This East German camera, from the 1980's. While Canon and Nikon were going full electronic, Praktica kept the old tech going. Fully mechanical, fully manual and cool.
Dad had one of this since mid 80's, and now that he's passed, I'll keep it!
jonbas
I have an MTL 5b from the mid 80‘s . Very simple and reliable . On holidays I always carry a second Camera (Revue ML) infact built identical by the same East German Company Pentacon in Dresden but to be sold in West Germany exclusively by Revue Quelle. So having both is like using a german heritage product. These cameras can be used without a battery using the Smartphone App as a lightmeter, they work fully mechanical . Something you‘d dream of with a 40 year old Canon AE1…. These japanese cameras were superior but they‘re not going to last.
thomassonntag
The loading mechanism of the Praktica L-series (like all the MTLs) is quite genius, because out of an 36 exp. film I always get at least 38 exposures and sometimes also 39 exposures. And never had any problem loading it. I own two MTL 5B, one LB and an LB2. And also a Revue ML. But the quality of the images is not defined by the Praktica, it's defined by the lenses. And the Pentacon lenses are pretty good, but of course the also East German manufactured Carl Zeiss Jena lenses are way superior. And for medium format I own the big East German brother of the Praktica, the Pentacon six TL, also with Carl Zeiss Jena lenses. These cameras are so simple, pragmatic, minimalistic. I just love that.
Kolibri
Hi sir, Which camera would be better Praktica MTL3 with Pentacon 50mm f 1.7 or Vivitar v3000s with vivitar 50mm f1.8
ebullientcookie
I remember watching this video when you first put it out. I'm only commenting now because I've just picked up a lovely MTL3 for peanuts. I have heard - and I can't vouch for the accuracy of it - that Praktica had mastered the art of plating the plastic top plate, which apparently no other company had mastered. So they did a deal with a Japanese manufacturer to sell them the technology in exchange for more advanced electronics. Hence the later electronic models.
nevillewatkins
That abandoned building... I would've gone in 😎. Could take some interesting pictures with light shining trough those broken glass windows.
hamish
As the MTL5 B was my first 35mm camera, I really had a great time with it and learned a lot about light and composition with it. However it was not long really before the Pentax MX and Nikon FM drew away my attention. I eventually went with the Nikon and sold the Praktica. In my opinion having used all 3 cameras, they were all quite capable. I obtained nice prints and slides with each of them. Thank You for your assessment.
dezmondwhitney
I began a sport photography career in the early 80s with a Praktica MTL3 and 50mm lens photographing rodeos. The MTL3 was robust and reliable with a simple match needle exposure indicator, other than that, completely manual. The sort of camera that made you learn your craft rather than rely on technology.
mickeyjmoons
Thanks...your video adds me some knowledges.. cool...yeah i got 1 of this model..
vvjuyu
as long as the shutter fires accordingly, film advances as it should (the MTL3 film advance is not as smooth as Nikon or Canon though but it gets the job done) and tonnes of lens to choose, the M42 use to be dirt cheap but since film photography is trending, some models come with a hefty price tags. But as a film photography enthusiast, I like to have and use either Japan made cameras, Russians, China or Germans because each model has its own characteristic.
nazahamed
I agree to all you said. But nowadays more and more people want to shoot film. And film cameras are becoming a scarce commodity as they are no longer manufactured. So then every camera is cool as long as it it working, even a Praktica. Keep it up! 😊👍🏻
sonvis
Hi, really enjoyed the vid
Which film did you use? thx
francescaizumi
Did u Shot kodak gold With this Setup and can show some samples pls?
HauptsacheTakt
What you said is true but a Pentax MX is way more expensive than a Praktica.
You can usually find these for cheap, with or without a lens, and I do prefer their metal shutter tbh.
And yes, they also look cool.
About reliability I don't know. I liked to think it was reliable, then the advance lever got stuck during an holiday last summer, I had to put the roll on my Konica Autoreflex T4 and rely on it.
It was an easy, cheap fix and it works fine again now but I guess I can't really trust it.
The best mechanical M42 body is probably my Revueflex SC-I (aka Chinon CM-3, CM-1 or AM-3)
milkyway
It's funny to stand there, taking good pictures with a 40-45 year old camera, and repeating how unreliable it is. And then recommending an old AE-1, when their electronics ARE notoriously unreliable at this point. Give me a solid, surviving mechanical camera at this point. Yes, I prefer my Pentax MX, but I also have a fully functional Praktica MTL3 as well. It has long outlived its battery.
WRCzATL
There's nothing wrong with Praktica cameras. They work just as well as more expensive Nikons, Canons etc. The photograph is made by the photographer, not the camera.
sputumtube
Sorry. I have to take issue with your comments on build quality.
For the price, these cameras were excellent. Yes they were/are very basic. But they were the best bang for the buck that you could get. What do you need in order to learn about photography? A camera that works, with a decent lens. That's it. Everything else is just windows dressing.
mjdegrey
There is a lot of difference between these series. The old curtain shutter series are really robust and the worst thing that happens to them is needing a new curtain. The L series are tanks. After that it got worst. The MTL5 is the worst of them. The B series is so-so.
I have them all, often in duplicate, so I have some experience with these.
