, 07:17 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is online now
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[QUOTE=skier;118143]Well, the camera arrived and it had a broken shutter curtain. /QUOTE]

Sorry to hear about your experience. I'd have thought that a broken shutter curtain renders the camera "not fit for purpose" and unless the seller had mentioned this major issue you have a right to your money back. Without a working shutter curtain it is a paperweight isn't it?

Mike
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  #24  
Old 8th February 2018, 09:14 PM
alexmuir alexmuir is offline
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That was unfortunate. I hope the next one is better. I’ve been trying to acquire a reliable Exakta for use. I’m on my fifth body. Perhaps the next one!
Alex


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  #25  
Old 9th February 2018, 11:04 AM
Paulographic Paulographic is offline
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I have a copy of the Zenith "Owners handbook" (Instuctions) if you want it.
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  #26  
Old 9th February 2018, 12:31 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is online now
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulographic View Post
I have a copy of the Zenith "Owners handbook" (Instuctions) if you want it.
Sounds like a good offer, Paul. Instructions on old cameras tend to be scarce

Mike
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  #27  
Old 9th February 2018, 01:18 PM
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skellum skellum is offline
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If I was looking for a 35mm all-mechanical camera with 42mm mount I'd look at one of the Prakticas.
LTL3 MTL3 MTL5- they're pretty much the same. Robust, metal vertical run shutter(!), easy and reliable loading, microprism focusing, stop-down preview next to the front mounted shutter release so it's easy to slide from one to the other. Had one years ago, and my brother went on using it for years after I was seduced away by Minolta.
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  #28  
Old 9th February 2018, 02:30 PM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
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I tend to agree with Skellum, the prakticas are very good cameras, far more reliable than the Zentih's or the old Pentax spotmatic's, again all mechanical, all manual and a better buy
Richard
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  #29  
Old 9th February 2018, 03:08 PM
Terry S Terry S is online now
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skellum View Post
If I was looking for a 35mm all-mechanical camera with 42mm mount I'd look at one of the Prakticas.
LTL3 MTL3 MTL5
I got a Zenith E and standard lens when I was about 15 years old (=1976) and I believe it cost my Dad £26 to buy it for my birthday. Never had it long before the shutter went, which then cost almost the cost of a new camera body to repair it. I bought a Canon compact not long after. I don't know where the Zenith ended up but I still have the Canon and it still works fine.

When I got more series in photography, I bought a Praktica MTL5 and used it for years, with it's biggest test of three months in the USA, working on a summer camp and then a three week holiday at the end of it. So it got a good usage out of it. On the camp, it had black and white film through it on a daily basis and shot many numerous rolls of Kodak Gold covering my first trip to Florida and New York. Not a single problem with a single frame!!!

Most recently it was used to do some astrophotography on slide film.

They weigh a bit (especially when worn around the neck for 8 to 10 hours a day) but they sell at a good price and the lenses are pin sharp.

All I can say is that I highly recommend them if you want a screw mount camera system.

Terry S
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  #30  
Old 9th February 2018, 03:38 PM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
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The big thing about Praktica is that you were getting German quality at a bargain price, the East Germans sold them very cheaply in order to get forigin currency, and as for the lenses, Carl Zeiss made them, need I say more?, when the two Germanys re united Praktica went bust as their cameras cameras doubled in price overnight without Goverment subsidies, and people still expected to get great German cameras at the same bargain prices, I had a few of them, both screw mount and the later baynet mount ones and never had a bad one, and at the end they were looking at producing a AF camera together with a Japanese maker
Richard
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