Praktiflex from 1948 makes selfie

Purchased this camera by occasion - never know much about German cameras before. Was asked to check "whether you may want something more from grandpa's old chest". It is "second generation, model 14" by praktica-collector.de. Surprisingly well working, despite viewfinder cover seemingly was damaged and somehow repaired. About 59000 cameras produced in total but seemingly many of them were preserved well into our time. This one has serial number 308xx. Here is a picture of 1st version Praktiflex I bought later www.lomography.com/photos/27211767

Photographer:
rodiongork
Uploaded:
2023-04-07
Tags:
camera mirror selfie
Camera:
Praktiflex
Film:
Shanghai GP3 100
Lens:
Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 3.5/50
Year:
2023

5 Comments

  1. crosschannel
    crosschannel ·

    www.buecher.de/shop/filmbuecher/der-veb-pentacon-dresden/je…

    This is an amazing book about the History of Pentacon. Although in german language, it contains a lot of photographs, documents and manufacturer's lists.

  2. rodiongork
    rodiongork ·

    @crosschannel wow, thanks a lot! I'm so much ignorant about the history of German cameras manufacturing "main-lines" so that it hardly occurred to me that "Pentacon" is actually the name of the factory behind so large range of cameras from Exacta to Praktica. Probably I should try to master a bit of Deutsch for reading books at least :)

  3. rolfmg
    rolfmg ·

    A rare camera indeed - one of the first SLR's. I had the earlier one with a 40mm mount (later they had the 42mm mount) but it was almost a wrack and I gave it away to an Italian collector and fine mechanics - my "repair abilities" for fine mechanics are very limited.

  4. rodiongork
    rodiongork ·

    @rolfmg Interesting note, thanks :) actually they are surprisingly not rare here. Local "fleamarket" websites easily list about a dozen anytime - and I casually got two for about $30 each. Surprisingly they are often in working condition (both of mine were). Currently looking for the earlier version (with button at the top and self-falling-back mirror) and also for the version with M42 - they seemingly are rare. Regretfully right now I don't think it is easy (or even possible) to send one of these to you (due to known logistic difficulties) but I guess things may get easier in a year or two - so who knows, perhaps we'll be able to return one of them to the country where they were born :)

  5. rolfmg
    rolfmg ·

    @rodiongork Many thanks for your kind reply......I assume that this camera was more distributed in the East. As Praktiflex was an East German company products were not much marketed in West Germany in the fifties and sixties. Only later, long after the Praktiflex came into being, there was a more significant trade volume (starting perhaps with the seventies slowly but steadily). But it is so kind of you to offer the camera; really appreciated. I also hope that the "logistical" difficulties will be over soon. Best regards Rolf

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