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Collector's Guide to
Praktina System

Zeiss  |  Meyer  |  Angenieux  |  Enna  |  Feinmess  |  Isco  |  Kilfitt  |  Schacht  |  Schneider  |  Steinheil  |  Teleconverter
Praktina Lenses

Lenses range
The lenses with fixed Praktina mount include preset lenses from 24mm to 600mm, semi-auto lenses from 35mm to 135mm and auto lenses from 25mm to 135mm. Carl Zeiss Jena produced also two mirror lenses and a special ring for fitting ASB Sonnar 180 and 300 made with fixed mount for Praktisix to cameras as Exakta, Pentacon-Praktica and Praktina extending the range of fully auto lenses to 300mm.
Eighty lenses with fixed Praktina mount are listed by manufacturers. Seven lenses have semi-auto diaphragm and fourteen have auto diaphragm. Lenses with fixed Praktina are produced from Carl Zeiss, Meyer-Optik, Angenieux, Enna, Feinmess, Isco, Kilfitt, Schacht, Schneider and Steinheil.
For these manufacturers a short note gives a list of lenses with interchangeable mount for different SLR including the Praktina

Not listed the lenses with interchangeable mount for different 35mm SLR, including the Praktina, produced from German manufacturers as Astro, Kilfitt, Novoflex,  Piesker, Tewe, Max Weth Optik,  and the lenses with the "T" mount systems manufactured by Japanese companies and marked Accura, Aetna-Rokunar, Amitar, Astranar, Bass, Berolina, Caspeco, Juplen, Kaligar, Kalimar, Kawanon, Lentar, Prinz, Sear, Sigma, Samigon, Soligor, Sonnagar, Spiratone, Sun, Sunset, Tamron, Vivitar.

Lens mount
The camera has a breech lens mount not used from any other SLR. This type of mount and the 50mm distance of the camera flange to film plane allow the use of lenses of others 35mm cameras, via an adapter, for close-up only.

Diaphragm mechanisms
The control of the diaphragm is one of the main features in the lens specification. It's important to understand the differences in the diaphragm mechanisms to use correctly the Praktina lenses. Each listed lens has a code that indicates the different diaphragm's feature.

NB (Normal Blende) Manual lenses
These lenses have a ring to manually close the diaphragm down to the wished aperture. The diaphragm will remain close until it is reopened manually.
These lenses fit and work on all models.
BV (Blende Vorwal) Preset lenses
These lenses have a ring to set the diaphragm aperture to a preset value. Before taking the picture turn the preset ring until it stops, which will close the diaphragm down to the preset aperture. The diaphragm will remain close until it is reopened manually.
These lenses fit and work on all models.
SB (Spring Blende) Semi-automatic lenses
These lenses have a ring to set the diaphragm aperture to a preset value and a pin that engage with the internal mechanism of the camera. A cocking lever opens the diaphragm manually to the largest aperture and set a spring mechanism. The internal actuating pin of the FX-A model moves forward when the shutter release is pressed, and the diaphragm will automatically close to the pre-selected aperture. The diaphragm will remain close until it is reopened manually.
These lenses work on FX-A and IIA-DA even if they fit on all models.
ASB (Automatic Spring Blende) Fully automatic lenses
These lenses have a ring to set the diaphragm aperture to a preset value and a pin that engage with the internal mechanism of the camera. The internal actuating pin of the IIA model moves backward when the shutter release is pressed, and the diaphragm will automatically close to the pre-selected aperture. The diaphragm opens automatically when the shutter is cooked.
These lenses work on IIA and IIA-DA even if they fit on all models.

 

Copyright © 2000-2007 Alberto Taccheo.