Prakti

Prakti (1961)
image by Jaap Schelvis (Image rights)

The Prakti is a sophisticated viewfinder camera for 35mm film introduced in 1961. It was first produced by KW and since 1964 by Pentacon in Dresden. The modern camera was awarded a gold medal for "Hervorragende Formgebung" (Outstanding Design) by the GDR ministry of culture. Its futuristic appearance did not belie the specifications of the camera. In the early 1960's motorized film-transport combined with electronically controlled automatic exposure were definitely state of the art camera features.

Using the Prakti was very simple. All the photographer had to do was to set the film speed at the back of the camera. Then you would choose the correct pictogram on top of the camera by turning the prominent ribbed ring around the objective which moves a red indicator on top of the camera. Choices were: Portrait, Group, Landscape and Sport (+ flash and B). In modern terms this would be called 'scene-selection', the German name was 'Motivregister'. The camera would then be focussed with an appropriate aperture and the shutter speed was based upon the amount of light measured by the Selenium light meter.

Specifications

Type: viewfinder camera
Manufacturer: KW later Pentacon
Production period: 1961 - 1969
Film: 35mm
Lens: achromatic Meyer-Optik Görlitz Domiton 1:4/40 mm
Prestor-00 reflex leaf shutter, flash-synchronized X
Aperture: 1:4 to 1:16
Viewfinder: optical
Coupled selenium light meter
Film speed setting 12-400 ASA in both, ASA and DIN scale
Film advance: motorized by two AA-batteries loaded in the side of the camera body.
Image counter (bottom of camera)
Rewind crank (bottom of camera)
Cold shoe available as clip-on accessory
Tripod socket ¼ "
Cable release socket in the bottom of the shutter release button
Dimensions: 133 × 88 × 60 mm
Weight: 672 Gr (without film or batteries)