This following article with tables and pictures was written by Heinz Schrauf along with some collectors. It was published in the volume 65 (II/2009) of “PhotoDeal”-Magazine (www.photodeal.de).
We give our gratitude to Heinz Schrauf (Solingen), Peter Beck (Dusseldorf), Dirk Seifert (Friedrichsdorf/Ts.) and Wilfried Pietsch (Moelln) for their commitment in writing this article and to Mary Erler (Fraureuth) for the translation of this text into the English language.

Contents:

1. General conspectus and historical background
2. Tables to Praktica-versions in different countries
   • 2.1. Praktica-versions in the Netherlands
   • 2.2.1. Praktica-versions in USA (Hanimex)
   • 2.2.2. Praktica-versions in USA (various)
   • 2.3. Praktica-versions in France
   • 2.4. Praktica-versions in Great Britain
   • 2.5. Praktica-versions in Italy
   • 2.6.1. Praktica-versions in Federal Republic of Germany (Quelle)
   • 2.6.2. Praktica-versions in Federal Republic of Germany (Porst)
   • 2.6.3. Praktica-versions in Federal Republic of Germany (Ringfoto)
   • 2.6.4. Praktica-versions in Federal Republic of Germany (Beroflex)
   • 2.6.5. Praktica-versions in Federal Republic of Germany (various)
   • 2.7. Praktica-versions in Switzerland
   • 2.8. Praktica-versions in Japan
   • 2.9. worldwide Praktica-versions for export

“Even the Pentacon did not always know it… Versions of Praktica Cameras for export and from different countries” (Heinz Schrauf, Solingen)

1. General conspectus and historical background

When the first Praktica came out of the company KW (Kamerawerkstätten Niedersedlitz) in 1949, nobody could guess the world-wide interest for this camera series. The main reason was probably the M42-screw thread for interchangeable lenses which was developed shortly before for the last Praktiflex, produced after the World War II. It was the beginning of the M42-screw thread. In the coming years, it became the Praktica screw thread for other kinds of cameras and almost all the producers of objectives.
Because of problems with names and laws of the Carl Zeiss Jena Company, those original interchangeable lenses were almost unavailable in the western countries. Other producers of objectives blew a breach in because they noticed early the practical benefit of the Praktica screw thread. The change of an objective on other cameras, for an example the Exakta, was only possible by a special bayonet for that objective. Even distinguished camera producers such as Asahi Pentax equipped their cameras with the Praktica screw thread.

The years after 1945 were the era of monocular single lens reflex cameras for the “sophisticated claim of the photographer”. Cameras from German lands were global leaders and very much in demand. Hardly any other countries produced as many cameras as Germany, which of course included the German Democratic Republic. The first M42 cameras were produced in Dresden. The parallel development of Contax-S and its following model at Zeiss Ikon Company were performed in Dresden. The M42 objectiv played a decisive role in their market success.
Very soon, both companies exported cameras to other countries. There were different reasons: traditional contacts, delivery as reparations, to meet the demands of currency in the GDR, the possibility to get the right objective from a foreign country – or just the German cameras were in great demand.
There were cameras produced in Dresden which got a very different name. This happened because of the law relating to the use of name or for economic benefits.
As far as the Praktica cameras are concerned, there are multitudes of variations. The collecting field Praktica with its entire variety of functions is hardly clear, so it is only worthwhile to collect the export variations although, although they are now more difficult to get. First of all, you need to know if it is a real Praktica.
It is easy to identify the Praktica FX 3 (which was the export model of Praktica FX 2, even reading in the instruction manual was the same as FX 2). It is still easy with Praktiflex FX, which was the common export model of the first Praktica cameras. They were mainly exported to the Unites States. Nevertheless without pictures and the year of production it can be confused with the Praktiflex (made from 1936-1939), above all when it does not have the suffix FX because its name was not Praktica.

It is also easy when you can read, for example, Hanimex Praktica LTL on the later models.

Hanimex Praktica LTL

Many names are difficult to identify from afar without a picture. That begins with early versions such as, FX 56 or PENTOR super TL to Cavalier STL I until Jenaflex
AM 1. Those were the last models that had a bayonet connector.
How can we know in Germany that “RTL Astro/Micro Convertible “ is not an advertising campaign of a well-known local TV and radio channel, but a Praktica VLC 2 of the US importer Robert T. Little, New York?

The papers “Single lens reflex cameras from Dresden” by Richard Hummel are very instructive, but together with other sources they don’t offer sufficient and complete information about the variety of export models. The causes are quite simple: Out-of-the-box Prakticas were delivered from Dresden to branches, agencies and traders who renamed those Prakticas. Sometimes, they coarsely stripped the engraved name and glued up a new label as a cover. Some Prakticas were provided without the original label to the branches, where they affixed a new label. Those “no-name” Prakticas are also examples of that. One corresponds with the Praktica Nova, the other corresponds the Praktica PLC 3. They are both rarely found and not to associated with a special country or importer because they are namelessly. They may belong to those remainders of Prakticas which were prepared for sticking on another label.

Cameras sold in Great Britain simply got a new label on a blank body-cap. In my information, the Scotch Company manufactured those labels. In the beginning they did slip something. Those labels needed a punched notch on their long lower side for the salient little bolt of the top cover. Those labels, for example, made a Praktica Super TL 1000 into a Praktica TL 3 or to a Nova II; a Praktica MTL 5 B became a TL 5 B or a MTL Nova B. Actually, it is incomprehensible why those changes of classifications happened because they used the name Praktica name anyway. As for me, the one and only reason for that could be a rule in Great Britain that did not permit them to sell Prakticas with the same classification as those from Dresden. That is not sure, it is only my suggestion.

The Prakticas of the L series called Revue-flex cameras and the cameras called Porst-reflex were sold by the mail-order house Quelle and the Photo Porst. Their top cover of the pentaprism was completely changed. Those cameras received not only other names but also another outfits.

The changed top covers were made at Pentacon Company in Dresden-Helfenberg. Because of the company’s construction bottlenecks, the injection moulds were bought from a producer in Portugal. Owing to the complete change of name, only the print “Made in GDR” (made in German Democratic Republic) told the source was Dresden.

The Praktica B 200 S was also made in Dresden but is not a real country variant. Information by PENTACON Dresden to one of the collectors and authors of this article made sure that those cameras “…were destined for photojournalists of ADN (Allgemeiner Deutscher Nachrichtendienst = the news agency of GDR) and therefore got special care during manufacturing. They got a special lubrication for improving the operating life of the light exposure mechanism. They also put a main focus on very small tolerances. The letter S was only set for differentiation. There was only produced a small quantity…”
According to PENTACON, they produced approximately 80 of those cameras; other sources say 200 maximum. It is curious, but most of them seem to be in England and that is why we mention them here. Their mysterious path to Great Britain remains an unknown to PENTACON.

Praktica B 200 S

Some of very rare Prakticas were not produced in Dresden during the time of GDR, although they are called Prakticas. An example is the Praktica CX 1. This model was made at Cosina in Japan. It is not an export variant from Dresden so we don’t include in this article. We mention it for better identification. It is a small, handy range-finder camera which is not a SLR. Foto-Quelle sold it under a different name. It was also manufactured as a rarer power-driven variant CX-2. I found the CX-1 and the CX-2 only in Holland. I also found a SLR from Cosina which has nothing in common with a Praktica SLR from Dresden, because it’s label is black with blue letters and it has an EXA-bayonet-connector. We are left in the dark about the reason. We don’t know if the Cosina Company did name piracy or if it had temporary permission to use the name.
Also the Pentaflex SL is either an export or a variant of another country, but it was the simple variant of the Praktica Nova, made in Dresden and available for people in GDR.

According to the catalogue of G. Kadlubek, we came to the conclusion that it is not right that the Praktica MX was an U.S. variant. One of my collector colleagues says: “Another variant – not mentioned in “Hummel” – is the ‘Praktica MX’ factory-provided graved (instead of Praktica FX). In the late Kadlubek Catalogue the MX is called an export model of the United States. That's not right!
The manufacturing numbers of MX cameras which I know are at the beginning of the FX row (box numbers around 80,000). Not one of those cameras came from foreign countries and there had never been an offer to sell them on e-bay/USA during the last years.”
It was actually planned to call them “Praktica MX”. A small quantity was manufactured, but then the flash technology improved to short lightning lamplights (F) (M = middle, F = fast). They probably replaced “MX” with the more modern “FX”.

Although most of the members of the Praktica fan community started their intensive work about Praktica cameras after the political turn in 1990, I dare to say that only now are they getting an almost complete overview of all countries’ versions. Owing to the global offers on e-bay, nothing seems to keep hidden. Now with some patience, it is possible to find a Pentacon Italia without a trip to Italy. Otherwise it is extremely difficult to get it with the label of the former company Ippolito Cattaneo S.p.A. Furthermore, there are Prakticas of Pentacon Italia with a blank label instead of the blue one. Finally, you can be sure you have a Pentacon Italia Praktica by opening the back and seeing the guarantee sticker with the address of Pentacon Italia on the inside of the film spool chamber. In this case it may be the better way to travel to Bella Italia…

A Praktica collector from England might travel to Old Germany to find a Praktica made by the company Beroflex. They were sold in the old Federal Republic of Germany. Those Prakticas can not be immediately identified and are not identical with serial models. They have a sticker with “Beroflex Garantie” (Beroflex guarantee) inside their film spool chamber. There is a code of sales office and year. The first number is the sales office: 10 = Berlin, 20 = Hamburg, 30 = Bad Kissingen, 40 = Minden, 50 = Köln, 60 = Bergen-Enkheim, 80 = München. The second number is the sales year: 470 = 1974, 570 = 1975, 670 = 1976, 770 = 1977, 780 = 1978, 790 = 1979, 800 = 1980, 810 = 1981, 820 = 1982, 830 = 1983, 840 = 1984 etc. The numbers go through 900 = 1990.
I guess there is no camera with so many different names. Although most of the facts are known nowadays, some questions still remain. Despite the global world, no one can either know everything or get every variety. That is why some collectors joined me in writing this article. I express my gratitude to them for all their know how and for the photos of these cameras. I would appreciate getting new information about missing variants.

For lack of space, it is not possible to include photos of every variant. It is not necessary because the special ones are interesting, especially the ones which are not identified immediately. These photos just give you an idea. There are more photos available at www.dresdner-kameras.de, www.prakticy-collector.de or www.practica-b.org. More photos are in the mentioned book of Richard Hummel “Spiegelreflexkameras aus Dresden” (single lens reflex cameras from Dresden) and in the camera catalogues of G. Kadlubek. With the photo of the original model and the table indexes “Identical with Original Type” and “Variation of Original” the classification is almost certain.

2. Tables to Praktica-versions in different countries

Praktica BC 3 (Praktica BC 1)

Hanimex Praktica TL (Praktica super TL)

Contica (Praktica)

GRANTIKA (Praktica FX)

Catalina (Praktica FX)

Labels SLR JCPenney

Praktica 1000 (Praktica super TL 2)

Praktica TL 5B (Praktica MTL 5 B)

Jenaflex AC-1 (Praktica BCA)

labels CATTANEO (embossed), CATTANEO (printed), PENTACON ITALIA and blank label

Praktica B 100 with blank label

Praktica B 200 with warranty-sticker Cattaneo

Praktica BX 20 with label Pentacon Italia

PORST reflex CX 4 (Praktica LB 2)

PORST reflex CX 6 (Praktica LTL)

Praktica autoreflex S-TL (Praktica LTL)

Praktica BX 20 S with “Schneider” brand name

Praktiflex FX 3 (Praktica FX 2)

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