Industrial

I decided to broaden presentation of old 35 mm SLR cameras with Praktina system.
Beside Exacta, it was the best SLR camera in the Word, in the 50s. Unfortunately, its
production was stopped in 1960. It's worth to mention that Saxony was at that time real
SRL cameras field. A couple of plants situated in this region were producing such 35 mm
SLR camera systems like: Contax (later called Pentacon) on the basis of Zeiss Ikon
(system based on M 42x1 thread), Praktica (before called Praktiflex) in Kamera und
Kinowerke Dresden plant (M 42x1 system), Praktina, also in Kamera und Kinowerke
Dresden plant (bagnet Praktina), Exakta Varex and Exa in Ihagee Dresden plant (Exakta
lens mount), Pentina - SLR camera with central shutter and interchangeable lenses
(Pentina lens mount). And also Praktisix 6x6 (later called Pentacon six). Praktina system
was created in 1952. What did the situation of 35 mm SLR cameras look like at that time?
Exakta, by Ihagee Dresden was obviously prevailing. On the market there were also
Praktica, Contax (Pentacon), Exa, later also Pentina. All these cameras weren't as good as
Exakta was. That's why Kamera Werke Niedersedlitz company (after merger with Zeiss
Ikon in 1959 - Kamera und Kinowerke Dresden), producer of Praktica, decided to issue a
challenge to Ihagee, trying to create better SLR camera than Exakta. Let's see if it was a
success. Designers' layout (Siegfried Boehme - Praktisix designer) consisted in creation
ofthe camera which has possibilities equal to Exakta, but which is easier to use, briefly -
which is more handy and faster. This task was performed brilliantly. Praktina, created in
1952, was characterized by all Exakta advantages (removable viewfinders, focusing
screens, lenses and macro accessories, wide shutter range, solid workmanship) but it was
smaller and more handy: shutter times were controlled with only one knob (in Exakta it was
more complicated, controlled with two knobs), shutter release and film winding mechanism
is on the right-hand side (in Exakta - on the left-hand side), additional optical Newton
viewfinder was useful while taking photos of moving objects, in difficult lighting conditions
and while composing vertically photos, when instead of prism there was viewfinder eye
piece. Optical viewfinder was useful while still observing motive, because at the beginning
of the 50s instant return mirror wasn't used. Lenses in Praktina were fixed with omfortable,
reliable and fast lens mount. The lens mount was similar to the one in Pentacon six. We
put lens into camera and then we turn only one very wide shut-off button (you don't need
to turn whole lens). The biggest hit of Praktina was film transport. It was possible to couple
an electric drive with performance of 2 frames per second. Praktina is first SLR camera in
the world with such a drive. Besides, it was possible to control camera from a distance. It
was also possible to use a spring drive, which enables to take 10 photos at once. Without
such drives film in the camera was transported with a knob, on theright-hand side of the
camera or with an additional lever situated in the lower part of the camera. The camera
had removable backside which could be replaced with cartridge for 17 meter long film!
There were the same lenses for this camera like for Exakta, produced by Carl Zeiss Jena
and Meyer Goerlitz (obviously with Praktina lens mount). Some of them were equipped with
automatic diaphragm. All these things caused that Praktina was really appreciated by
professional photographers and rich photo lovers (the price of Praktina in Poland was
more or less equal to Exakta and Praktisix prices, it means about 8.000 PLN, i.e. about 6
average salaries in the 50s). To be precise, it is necessary to mention that Exakta was the
best in the question of shutter range: from 1/1000 up to 12s. (Praktina: 1/1000 up to 1s.)
and it had also more additional equipment, especially for scientific and medical
photography (except for drives, obviously). On the global markets there were also more
lenses compatible with Exakta, which has been produced since 1936. Unfortunately,
Praktina was withdrawn from production in 1960. Probably because of centralization of
production in one, Pentacon concern. Instead of producing a couple of SLR camera
systems in one plant (Praktina, Pentina, Pentacon, Praktica), they decided to produce only
one, the cheapest and the most popular Praktica. 13 years later they resigned from
producing Exakta and only amateur Praktica remained on the market. It has never
reached so high level like Exakta or Praktina in comparison with competition on the world
market in the 50s. It's worth to mention that in 1968 - 1972, Professional SLR camera
Pentacon Super was produced (its first name was Praktina N), being developed Praktina
(but lenses were mount with M 42x1 thread). Unfortunately the plant produced only 4.000
pieces, mainly for Stasi.