Praktica family
Praktica family model list
The Praktica cameras, made by KW and later amalgamated within Pentacon, were made for over for 30 years. Cameras were grouped into several distinct generations, as listed below, where the models were much similar within each generation. The naming convention is beyond me, as it kept going back and forth with little relevance to the model itself. At least KW / Pentacon took the trouble in clearly marking each model, eliminating the guessing game typical to other manufacturers. Most of the production was exported, and handled by several distributors, so naming was all over the place.
Please see further notes at the bottom.
| Model | Years | Qty made | Notes / Rebrands | |||
| Early models | ||||||
| Praktica | Value | 1949-1952 | 62,000 | KC-52 | ||
| MX | Value | 1952 | 5,000 | Early FX | ||
| FX | Value | 1952-1955 | 95,000 | Similar to the 1949 Praktica with one, two, or three synch ports. Rebrands: FX 55, Reflex FX; Astra 35 FX; Rival MX35 Reflex Grantica, Milliflex, Kineflex F-X, Catalina, Columbia 35, M-X | ||
| Praktiflex III | Value | 1955 | 14,000 | |||
| FX2 | Value | 1956-1958 | 76,500 | FX with a different viewer. Rebrand: Porst FX 2 reflex | ||
| FX3 | Value | 1956-1959 | 46,000 | An FX2 for different markets. Rebrand: Porst FX 3 | ||
| V, IV series | ||||||
| IV | Value | 1959-1964 | 55,100 | First fixed eye-level viewer. Bottom lever winder in addition to the top knob. Rebrand Praktica Prisma. | ||
| IV M | Value | 1961-1964 | 19,000 | IV with a split image focusing. | ||
| IV F | Value | 1963-1965 | 20,500 | IV with a split image focusing. | ||
| IV B | Value | 1961-1964 | 23,600 | Praktica IV with an uncoupled meter. | ||
| IV BM | Value | 1961-1964 | 26,100 | |||
| IV FB | Value | 1963-1965 | 25,200 | V f with an uncoupled meter. | ||
| V | Value | 15,000 | IV | |||
| V F | Value | 1965-1966 | 8,700 | V with instant return mirror. | ||
| V FB | Value | 1965-1966 | 6,300 | |||
| Nova series | ||||||
| Nova | Value | 1964-1967 | 88,000 | A scaled-down VF in a smaller body. Winder on top. | ||
| Nova B | Value | 1965-1967 | 100,000 | Nova with an added uncoupled meter. | ||
| Mat | Value | 1965-1969 | 25,000 | As the Nove, with a coupled TTL CdS meter. | ||
| Pentaflex SL | Value | 1967-1968 | 50,000 | Pentacon SR 35, Porst Reflex FX 3 | ||
| PL series | ||||||
| PL Nova I | Value | 1967-1972 | 136,000 | Same as Nova, all speeds are on the same dial. Rebrands: Cavalier SLR-II, Bessel W3 | ||
| Nova PL IB | Value | 1967-1975 | 174,000 | As the Nov I, with an uncoupled meter. Rebrands: Nova PL, Porst FX 4 | ||
| PL Electronic | Value | 1968-1969 | 3,400 | Electronically controlled shutter. | ||
| Super TL | Value | 1968-1976 | 509,000 | As the Mat, speed up to 500. Rebrands: Cavalier STL-I, Revue FX 6, Revueflex SL, Porst Reflex FX 6, Hanimex Super TL and Pro TL. | ||
| L generation 1 | ||||||
| L | Value | 1969-1975 | 279,000 | New design, added hot shoe and vertical metal shutter. Rebrands: Cavalier SLR-III, Porst Reflex CX 3, Ringfoto Praktica Autoreflex S. | ||
| LLC | Value |
1969-1975 | 177,000 | L with TTL measuring. Rebrands: Porst Reflex CX 8 | ||
| LTL | Value | 1970-1975 | 373,000 | Same as Super TL, with a different styling and metal shutter. Rebrands: C Penney SLR 2, Pentor LTL, Revueflex LTL, Porst Reflex CX 6, Ringfoto Praktica Autoreflex S-TL | ||
| LB | Value | 1972-1977 | 121,000 | Restyled Nova B. Rebrands: Revueflex BL, Ringfoto Praktica Autoreflex SL | ||
| VLC | Value | 1974-1975 | 15,000 | TTL, interchangeable viewer. | ||
| LTL 2 | Value | 1975-1978 | 15,000 | As the LTL but with LED dots instead of the meter needle. Rebrand: Pentor LTL 2 | ||
| TL | Value | 1976 | ||||
| Super TL 2 | Value | 1976-1978 | 130,000 | LTL 3 w/o meter, Top speed either 500 or 1000. | ||
| L generation 2 | ||||||
| LTL 3 | Value | 1975-1978 | 350,000 | LTL 2 with minor cosmetic changes. Rebrands: Foticon LTL 3, Pentor LTL 3, Praktica 1000, Revueflex TL 202. | ||
| PLC 2 | Value | 1975-1978 | 64,000 | LLC with cosmetic changes.Step down lens. | ||
| L 2 | Value | 1976-1978 | 161,000 | L with minor cosmetic changes. | ||
| LB 2 | Value | 1976-1977 | 65,000 | LB with minor cosmetic changes. Rebrands: SLR 1 JC Penney, Revueflex SL 201, Porst Reflex CX 4. | ||
| VLC 2 | Value | 1976-1978 | 40,000 | VLC with minor cosmetic changes. | ||
| EE 2 | Value | 1977-1979 | 60,000 | |||
| DTL 2 | Value | 1978-1979 | 185 | |||
| L generation 3 | ||||||
| Super TL 3 | Value | 1978-1980 | 100,000 | |||
| MTL 3 | Value | 1978-1984 | 865,000 | LTL 3 , Meter needle instead of high low icons. Minor cosmetic changes. Rebrands: Foticon MTL 3, Revueflex TL I, Revueflex TL 25 | ||
| PLC 3 | Value | 1978-1983 | 130,000 | PLC 2 with different meter display in the viewer. Rebrand: Praktica PM 3. | ||
| VLC 3 | Value | 1978-1981 | 30,000 | VLC, VLC 2, with minor cosmetic changes. | ||
| DTL 3 | Value | 1979-1982 | 36,000 | TTL metering. | ||
| EE 3 | Value | 1979-1980 | 31,000 | |||
| L generation 4 | ||||||
| Super TL 1000 | Value | 1980-1986 | 400,000 | Praktica TL 3, PM 3, Nova II | ||
| Super TL 500 | Value | 1981 | 6,000 | Super TL 1000, top speed 500. | ||
| MTL 5 | Value | 1983-1985 | 591,000 | MTL 3 with minor cosmetic changes. Rebrands: Revueflex TL 25, Revue ML. | ||
| MTL 5B | Value | 1985-1989 | 568,000 | MTL 5, minor upgrades. Rebrands: Praktica PM 3, Nova B, Revue ML. | ||
| MTL 50 | Value | 1985-1989 | 230,000 | MTL 5 with LED dots in the viewer. | ||
| B series | ||||||
| B 200 | Value | 1979-1984 | 180,000 | Practica BCX | ||
| B 100 | Value | 1981-1986 | 240,000 | Practica BC Auto | ||
| BC 1 | Value | 1984-1988 | 315,000 | Jenaflex AM-1, Praktica BC 3, BCX | ||
| BCA | Value | 1985-1989 | 232,000 | Jenaflex AC-1 | ||
| BC 3 | Value | 1987 | ||||
| BCC | Value | 1988-1990 | 15,000 | BCS w/o self-timer. | ||
| BCS | Value | 1989-1990 | 34,000 | |||
| BMS | Value | 1989-1990 | 138,000 | Revue BC 2 | ||
| BM | Value | 1989-1990 | 11,000 | |||
| BX series | ||||||
| BX 20 | Value | 1987-1983 | 201,000 | |||
| There are more BX models, rarely seen, perhaps small runs or limited distribution. |
||||||
- More small run models, experimental, and prototypes are on Dresdner-cameras.
- A comprehensive write-up about KW is on the Praktina page.
- Early Praktica models, till 1958, appeared under KW. Thereafter under Pentacon.
- More variants can be found on camdex.ca.
- Models sold by other distributors, such as Hanimex, are mentioned only if names change. Else it is self-explanatory.
