Praktica facts for kids
Praktica was a well-known brand of cameras. These cameras were made by a company called Pentacon in Dresden, a city in eastern Germany. Praktica cameras were produced from 1949 until 1990, when Germany became one country again.
After Germany reunited, Pentacon was split up and sold. Parts of it were bought by companies like Schneider Kreuznach and Noble.
Pentacon is a company based in Dresden that works with optics and precision engineering. For a long time, it was a very important camera maker. The name "Pentacon" comes from two things: the "Contax" camera brand from Dresden and the word "Pentagon." A pentagon is a shape with five sides. This shape was important because a special part called a pentaprism, used in SLR cameras, was first made in Dresden and had this shape.
Today, PENTACON GmbH is still in Dresden. It is part of the Schneider Group. Pentacon is like the modern version of older camera companies from Dresden, such as Zeiss Ikon. For many years, Dresden was the biggest camera producer in the world! Some famous old camera brands from these companies included Praktica, Exa, Pentacon, Zeiss Ikon, Contax, Ica, Ernemann, Exakta, and Praktiflex.
These companies created many new things in camera technology. For example, they made the first roll film SLR camera in 1933. They also made the first 35mm SLR in 1936. In 1949, they invented the pentaprism SLR, which made viewing through the camera much easier.
After World War II, Praktica cameras were most popular in countries in Eastern Europe. However, some were also sold in Western countries. Today, Praktica makes different products. These include budget-friendly lenses that are good quality but simple. They also make more expensive products. Praktica even creates optical equipment for space programs in the US, Europe, and Russia.
In 2001, Praktica stopped making traditional film SLR cameras. They started focusing on digital cameras and camcorders instead. They also began producing binoculars, spotting scopes, and other optical products.
Today, Praktica makes many items under different brand names. This includes products for cars, 3D LCD screens, and cameras and lenses. Since September 2015, Praktica Ltd, a company in the UK, has owned the Praktica brand.
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Praktica SLR Cameras
Praktica made many different types of SLR (Single-Lens Reflex) cameras over the years. These cameras allowed photographers to see exactly what the lens saw.
Early Praktica Models
- Praktica IV
- Praktica IV B
- Praktica IV M
- Praktica IV BM
- Praktica IV F
- Praktica IV FB
- Praktica V F
- Praktica V FB
L-Series Cameras
These were a popular line of Praktica cameras.
- Praktica LTL 3 (1975-1978)
- Praktica PLC 2 (1975-1978)
- Praktica L2 (1975-1980)
- Praktica L3 ENDO (1975-1980)
- Praktica LB 2 (1976-1977)
- Praktica VLC 2 (1976-1978)
- Praktica EE 2 (1977-1979)
- Praktica DTL 2 (1978-1979)
M-Series Cameras
The M-series included some very successful models.
- Praktica MTL 3 (1978-1984)
- Praktica Super TL 1000 (1980-1986)
- Praktica MTL 5 (1984-1986)
- Praktica MTL 5B (1986-1989)
- Praktica MTL 50 (1987-?)
B-Series Cameras
These cameras often featured electronic controls.
- Praktica BCC (1979-1990)
- Praktica B200 (1979)
- Praktica B100 (1981)
- Praktica BCA (1983-1990)
- Praktica BC1 (1984)
- Praktica BC3 (1987-1988)
- Praktica BMS (1989)
BX-Series Cameras
The BX-series were later models with advanced features.
- Praktica BX20 (1987)
- Praktica BX10 DX (1989-1990)
- Praktica BX21 DX (1990)
- Praktica BX20S (1992)
History of Praktica and its Parent Companies
The story of Praktica is part of a longer history of camera making in Dresden.
- 1887: Richard Hüttig started the first camera company in Dresden.
- 1897-98: Other important camera companies, Heinrich Ernemann and Emil Wünsche, were founded in Dresden.
- 1903: The Ernemann-Kino movie camera was made. It used special filmstrips for movies. This is where the word "Kino" (cinema) came from!
- 1906: Hüttig-AG became the largest camera maker in Europe, with over 800 employees.
- 1924: The Ernostar lens was created by Ludwig Bertele of Ernemann AG. It was very fast, meaning it could take pictures in low light for the first time.
- 1926: Four big German camera companies, including Ernemann and ICA from Dresden, joined together to form Zeiss-Ikon AG. This made them the biggest camera manufacturer in Europe.
- 1933: The EXAKTA 4×6.5, a small SLR camera using 127 film, was introduced.
- 1936: The Kine Exakta was released. It was the first 35mm single-lens reflex camera.
- 1939: The Praktiflex camera was introduced.
- 1945: Many camera factories in Dresden were heavily damaged during bombings in February 1945.
- 1949: The Contax S was introduced. This was the first 35mm SLR camera in the world with a built-in pentaprism viewfinder. This made the image in the viewfinder appear the right way up. It also introduced the M42 screw lens mount for changing lenses.
- 1949: The Praktica single-lens reflex camera, also using the M42 lens mount, was introduced.
- 1950: The EXAKTA Varex became the first SLR camera with viewfinders that could be swapped out.
- 1956: The Praktica FX2 was the first 35mm SLR camera with a special mechanism to stop down the lens diaphragm (control how much light enters) when taking a picture.
- 1959: The camera companies in Dresden merged to form 'VEB Kamera- und Kinowerke Dresden', which later became 'VEB Pentacon Dresden' in 1964.
- 1965: The Praktica mat was the first 35mm SLR camera in Europe with TTL (Through-The-Lens) exposure measurement. This meant the camera measured the light right through its own lens.
- 1969: The Praktica LLC was released. It was the first 35mm SLR camera that could communicate electrically with its interchangeable lenses.
See also
- John H. Noble
- Zeiss Ikon
