Praktica L-Series Overview and First Impressions
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- čas přidán 7. 01. 2022
- The historical information in this video was derived from the following two sources:
www.praktica-collector.de/
www.pentax-slr.com/108413506
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#Pentacon #Praktica #SLR
I just acquired an L2. After a CLA and new light seals I decided to keep it. The shutter button placement would seem odd, but I find it much more comfortable to use vs top plate shutter placements of other brands. Super fun camera
My LTL with a busted light meter is the functional equivalent of an L or L2. And it is indeed a fun camera.
Good video, I've just won a LLC on ebay - didn't really know what I just bought so this was very instructive, Thanks.
Lada and Skoda cars, Carl Zeiss Jena lenses, Kalashnikov guns and Tetris were all pretty successful exports from Warsaw pact countries.
Just something minor. The film has to run under that small black plastic cube before being pulled across for the metal arms to grab the leader. If the film is allowed to run above it jams and slips. I'm sure you know this but just incase a newbie to Prakticas is watching this is a very common error to make.
I'm tempted to sell all my other cameras just to buy Prakticas.
I'm sure every upper class Oxbridge educated spy/traitor was probably issued one; which explains why there are so many of them in Britain. Unfortunately people in England keep voting for them.
Yes, it took a bit of fiddling to figure out the film loading mechanism.
The MTL 50 does one thing different from its predecessors: the meter display is, instead of being a match-needle system, a pair of LED-illuminated arrows which tell you if your exposure is currently too much or too little. It's not substantially different feature-wise beyond that, but the illuminated meter is nice to have.
Impressive deep dive review. Thanks Brian.
You bet! Thanks for the kind words and encouragement.
Really great overview. Thanks very much!
A lot of GDR products were sold in the “West”. Household appliances, tools, clothes, furniture, etc etc. The products were relatively robust and cheap. Many objects were not even known to come from the “East”. My bench grinder is “made in GDR” and runs and runs and runs.
I bought a Praktica VLC2 with all accessories, including all interchangeable viewfinder attachments. After intensive research, I paid a good €200 for the complete set and it still works perfectly after almost 50 years. Nowadays, the complete package normally costs between €200 and €350, maybe €400 if you're "unlucky". But if you compare that with the cameras with interchangeable viewfinders from the well-known Japanese manufacturers, you can't compete with the price-performance ratio. A Nikon F2 with a comparable complete package is, if you're lucky and I deliberately say if, only available from around €800 and in terms of quality, the Praktica VLC series definitely doesn't need to hide behind the other comparable Japanese models, rather the opposite. That's why I prefer the Praktica and consciously save myself a lot of money without any regrets.
In addition, I don't need an adapter to use a Helios 44 lens on the camera, which is currently more than popular. For my part, I have a Helios 44-3 MC lens and I wouldn't want to be without the lens and especially the camera.
Greetings from Germany
Congratulations 👏
Thank you comrade Brian for shedding light on the wonders of the Soviet Republics and the work of our Soviet comrades in the Soviet Socialist republic of East Germany, the first state to have trans athletes by hormonal injection, being cutting edge in human experimentation for the greater good and to win Olympic medals! Also, KGB fond of photos of certain undesirables and so good camera essential! ;)
Excellent video, in depth, thanks for sharing! I trust you have had your Sputnik V shots ;)
I used one of these with a Lydith 30mm f3. 5 as a wide angle backup to my Yashica mat when I did black and white Press and Wedding photographer back in the 1960s.
Neither cameras ever let me down.
Pentacon also made an almost identical lens not calling it a Lydith... 30mm f3. 5.....
The Lydith that I have prob the mk II has 10 diaphragm blades similar to it's russian cousins.....
You forgot the VLC and the VLC3 in your list. The VLC is a LLC/PLC with interchangeable viewfinders. The prime model thus and the most beautiful one.
Oops, you're right indeed! It seems I forgot that one.
Functionally you can say the LLC/PLC are the same as the VLC models, but the metering system needed a complete re-design to give TTL metering with any viewfinder fitted, so it has to be body-integral. While the metering sensor was built on the pentaprism in the LLC/PLC, the VLC has its on the left wall of the dark chamber, fed with light falling on the main mirror through a beam-splitter system built into the mirror itself, a really sophisticated way to do it as it would not be affected by the ingress of light through the viewfinder. For some reason, the first-chassis Praktica B-series models also use this system even though they all had fixed pentaprism eye-level finders. As a result, the metering pattern of the VLC models is a "fat spot" in the middle of the image area, without any consideration of the edges and corners: something to bear in mind.
I haven't found any other 35mm camera with waist level finder and with ttl light metering. I think the VLC series is the pinaccle of the L series. EE2/3 looks better but they always go wrong. Electric shutter control simply fails after 40 years. B200 is also a nice model but that's a different story.
Great review. When I was shopping for my first new camera around 1973-1974, I remember the Praktica being marketed. But I had my heart set on a Canon FTBn, and I still have it. I also remember seeing ads back then in the magazines for Zorki and Fed cameras. So they were marketed, but your term "successfully" would certainly not apply.
I think some of the Eastern Bloc stuff was private labeled by some of the big NY discounters like Cambridge Photo, et al.
The Praktica L-Series is very durable!
My LB2 which I just acquired with the selenium light meter window that seem pretty accurate....
Shutter all works nice and quiet...came with 30mm
f3. 5 lens which is essentially a Goerlitz Meyer lydith optic....like the swing brackets that grab the film.. simple and sweet... very detailed as usual.... Good man......
Apparently, the Soviet made Zorki and Fed rangefinder cameras were reasonably popular in the UK. I've seen some British vloggers talk about how they got into photography using these cheap Leica clones.
I have a FED 2 and it's a lovely camera it's in a way a development and improved version of the Leica ii of the 1930s and takes L39 lenses..
My russian lens 50mm is a tessar clone with 10 aperture blades... is terrific...
It's a keeper.....
The Japanese cameras you mentioned: The Japanese copied the East German cameras with very few changes. That's why you find the Prakticas so familiar.
I think they did succesfully make and market cars from the old soviet bloc. Lada comes to mind.
Really? Were Ladas really that successful in Western Europe?
@@BriansPhotoShow They competed pretty equally with fiat and saab on the cheap car market afaik.
Hi, looking for some info on CZcams about my latest purchase, a used Praktica LL3 camera, I ended up with your video from last year which I found quite interesting. It seems I recently developed a bit of a liking for this camera brand. 😎
Bit of a background: I am retired since a couple of months and currently rediscovering some interest in photography again (I am currently more of a collector of both analog and digital cameras though 😅...) and came across my late father’s Praktica SLR (labeled as Porst FX4) from the early 1970’s. I found it to be in mint condition and working fine after all these years it had been sitting unattended (a good 15 years or so).
The Praktica LL2 and LL3 cameras, were according to your video, only produced in a fraction of numbers compared to the rest of the Praktica cameras. So when for one when I saw one offered on eBay by a private seller here for just 15€ (ca. $15 US) plus 6€ transport. It was advertised as in “working condition, but not tested since there is no lens to it”.
The thing arrived and after putting a standard lens from my father’s camera on it became life again! 😎 Everything works so far on this thing except for the self timer which doesn’t seem to work properly. I am now thinking of investing another under €50 (plus 6€ transport) in a set of those „electric“ lens, 1.8/50 mm and pentacon electric 2.8/29 mc.
By the way since you mentioned in your video you are interested in some more info on these cameras maybe this is for you: praktica.tiagofranco.pt/M42.html and in much more detail 😎 (sorry, no English translation available but I am sure you can work it out with an online translation service like deepl.com or other) silentwar.de/Analog/Fotografie%20mit%20einer%20Praktica_test.html
Regards from Germany 🙂
I have my dads mtl5 and whenever i get a nostalgia feeling i load aand run a film and every time it just works
These L Series cameras have a chromed plastic top, bottom and front decorative plate (around mount) which made them slightly lighter in weight than the other 70s cameras made of the same period. Also when you load film into these cameras with the easy load system you need to be sure to slip the film under the tab near green marker rather than just lay it on top.
Ee2 was a fantastic camera as far an I found family had one for years
There were quite a few Soviet Bloc motorcycles sold in Britain; Jawa CZ, MZ, (I had a few MZs) Ural, etc. My MZs were remarkably light for 250cc bikes, especially since nearly everything was made of metal.
Which one did you prefer, this one or the Ricoh Singlex? I'm curious, since I do also have those cameras (Praktica super TL 1000 which lacks the self timer, a Cosina Hi Lite and a Chinon Kingflex which are almost the same as the Ricoh)?
I'm very happy with the Ricoh, and I've only put one roll of film through the Praktica so far, so it's a bit too early for me to give an informed opinion.
Which cosina hi lite do you have? And what has your experience with it been like?
@milkyway6080
If I had the choice between a Praktica LTL and a Ricoh Singlex TLS, or the replicas of the Ricoh from Cosina and Chinon, although they are more likely to be copies that have managed without the original construction plans of the Ricoh, I would always opt for the Praktica and the Ricoh. And in a direct duel between the Praktica and the Ricoh, I would always decide in favour of both, because neither costs that much. And depending on whether you feel able to use a little more muscle power for the Ricoh, or whether you have days when you prefer to walk around with lighter Praktica luggage, because the Ricoh, unlike the Praktica, has a certain weight, I prefer to decide after the purchase how I feel on the day.
Incidentally, I have the Sigma Mark 1, the very first Sigma camera ever built according to the original blueprints of the Ricoh Singlex TLS and only launched with minimal changes, i.e. a hot shoe on the prism roof in 1976, nine years after the original Ricoh Singlex TLS. So I can understand that.
The original Ricoh Singlex weighs 720 grams without lens, whereas the Praktica LTL weighs only 590 grams.
On the other hand, both cameras have their own peculiarities that make each of them preferable. As I said, at this price I would get both and decide which one to go out with depending on how I feel on the day, or I have a big rucksack and take both with me, because the M42 lenses fit on both without an adapter. 😁
I have a MTL50, overall it’s a nice camera but it’s kind of tricky to load films, cassettes how they called them. Just need to practice and it’s fine after a while… Praktica indeed 🙃📸
I have an MTL3 - essentially the same as an LTL - that still works fine. The metal shutter has a very satisfying 'thwack' to it. The meter still works, but requires a 1.35v cell to work accurately, and as far as I can see the only source for those today is a company named Wien. You can use a 1.5v battery (I forget which one fits) but you have to do some math to compensate with the ASA/ISO setting to be accurate.
1.5v works without compensation.
@@bobhund The metering circuit contains a Wheatstone bridge that should not require compensation. Different battery voltage only affects the amount of meter needle deflection, but the null - "correct exposure" position remains the same.
I've seen a few half frame L series 'Police Mugshot' cameras come up for sale in the UK. The shutter speed selector is physically is fixed to flash sync speed, and the advance mechanism/frame counter give the full 72 frames. Would be interesting transplant a normal shutter speed dial/mechanism onto one of those for an relatively budget M42 half frame camera
Interesting. I hadn't heard of that model.
@@BriansPhotoShow That should be a custom modified batch: using an available camera model as a basis and then the suitable mods applied for that specific job.
The LB2 is similar had a selenium cell looked like another viewfinder from a distance....
While watching this video I thought of a great idea for a new video. SLR's without in-camera meter. Pentax SL
Can anybody tell me the difference between the LTL and MTL series? They look almost identical.
What kind of film that ı need for this camera? I have one of this , my grandfather gave me but it only says L there not Ltl or other thing. Someone said fujifilm but dıd not tell what kind of fujifilm and ı'm confused. Can u help me with that
@ttunaak1358
A normal 35mm film, whether from Fuji, Agfa, Kodak, Ilford, Orwo, Harman, Rollei, etc.
What you need in terms of lighting conditions or what you prefer in terms of colour depends on your individual needs and taste. In other words, whether you prefer to shoot in sunshine, cloudy or overcast skies, at sunrise or sunset or at night, whether you prefer to shoot in colour or black and white. This is entirely up to you and the lighting conditions in which you take your photos.
I bought ltl 3 hard to get batteries but my meter works i love the camera. And yes loading is a joy. Jyst throw film at from across the room and it'll load. A few Soviet Russian Zorki and Kiev cameras made it to America but we're unusual.
The Praktica VLC and VLC 2 also had a removable pentaprism.
And spot light meter. It had a really clever mirror inside.
What kind of film does this camera take? My brother recently picked one up and i cant find alot of info
A normal 35mm film, whether from Fuji, Agfa, Kodak, Ilford, Orwo, Harman, Rollei, etc.
@@SchwarzPoet 🙏 TYYY
@@cozolt1 You're welcome🤝
The top and bottom plates are chromed plastic.
They are not, though Praktica cameras cannot compare in build and finish quality with Nikkormats - not remotely.
They are indeed.
Yes, unfortunately the tops and the bottoms of the L series prakticas are made of plastic. Very well made, but plastic 🤷🏻♂️ Greetings from Berlin!
@@denistonti Well that's a shock. I retract my earlier comment then! That was a well-disguised use of plastic.
Same surprise on my AE1. Also have an MTL 3
I would love to see some Miranda’s on the channel. Not a very talked about brand in general.
Praktica L series and the earlier Nova series are plentiful in Ottawa. Many Canadian soldiers were stationed in West Germany at NATO bases and brought them home. There are 2-3 for sale locally at any given time. I have never paid more than $20 for one with lens here. The MTL 5 has the nicest leatherette and viewscreen. Shutters are always good, though unrefined damping. Light seals always good. I prefer ones without self timer as the timer lever has a sharp raised metal accent that feels terrible. The Pentacon f1.8 50mm electric lens is good and focuses close. I would avoid the older Domiplan lens. They fall apart.
I did not know that about the Domipan. Thanks for the heads up.
The best is the Zeiss Jena Pancolar 1.8/50, is equal to the Zeiss Planar 1.8/50
@@BriansPhotoShow The Domiplan 50/2.8 is a classic air-spaced three-element design, but as it was a budget lens made in huge quantities, Meyer could not lavish enough time and effort to ensure top-level quality control. I have taken apart many to fix them, and found that they are quite susceptible to abuse. Also, the yellow grease Meyer used in the innards can have its lighter portion distilled over time, and re-congeals all over the iris mechanism making the iris action sluggish, or even stuck open. If one comes across a good example of the Domiplan it can be a great performer, but then it's also good to learn how to attend to the iris system too.
Now give me a break! If we keep us to the subject here, photographical equipment, almost everything were made in Germany (east and west), Japan and the Soviet Union. This was widely exported, in the millions. All kinds of other products was exported too, many of high quality, excellent binoculars is one example. That McCarthystan (US) didn't import them is another matter.