PL
The first camera Practica was built in 1949 in the Company “Mechanic Werkstätten VEB Niedersedlitz Camera” – the company formerly known as “camera-Werkstätten Guthe and Thorsch GmbH” (KW). This company was founded in 1919 by Benno Thorsch and Paul Guthe in Dresden. In 1964 it ws transformed in VEB Pentacon in Dresden. In 1968, the conglomerate incorporated Feinoptisches VEB Werk Görlitz, Ihagee, Mentor and Certo. The Combine was one of the largest manufacturers of cameras in Europe. Mechanically controlled cameras were produced until 1990.
In October 1990, the Pentacon company was put into liquidation and in this state was bought by Heinrich Mandermann, owner of, among others Schneider-Kreuznach optical factory. Currently, cameras and digital cameras, as well as spotting scopes and binoculars are produced under the Praktica brand.
I have a collection of several Praktica cameras, including the oldest model of 1949 (a beautifully preserved), and Praktina Pentacon F and IIA.
At present, no museum presenting the old Pentacon production is in operation in Dresden. I was there and I did not find …
More:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentacon
- http://www.praktica-collector.de/ by PhD Mike Otto
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praktica
- https://www.butkus.org/chinon/index.html user manuals in PDF or HTML
- https://www.butkus.org/chinon/praktica/praktica_guide/praktica_guide.htm
Exhibits.
- Contax D
- EXA 1b
- Pentacon F (Contax)
- Praktica KW
- Praktica L endoskope
- Praktica MTL 3
- Praktica MTL5B
- Praktica Nova
- Praktica PL nova I
- Praktica super TL3
- Praktina IIA
