Praktica is originally the label name for series of mirror reflex cameras of the manufacturer Pentacon Dresden. The cameras manufactured in the GDR were exported also abroad and sold for example in West Germany by source under the label name RevueFlex.

For the 90's carry also binoculars, digital and compact cameras the trademark "“PRAKTICA"”.

2001 were adjusted the production of mirror reflex cameras of the mark Praktica.

Since 2002 there are digital cameras of the mark Praktica, 2004 with the product row Luxmedia was begun. Optics are produced also for example for Polaroid and its Foveon X3-Gemeinschaftsproduktion with sigma. To the product assortment also services belong such as Ausbelichtungen.

History and development

The first Praktica camera - which Praktiflex - by Siegfried one designed, in the year 1949 presented and of the mechanics camera workshops VEB Niedersedlitz manufactured. This VEB had been originally created 1919 as camera workshops Guthe & Thorsch GmbH von Benno Thorsch and Paul Guthe in Dresden.

Product history

With the cameras of the first generations the objective thread M42 x 1 was used. Here it concerns an internationally standardized and producer-independent Schraubgewinde.

Predecessors of the label name "“Praktica"” were the cameras

• Pentacon and
• Pentacon F, which were built until approx. 1958.

The 1951 presented Praktica FX (thread also admits - and as Kawenda as Praktiflex FX - then however with M40 x 1 -) by Praktica was for the first time introduced synchronous sockets thereby Blitzlichtsynchronisation.Auch the PL-system (Pentacon loading) had and controlled. It consists essentially of two radially inward springy on the film cartridge facing the camera role, which winds the film up with direction of rotation against the direction on the Filmspule again.

See also a detailed description of the Practika of models stand here: Camera system

Camera models

Of Pentacon produced cameras were exported also under other names than Practica abroad outside of the Eastern Bloc, partially than order work for companies, which drove the models out under own label. Some these label names and/or clients were: Jenaflex, Kawenda, Hanimex, revue and Porst.

Successors from the first camera generation were:

• Praktica FX 2 (starting from 1956)
• Praktina FX (starting from 1956)
• Praktina IIa (starting from 1959)
• Praktica IV
• Praktica IV B
• Praktica IV M
• Praktica IV CBM
• Praktica IV FB
• Praktica V F
• Praktica V FB

To the second camera generation, which were manufactured in the VEB Pentacon Dresden, belong:

• Praktica
• Praktica new facts
• Praktica new facts B
• Praktica mat
• Praktica new facts I
• Practical courses new facts IB
• Praktica super tl
• Praktica electronics

Also the cameras of the third generation used still the Schraubgewinde M42; among this generation the following models rank:

• Praktica L fullmechanical basis model
• Praktica L2
• Praktica LB2
• Praktica LTL identically constructed with Porst reflex CX-6
• Praktica super TL2
• Praktica super TL3
• Praktica LTL3
• Praktica MTL3 as MTL5 until 1987 (among other things also as MTL5b with flashlight socket) built
• Praktica LTL2 announcement exposure measurement over LEDs (also DTL2/3, MTL50)
• Praktica DTL2
• Praktica DTL3
• Praktica MTL50
• Praktica LLC interior photometry with open screen, just as all following cameras, necessarily for it special objectives with electric
• Praktica PLC2
• Praktica PLC3
• Praktica VLC Wechselsuchersystem
• Praktica VLC2
• Praktica VLC3
• Praktica EE2 automatic timer
• Praktica EE3 automatic timer

The fourth generation of the Praktica Spiegelreflexkameras was presented for the first time with the Praktica B 200 in the year 1978 on the Leipziger fair and manufactured from 1979 to 1990. A substantial innovation was the introduction of the bayonet connection (also PB-mount mentioned) and a modern Design for cameras and objectives. For the first time also zooms, later also still autofocus objectives were introduced.

Since the B-system for customers was very expensive in the GDR, against planning the more affordable M42-Kameralinie to reduced extent was continued to produce. Later there were disarmed and thus more cheaply which can be produced model variants particularly for the GDR market technically (see in addition Praktica BCC and Praktica BCA). Turned around special model versions were manufactured Netherlands and French export market for the British, only in Design elements and in the naming from the which are the basis Urtypen differed (see in addition Praktica BCX, Praktica BC car, Jenaflex AM-1, Jenaflex AC-1 and Praktica BC3).

Disadvantage of the Pentacon bayonet was the fact that it was an self-development and not with other quasi-market standards as the Pentax K bayonet, was compatible. Thus the use of objectives was on again which can be bought bayonet objectives with PB-mount reduced contrary to the Schraubgewinde used before. This reduced the acceptance of the system in the market.

To the B-Kamerageneration the following models belong:

• Praktica B 200 and BCX, chrome
• Praktica BC 1 BC3/BCX, black and Jenaflex AM-1
• Praktica B 100 and BC car
• Praktica BCA and Jenaflex AC-1
• Praktica M
• Praktica BCS
• Praktica BCC
• Praktica CBM BMS and revue BC 2

BX-Modellreihe (manufacturing between 1987 and 1990):

• Praktica BX 20

BX-Modellreihe from the postturning time (manufacturing between 1991 and 2001):

• Praktica BX 20S
• Praktica BX 20D

See also

• Exakta

Literature

• Herbert Blumtritt: History of the Dresdens photo industry. Lime tree man: Stuttgart 2000
• Herbert Blumtritt: The Prakti. Lime tree man: Stuttgart 2002
• K. Hartmann: Pentacon practice (1. Edition). Photo cinema publishing house: Resounds 1960
• Richard Hummel: Mirror reflex cameras from Dresden - history, technology, facts (first and revised Nachauflage extended). Edition Reintzsch: Leipzig 1995
• W. Mesow: Small book to the Praktica (1. Edition). Photo cinema publishing house: Leipzig 1980
• Franz Pangerl. The Praktica book. Seebruck: Heering publishing house 1967
• Roger Photography with the Praktica (1. Edition). Photo cinema publishing house: Resounds (Saale) 1959 (12. Aufl. 1977)

Related links

• ''' Praktica.de ''' - official ones '' Praktica '' - web page [[Pentacon|Pentacon GmbH]]
• ''' Pentacon Dresden.de '''
• ''' Baierfoto.de ''' - list of cameras of different marks, those are identically constructed with Prakticas
• History of the Praktica
• Praktica: the small picture mirror reflex camera
• ''' Praktica collector.de ''' - Praktica Website of a collecting tank (English)
• ''' Praktica users.com ''' - Website '' of the Praktica users Group Worldwide '' (englischspr. Praktica Yahoo Group) with operating instructions, objective overviews and other one
• ''' Praktica b.org ''' - Website of a Praktica b of collecting tank, Kamera-und objective information (German of these Site many camera articles were taken over)

Articles in category "Praktica"

We found here 4 articles.

Related Websites

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• PRAKTICA-USERS.COM
  A collection of Praktica cameras, their lenses and photos taken with them.