I recently bought a BX20 whilst browsing on ebay. I didn't pay a lot for it, but it impressed the heck out of me when I developed the first roll I shot with it. Sadly the door latch broke and I sent it to a decent repair tech for an estimate for repair. The chap said he didn't have any spares but would take a look for me. I bought another on ebay, again for not a lot of cash to use for spares, but my repair tech didn't need any spares, it turned out to be a quick fix. I was now the owner of two BX20's, both with a 35-70mm lens and both in full working order. I gave one to a friend and we are having fun with them by shooting the same film stock and comparing our results. Happy days! :)
I love stories with a happy ending! When possible, try to buy the original Pentacon 50/1.8 lens, it's dirt cheap and it's part of the Praktica experience. Happy shooting!
Anyone getting into film photography, you can buy a BX20 for cheap. It has a great aperture priority mode and it’s a camera I’m proud to have taken great images on. I think it looks and feels great too!
Paulo Moreira Off the top of my head, Canon and Minolta made official adapters for using M42 and Exakta lenses, Pentax also made one for M42, but the Praktica adapter is better than the Pentax and Minolta ones: it stops down the lens and converts it to manual diaphragm operation, and the adapter can stay on the lens, but the Pentax and Minolta adapters stay on the camera and need a tool to remove; this makes switching lenses much easier. The BX20 has a design fault with the battery chamber door: the opposite edges for it to stay in place holds on to two separate mouldings of the camera shell, and the tiniest variation in the distance between the two mouldings would make the door unable to stay in place. The subsequent model BX20S fixed this issue. Also, the ribbon that is attached to the door can become detached as it's held in place by two tiny plastics rivets; the BX20S also solved that problem.
Thank you for your comment. Well, I believe the Canon part is not accurate, the Canon flange distance does not allow full compatibility with the M42 mount. In spite of the official Canon adapter, the M42 lenses do not reach infinity on a Canon body. The Minolta case, it's true, I forgot, I have zero knowledge of their cameras. Out of the blue I must have 4 or 5 rangefinders, zero SLRs. The Pentacon adapter is quite versatile, indeed it has all the advantages that you pointed out. Yashica's M42 adapter also needs a tool to be removed from the camera body, but it also stops down the lens. The battery chamber door is a weak point in the BX20, but does not afflict all cameras. The one in the video is very well put together, all very tight, no rattles or squeaks. The quality of the plastic and mouldings varied a lot too. One solution for the battery door is to do the same as the the B series, put a rotating flat head screw. Still, the very worse is the Canon AV1, with a battery door seth mortality of almost 100%! :D Cheers!
Paulo Moreira When I mentioned Canon I was referring to the manual-focus cameras; when Canon launched their first reflex in 1959, the Canonflex (I have one) the lens selection was a little limited, so by making adapters for the established SLR systems, they're hoping to get users to feel attracted to get a more modern body that also takes their existing lenses.
Hello i bought a Minolta x700 in great condition with a great lens, but since the camera is so good i decided to take care of it good, so i was looking for second camera that i will use it more free not being concerned hitting, damaging or stealing, so i bought this Praktica with 35-70 lens and 70-210 all for around 50-60$ . I am so exited it looks very nice simple, with all you need specialy the auto mode. Shooting on film is such an amazing expirience i find it even better some times than digital ! Photos look much more alive a very nice colors...
Hello and thank you for your comment. Well I must warn you that both cameras are equally prone to failure, they are electronic operated cameras and one day will stop working. Reliability records are about the same, so I am not sure is protecting the Minolta is the better option. Cameras need to work, so please keep using the Minolta because other age related problems might arise if you use it sparsely. If should buy the original Pentacon 50 mm lens, it's much better than those Asian zooms. It costs next to nothing and the camera is transformed, the viewfinder becomes extremely bright. I am very glad that you like the film world, it has a steeper learning curve but the feeling of joy and success in mastering it are just overwhelming. Happy shooting!
@@paulomoreira007 Thank you for the advises, will definatly buy a 50mm for the Praktika, the only problem i meet is that in my country bying roll, then develop it and scan it comes really kind a pricy. Buying a film scanner will reduce a lot of the cost, i am gonna use the film camera mostly when i know some of the photos can cover the expenses and bring some more money. Film makes you more precise and giving you a better judgment will the photo worth it or it will be just in the archive in your computer. However i watched a lot videos that show properly exposed images but just borring and not magnetic, this is just because people wanted to do photos in that moment in time.
I love this 80's design. Not too retro hough, it gives a timeless appearance. I like that it's pretty compact and also the plastic doesn't make it look cheap, because it looks like good quality hardware plastic. I really hope I will get my hands on this one soon. I Have a PRAKTICA MTL3 but I feel it's too hipsterish looking and I want to have something more functional.
Thank you for your comment. The BX20 can feel very plasticky as the plastics quality and assembly varied greatly. That said, it's a very different camera from the L series. It's a much more sophisticated designed, being an electronic camera and on par with the competition of that time. The L series has the period looks but it's much more cumbersome to use. Have fun.
Great review and easy to understand. I recently found my BX20 while clearing out my parents house, forgot I had it to be honest. Now I’m trying to work it out as it’s been 26 years! Any idea what the best lense would be and where to get one? I have the Prakticar PB 35-45/35-70 MC Pentacon on it but not a clue how to work that
Thank you for your comment. Well, I am not familiar with the Glock 17 but I gather that it also must use plastic in the outer shell like the BX20! :D Well, the one I have works quite well, very similar to the Pentax P30 but some units rattle and squeak a lot. The camera offers amazing specs for little money, especially the viewfinder quality and viewfinder info, unrivalled even in other much more expensive cameras. If Mr. Glock ever was to design a camera, perhaps it would be like the BX20! Cheers.
@@paulomoreira007 Actually the glock 17 came out in the early 80s it was revolutionary because it whole fame was made of polymer plastic with metal inserts for the slide and lock up. Its in 9mm . BTW I do enjoy your videos keep up the great work
Firstly thanks for the video, a very extensive walk through of the praktica BX20. (This is a long shot question given the age of the video) You covered it briefly in your video, but I just want to confirm; do m42 lens with the adapter work in aperture priority/auto shutter mode?
Thank you for your comment. Yes, the BX20 will work in aperture priority or manual, the only difference is that metering is in stopdown mode, meaning it's the old style of TTL metering where you can see (and the meter!) the brightness changing as you turn the aperture ring. If you have ever used a Praktica MTL/LTL it's the same system. Please be careful not to use M42 lenses from Fuji and Olympus or Pentax that feature a pin, a small lateral tab as they will not sit properly in the adpter and can ruin in. Happy shooting!
Its 2019 - A Praktica BX 20S on Ebay now costs more than a Leica R8, and twice as much as a used Nikon F5. And no, you're wrong: Pentacon, which also produced the lenses for the Pentacon Six TL, had the widest selection of lenses - except most of them were not released for export, or in just very small numbers. The specialty lenses were so expensive anyway, its unlikely that people would have bought them. The 50 mm and the 35-70 zoom are the standard "tourist" lenses that they sold with the camera.
Thank you for your comment. Praktica cameras are basically ignored where I live. It still is possible to buy a BX20s for very little money. In way, it's poetic justice as KW and Praktica belong to the Pioneers of 35mm SLR cameras and have made historic contributions to photography. No, I am not wrong, the B lens system is small when compared to the Japanese competition. There are no lenses bellow 20mm. There wasn't a 24 mm, well, there was but they stopped production at around 50 units, there wasn't a modern 28mm either, except for prototypes. While other manufacturers offered a lens with 3 maximum apertures, Pentacon offered one or nothing. Nikon had a 35/1.4, another 35/2 and a 35/2.8. The B system had one, same for the macro lens, one lens. The only zooms that Zeiss Jena produced were stopped because of cost, so very few units reached the public. I can go on and on, the point is, there is no possible comparison between the Praktica B system and Olympus or Pentax, not to mention Nikon or Canon. Of course I do know that Pentacon didn't have the financial resources of the Japanese and their aim wasn't going after Nikon or Canon. Besides the native lenses being few, worse is the fact that third party lens manufacturers did not produce lenses in B mount, like Tokina, kiron. Sigma made a couple under the Pentacon name so did Cosina (I believe) for Carl Zeiss Jena branded lenses (like the zooms or 28mm). Rebranding Japanese lenses that weren't produced by Pentacon or Zeiss was a way to mitigate the problem, but not enough when compared to the competition.
It's hard to figure why Praktica didn't give the screw-mount adapter the capability to use the electric lenses from the LLC, PLC, and VLC at full-aperture.
That's a very good question. Unfortunately I have no technical answer for you. I have an opinion on that, though, lacking any evidence. First, they weren't that keen to make full compatibility in terms of exposure because they wanted to sell the new B Prakticar lenses and not for people to use old Electric lenses. Secondly, I think the electronic circuity of the new B models might have been incompatible with the old electric lenses or pose a risk in terms of reliability. Thirdly, even if the all above is false, perhaps the much lower number of Electric lenses produced didn't justify in developing an adapter dedicated for them. Being a German communist ran company, one never knows as to why they took many decisions.
Thank you for your comment. The debate film vs digital is long ended. One doesn't shoot film because of more or less image quality, it's a shooting philosophy. Bear in mind that shooting film is far from cheap, opposite to Phone photography. Happy choice!
@@MrTidymarkNo, you are seeing things in confused way. Like I told you you cannot expect the same "look" from pictures taken with a film camera or a digital camera. The Praktica that you were given will make you study photography, the tech side of it, otherwise you won't get any decent pictures from that camera. You see, if you just want to record everyday moments like going out with friends, a birthday party, then no, that camera isn't for that, you will struggle to make all the adjustments and you will lose the moment. If you want to take up photography seriously, then the Praktica is ideal. Again, as it isn't very automated, the learning curve will be steep. If you feel that you aren't up for it, than a modern digital camera would be best. As you can see, this isn't about the camera, it's about you.
@@paulomoreira007 once again thank you for your advice. So for every day use you would advise a different camera. But if I would want to start to take on the project of learning and developing (of which I know would be difficult) then you believe this is a great camera to start?
Olá Inês, este adaptador é o original da época da maquina, é doficil arranja-lo em Portugal. Penso que o ebay é a melhor solução, até porque não é caro. Boa sorte e boas fotos!
Paulo Moreira obrigada! Peguei hoje nesta máquina que era do meu pai e pus-me a pesquisar no UA-cam como usá-la, mas acho que a lente está com algum problema... ainda a tentar perceber como é que isto funciona 😅
It's standard 135 film. The battery is a 6V battery, always, never 12V. although some 12 V batteries are of the same size. You should use 4LR44 (1.5V x 4 =6V).
Does the film crank break easily? Mine is just moving easily back and forth without cocking the shutter, and the shutter curtain is only halfway down. I can't get the shutter cocked anymore.
+Paulo Moreira Meanwhile, a BX20S can cost more than a Leica. I wonder if a Leica R7 is so much better built, because it now costs half of a new BX20S.
+NorceCodine The Praktica BX20 was never intended to compete with the Leica R series. The Leica R series, although Minolta based and not without its problems, were normally top of the range cameras and sold for many times the price of the Praktica BX20 or any Praktica. Prakticas now are expensive because of nostalgia craze, the so called DDR nostalgia. The BX20s is only very expensive for the model originaly built in DDR, only about 30 cameras were produced and are very collectable. The BX20s built in Germany (unified Germany) is not difficult to find, they made about 30.000 cameras, not a lot, but not rare either. The Leica R series, especial the R3 and R4 have a terrible reputation as far as reliability is concerned. Most R cameras can be bought for not much money because it is a dead system and the important thing in a Leica camera is the lens and those cheap bodies are sold without the lens. A Praktica B series only makes sense if bought cheaply, they were cameras aimed at the entry level market, not designed to compete with Nikon, Canon, Olympus or Pentax. their target were the Ricohs, Yashicas, Chinons. Of course, there are some very nice Zeiss lenses for the Praktica B system, but they also existed in M42 mount
Hello,Paulo.I own the exact lens from this video but it seems that the diaphragm ring does not open/close the blades when I move it.Maybe you could give me some advise..?Thank you.
petrapetruta But if I move with my finger the metalic pin (I don't know the name in english for this) which open the iris I can change the aperture.The problem is that moving the aperture ring manually it doesn't make a change in opening/closing the iris.It looks like the aperture ring and the metalic pin does not connect to each other.I do hope that you can understand what I want to say.
petrapetruta I checked my lens with the B adapter in my Nex too and if I understood correctly, you have a problem. The B series lens has to have the diaphragm always closed when not in the camera body and always open when in a Praktica B body. If you have a B series camera, check the lens with the depth of field preview lever and see what happens (the lens should close when at f16 for example). Your lens needs to be repaired, it is not an expensive job and it is a common problem with those lenses, sadly.
Paulo Moreira Thank you,Paulo for answering me.Sadly I can't check it on original camera cause I bought it already broken,I was interested only on the lens and I didn't know it has a problem,cause I don't have any experience on B series at all.Regards!
Co Co It depends on what you like in a camera. The BC-1 is more refined mechanicaly, the BX20 is noisier and that lever advance makes a loud noise. Also, the BX20 is all in plastic in the exterior, the BC-1has a nicer classic leatherette covering. The shutter speed range is the same (40s to 1/1000th of a sec). They differ in the flash exposure system, the BX20 has a modern TTL flash reading, the BC-1 hasn't. This is important if you are going to do a lot of flash photography (serious flash photography). The main difference is in the viewfinder information. The BX20 has more information, like exposure compensation, memory lock, shutter cocked, but the BC-1 also has lots of information. If you find a BC-1 cheap enough, it is a good buy. The BX20 is more expensive, but it is newer. I like both! :-)
+Co Co It is a question of taste, they differ in details, but mechanically thet are different. The main difference is that the BX20 has TTL flash metering, more viewfinder info. The BC1 has a smother and quieter film advance and it feels less plasticky. In the rest they are the same, aperture priority, manual, 40s of maximum exposure in Auto mode, exposure memory, they are very similar, it can accept a flash with wire or studio wire while the BX 20 can't. They are very similar, but even if the B100/B200 might seem more robust, they are also older than the BX20, so more prone to problems (in theory).
Hello, first you depress a small button in the base of the camera. Then you go to the rewind crank and furniture in the sense of the arrow. When film is all safely inside the cartridge you will feel that the rewind crank is very light. Now open the camera by pulling the rewind crank up. Take the film and it's ready to be processed.
Paulo Moreira So I would end up with a BX 20 and three lenses for 70 pounds. Just to double check that would be too expensive here is the link? www.mrcad.co.uk/CarouselProductView.ink?Row_ID=516686
Nick Singh You didn't mention that the deal included a BX20. In that case it is different, it is no longer expensive. However, bear in mind that the zooms are not made by Pentacon, they are Sigma lenses. The only German lens is the one fitted to the camera. It is up to you to make the choice!
Hello, I have a problem with my Praktica bx20, my shutter does not open when I take a photo meaning the image is not captured onto the film. The only think I have found online is to change the battery which I have done but nothing has changed. Can anyone help?
Hello, first you have to check if you have the correct battery for your BX 20 camera. When pressing the shutter button you should see some LEDs lighting up. If they don't light up, check the battery chamber contacts, they might me oxidized, clean them with alcohol or vinegar. If they are corroded you must use a bit of sand paper (not too hard). If none of this works, then the camera is faulty. Still, you can use it in the flash synch shutter speed (about 1/100) because it is a mechanical shutter speed. Best of luck!
+Vanessa Foo No, the Praktica BX 20 or 20S needs a 6 V battery to work. However, there is one shutter speed that works without battery, it's the flash synch speed at around 1/100 th.
The Thorium contained in some lenses gave "interneters" the reason to spread all sorts of rumours. This one lacks the characteristic yellow cast of lenses containing Thorium. Anyway, the amount is far too weak to offer any serious danger, any X.ray medical exposure will probably be equivalent to a lifetime use of a radioactive lens.
Paulo Moreira Actually one rumour is that the yellow cast would remove the need for (light) yellow filters (haven't seen evidence though). But that would be what I call a feature :).
Koen Verbeke I don't believe in that since colour film had a strong demand when the Pancolar 55/1.4 was available in the mid sixties, I can tell you that the yellow cast in my CZJ Prakticar 50/1.4 was really annoying, the viewfinder would have the same yellowish cast and the colour prints too. Fortunately the Portuguese sun took care of things and it is now gone! :)
The BX20s is just an updated BX20, mainly the less angular body and DX coding. Sadly these "updates" are set backs. the body rattles and the the DX system manual override is poorly designed ending at ISO 400, but I will remake the video of the BX20 s in the near future.
+Paulo Moreira Dear Paulo! Greetings from Serbia! I have recently bough a Praktica BX20. I have one question: is that normal that when I have no battery inserted in camera, the shutter speed is always the same, even in "B" position is like 1/125? Thank You! Best regards, Arpad
+repzah Thank you for writing Arpad. The answer to your question is yes, it is normal. The BX20 is an electronic camera, without battery the camera defaults (uses) the flash synch speed of around 1/100th that is mechanical. Some electronic Nikons have also a mechanical B setting, but not this Praktica.In order to take full advantage of your camera's qualities you must use a 6 V battery (6LR44), that mechanical speed is there in SOS only. I wish you have a great time with your BX20!
+Paulo Moreira Thank You Paulo for your fast answer! So, I need to buy a 6V battery to use my BX20 with all the advantages. I have one more question for you: in your video, when you cocked the shutter with the flash speed option, the shutter was a bit slower I think (it sounded like it is slower), but in my case, without battery the flash sync is much faster (or sound like faster), is it okay?
I recently bought a BX20 whilst browsing on ebay. I didn't pay a lot for it, but it impressed the heck out of me when I developed the first roll I shot with it. Sadly the door latch broke and I sent it to a decent repair tech for an estimate for repair. The chap said he didn't have any spares but would take a look for me. I bought another on ebay, again for not a lot of cash to use for spares, but my repair tech didn't need any spares, it turned out to be a quick fix. I was now the owner of two BX20's, both with a 35-70mm lens and both in full working order. I gave one to a friend and we are having fun with them by shooting the same film stock and comparing our results. Happy days! :)
I love stories with a happy ending! When possible, try to buy the original Pentacon 50/1.8 lens, it's dirt cheap and it's part of the Praktica experience. Happy shooting!
By the way, Praktica Is the first camera that introduse electronic comunication between lens and body ever!
Yes it was, with the LLC of 1969!
Anyone getting into film photography, you can buy a BX20 for cheap. It has a great aperture priority mode and it’s a camera I’m proud to have taken great images on. I think it looks and feels great too!
Paulo Moreira Off the top of my head, Canon and Minolta made official adapters for using M42 and Exakta lenses, Pentax also made one for M42, but the Praktica adapter is better than the Pentax and Minolta ones: it stops down the lens and converts it to manual diaphragm operation, and the adapter can stay on the lens, but the Pentax and Minolta adapters stay on the camera and need a tool to remove; this makes switching lenses much easier.
The BX20 has a design fault with the battery chamber door: the opposite edges for it to stay in place holds on to two separate mouldings of the camera shell, and the tiniest variation in the distance between the two mouldings would make the door unable to stay in place. The subsequent model BX20S fixed this issue. Also, the ribbon that is attached to the door can become detached as it's held in place by two tiny plastics rivets; the BX20S also solved that problem.
Thank you for your comment. Well, I believe the Canon part is not accurate, the Canon flange distance does not allow full compatibility with the M42 mount. In spite of the official Canon adapter, the M42 lenses do not reach infinity on a Canon body. The Minolta case, it's true, I forgot, I have zero knowledge of their cameras. Out of the blue I must have 4 or 5 rangefinders, zero SLRs.
The Pentacon adapter is quite versatile, indeed it has all the advantages that you pointed out. Yashica's M42 adapter also needs a tool to be removed from the camera body, but it also stops down the lens.
The battery chamber door is a weak point in the BX20, but does not afflict all cameras. The one in the video is very well put together, all very tight, no rattles or squeaks. The quality of the plastic and mouldings varied a lot too. One solution for the battery door is to do the same as the the B series, put a rotating flat head screw. Still, the very worse is the Canon AV1, with a battery door seth mortality of almost 100%! :D Cheers!
Paulo Moreira When I mentioned Canon I was referring to the manual-focus cameras; when Canon launched their first reflex in 1959, the Canonflex (I have one) the lens selection was a little limited, so by making adapters for the established SLR systems, they're hoping to get users to feel attracted to get a more modern body that also takes their existing lenses.
Hello i bought a Minolta x700 in great condition with a great lens, but since the camera is so good i decided to take care of it good, so i was looking for second camera that i will use it more free not being concerned hitting, damaging or stealing, so i bought this Praktica with 35-70 lens and 70-210 all for around 50-60$ . I am so exited it looks very nice simple, with all you need specialy the auto mode. Shooting on film is such an amazing expirience i find it even better some times than digital ! Photos look much more alive a very nice colors...
Hello and thank you for your comment. Well I must warn you that both cameras are equally prone to failure, they are electronic operated cameras and one day will stop working. Reliability records are about the same, so I am not sure is protecting the Minolta is the better option. Cameras need to work, so please keep using the Minolta because other age related problems might arise if you use it sparsely. If should buy the original Pentacon 50 mm lens, it's much better than those Asian zooms. It costs next to nothing and the camera is transformed, the viewfinder becomes extremely bright.
I am very glad that you like the film world, it has a steeper learning curve but the feeling of joy and success in mastering it are just overwhelming. Happy shooting!
@@paulomoreira007 Thank you for the advises, will definatly buy a 50mm for the Praktika, the only problem i meet is that in my country bying roll, then develop it and scan it comes really kind a pricy. Buying a film scanner will reduce a lot of the cost, i am gonna use the film camera mostly when i know some of the photos can cover the expenses and bring some more money. Film makes you more precise and giving you a better judgment will the photo worth it or it will be just in the archive in your computer. However i watched a lot videos that show properly exposed images but just borring and not magnetic, this is just because people wanted to do photos in that moment in time.
I love this 80's design. Not too retro hough, it gives a timeless appearance. I like that it's pretty compact and also the plastic doesn't make it look cheap, because it looks like good quality hardware plastic. I really hope I will get my hands on this one soon. I Have a PRAKTICA MTL3 but I feel it's too hipsterish looking and I want to have something more functional.
Thank you for your comment. The BX20 can feel very plasticky as the plastics quality and assembly varied greatly. That said, it's a very different camera from the L series. It's a much more sophisticated designed, being an electronic camera and on par with the competition of that time. The L series has the period looks but it's much more cumbersome to use. Have fun.
Great review and easy to understand. I recently found my BX20 while clearing out my parents house, forgot I had it to be honest. Now I’m trying to work it out as it’s been 26 years! Any idea what the best lense would be and where to get one? I have the Prakticar PB 35-45/35-70 MC Pentacon on it but not a clue how to work that
Perso, j'ai la chance d'avoir le dernier modèle fabriqué en RDA, le Praktica BX 20 S. Il est extraordinaire !
Very cool who Knew? Gaston Glock design a camera for Praktica in the DDR before his design for Glock 17 😉👍 . Cool camera thank you deep dive video.
Thank you for your comment. Well, I am not familiar with the Glock 17 but I gather that it also must use plastic in the outer shell like the BX20! :D Well, the one I have works quite well, very similar to the Pentax P30 but some units rattle and squeak a lot. The camera offers amazing specs for little money, especially the viewfinder quality and viewfinder info, unrivalled even in other much more expensive cameras. If Mr. Glock ever was to design a camera, perhaps it would be like the BX20! Cheers.
@@paulomoreira007 Actually the glock 17 came out in the early 80s it was revolutionary because it whole fame was made of polymer plastic with metal inserts for the slide and lock up. Its in 9mm . BTW I do enjoy your videos keep up the great work
I love the BX20. The BC range had a better wind on without that clonk, which doesn't feel as refined.
Very true, the BC wind system is much nicer and quieter than the on the BX series.
Firstly thanks for the video, a very extensive walk through of the praktica BX20.
(This is a long shot question given the age of the video)
You covered it briefly in your video, but I just want to confirm; do m42 lens with the adapter work in aperture priority/auto shutter mode?
Thank you for your comment. Yes, the BX20 will work in aperture priority or manual, the only difference is that metering is in stopdown mode, meaning it's the old style of TTL metering where you can see (and the meter!) the brightness changing as you turn the aperture ring. If you have ever used a Praktica MTL/LTL it's the same system. Please be careful not to use M42 lenses from Fuji and Olympus or Pentax that feature a pin, a small lateral tab as they will not sit properly in the adpter and can ruin in. Happy shooting!
Its 2019 - A Praktica BX 20S on Ebay now costs more than a Leica R8, and twice as much as a used Nikon F5. And no, you're wrong: Pentacon, which also produced the lenses for the Pentacon Six TL, had the widest selection of lenses - except most of them were not released for export, or in just very small numbers. The specialty lenses were so expensive anyway, its unlikely that people would have bought them. The 50 mm and the 35-70 zoom are the standard "tourist" lenses that they sold with the camera.
Thank you for your comment. Praktica cameras are basically ignored where I live. It still is possible to buy a BX20s for very little money. In way, it's poetic justice as KW and Praktica belong to the Pioneers of 35mm SLR cameras and have made historic contributions to photography.
No, I am not wrong, the B lens system is small when compared to the Japanese competition. There are no lenses bellow 20mm. There wasn't a 24 mm, well, there was but they stopped production at around 50 units, there wasn't a modern 28mm either, except for prototypes. While other manufacturers offered a lens with 3 maximum apertures, Pentacon offered one or nothing. Nikon had a 35/1.4, another 35/2 and a 35/2.8. The B system had one, same for the macro lens, one lens. The only zooms that Zeiss Jena produced were stopped because of cost, so very few units reached the public. I can go on and on, the point is, there is no possible comparison between the Praktica B system and Olympus or Pentax, not to mention Nikon or Canon.
Of course I do know that Pentacon didn't have the financial resources of the Japanese and their aim wasn't going after Nikon or Canon. Besides the native lenses being few, worse is the fact that third party lens manufacturers did not produce lenses in B mount, like Tokina, kiron. Sigma made a couple under the Pentacon name so did Cosina (I believe) for Carl Zeiss Jena branded lenses (like the zooms or 28mm). Rebranding Japanese lenses that weren't produced by Pentacon or Zeiss was a way to mitigate the problem, but not enough when compared to the competition.
Got one of those. Bought it new in 1992 with 2 zoom lenses 35-70 and 70-210)
It's hard to figure why Praktica didn't give the screw-mount adapter the capability to use the electric lenses from the LLC, PLC, and VLC at full-aperture.
That's a very good question. Unfortunately I have no technical answer for you. I have an opinion on that, though, lacking any evidence. First, they weren't that keen to make full compatibility in terms of exposure because they wanted to sell the new B Prakticar lenses and not for people to use old Electric lenses. Secondly, I think the electronic circuity of the new B models might have been incompatible with the old electric lenses or pose a risk in terms of reliability. Thirdly, even if the all above is false, perhaps the much lower number of Electric lenses produced didn't justify in developing an adapter dedicated for them. Being a German communist ran company, one never knows as to why they took many decisions.
I´m getting a BC-1 tommorrow.
Tadeáš Plachý Good luck with it!
The greatest lens is the 1,8/80 Zeiss. I really miss that.
Does it have eye diopter setting? If so, how to change diopter?
Hello, no, there isn't a diopter adjustment in this camera. Possibly there were diopter correcting lenses for the viewfinder ocular but I'm not sure.
@@paulomoreira007 Thank you very much for your instant response! I enjoyed the video and it was very informative!
Some one has given me this camera do you think it’s better then the latest phones?
Thank you for your comment. The debate film vs digital is long ended. One doesn't shoot film because of more or less image quality, it's a shooting philosophy. Bear in mind that shooting film is far from cheap, opposite to Phone photography. Happy choice!
@@paulomoreira007 thanks for the fast reply but are you saying it’s better to spend £500+ on a new camera then get photos developed on this one?
@@MrTidymarkNo, you are seeing things in confused way. Like I told you you cannot expect the same "look" from pictures taken with a film camera or a digital camera. The Praktica that you were given will make you study photography, the tech side of it, otherwise you won't get any decent pictures from that camera. You see, if you just want to record everyday moments like going out with friends, a birthday party, then no, that camera isn't for that, you will struggle to make all the adjustments and you will lose the moment. If you want to take up photography seriously, then the Praktica is ideal. Again, as it isn't very automated, the learning curve will be steep. If you feel that you aren't up for it, than a modern digital camera would be best. As you can see, this isn't about the camera, it's about you.
@@paulomoreira007 once again thank you for your advice. So for every day use you would advise a different camera. But if I would want to start to take on the project of learning and developing (of which I know would be difficult) then you believe this is a great camera to start?
Olá Paulo! Sabes onde posso comprar esse adaptador para as lentes em Portugal?
Olá Inês, este adaptador é o original da época da maquina, é doficil arranja-lo em Portugal. Penso que o ebay é a melhor solução, até porque não é caro. Boa sorte e boas fotos!
Paulo Moreira obrigada! Peguei hoje nesta máquina que era do meu pai e pus-me a pesquisar no UA-cam como usá-la, mas acho que a lente está com algum problema... ainda a tentar perceber como é que isto funciona 😅
Se eu puder ajudar...não se esqueca que precisa duma pilha para funcionar.
Hey paulo, what is the film??and the battery can be 12v or have to be 6v?
It's standard 135 film. The battery is a 6V battery, always, never 12V. although some 12 V batteries are of the same size. You should use 4LR44 (1.5V x 4 =6V).
Does the film crank break easily? Mine is just moving easily back and forth without cocking the shutter, and the shutter curtain is only halfway down. I can't get the shutter cocked anymore.
+Paulo Moreira Meanwhile, a BX20S can cost more than a Leica. I wonder if a Leica R7 is so much better built, because it now costs half of a new BX20S.
+NorceCodine The Praktica BX20 was never intended to compete with the Leica R series. The Leica R series, although Minolta based and not without its problems, were normally top of the range cameras and sold for many times the price of the Praktica BX20 or any Praktica. Prakticas now are expensive because of nostalgia craze, the so called DDR nostalgia. The BX20s is only very expensive for the model originaly built in DDR, only about 30 cameras were produced and are very collectable.
The BX20s built in Germany (unified Germany) is not difficult to find, they made about 30.000 cameras, not a lot, but not rare either. The Leica R series, especial the R3 and R4 have a terrible reputation as far as reliability is concerned. Most R cameras can be bought for not much money because it is a dead system and the important thing in a Leica camera is the lens and those cheap bodies are sold without the lens.
A Praktica B series only makes sense if bought cheaply, they were cameras aimed at the entry level market, not designed to compete with Nikon, Canon, Olympus or Pentax. their target were the Ricohs, Yashicas, Chinons. Of course, there are some very nice Zeiss lenses for the Praktica B system, but they also existed in M42 mount
Hello,Paulo.I own the exact lens from this video but it seems that the diaphragm ring does not open/close the blades when I move it.Maybe you could give me some advise..?Thank you.
petrapetruta Thank you for your comment. The blades don't move when the lens is in the camera or separated from the camera?
Paulo Moreira The lens is used with a praktika B adaptor on a Sony Nex camera.The aperture ring does not move the blades when I rotate it.
petrapetruta But if I move with my finger the metalic pin (I don't know the name in english for this) which open the iris I can change the aperture.The problem is that moving the aperture ring manually it doesn't make a change in opening/closing the iris.It looks like the aperture ring and the metalic pin does not connect to each other.I do hope that you can understand what I want to say.
petrapetruta I checked my lens with the B adapter in my Nex too and if I understood correctly, you have a problem. The B series lens has to have the diaphragm always closed when not in the camera body and always open when in a Praktica B body. If you have a B series camera, check the lens with the depth of field preview lever and see what happens (the lens should close when at f16 for example). Your lens needs to be repaired, it is not an expensive job and it is a common problem with those lenses, sadly.
Paulo Moreira Thank you,Paulo for answering me.Sadly I can't check it on original camera cause I bought it already broken,I was interested only on the lens and I didn't know it has a problem,cause I don't have any experience on B series at all.Regards!
Great camera!!!! 👏👏👏
What are the differences between the BC1 and the BX20? Is the BX20 better all around or should I go with the BC1?
Co Co It depends on what you like in a camera. The BC-1 is more refined mechanicaly, the BX20 is noisier and that lever advance makes a loud noise. Also, the BX20 is all in plastic in the exterior, the BC-1has a nicer classic leatherette covering. The shutter speed range is the same (40s to 1/1000th of a sec). They differ in the flash exposure system, the BX20 has a modern TTL flash reading, the BC-1 hasn't. This is important if you are going to do a lot of flash photography (serious flash photography). The main difference is in the viewfinder information. The BX20 has more information, like exposure compensation, memory lock, shutter cocked, but the BC-1 also has lots of information. If you find a BC-1 cheap enough, it is a good buy. The BX20 is more expensive, but it is newer. I like both! :-)
+Co Co It is a question of taste, they differ in details, but mechanically thet are different. The main difference is that the BX20 has TTL flash metering, more viewfinder info. The BC1 has a smother and quieter film advance and it feels less plasticky. In the rest they are the same, aperture priority, manual, 40s of maximum exposure in Auto mode, exposure memory, they are very similar, it can accept a flash with wire or studio wire while the BX 20 can't. They are very similar, but even if the B100/B200 might seem more robust, they are also older than the BX20, so more prone to problems (in theory).
Oh thats lovely radioactive takumar
krzysiek h It is what people say, although I don't know the concentration of thorium in the Takumar.
hello, how we unload the film from the camera?
Hello, first you depress a small button in the base of the camera. Then you go to the rewind crank and furniture in the sense of the arrow. When film is all safely inside the cartridge you will feel that the rewind crank is very light. Now open the camera by pulling the rewind crank up. Take the film and it's ready to be processed.
Hi,
I was wondering would 70 pounds for 3 Praktica made cameras be a good price?
Nick Singh Hi, please tell me what are the models and lenses of those Prakticas.
Praktica 50mm f 1.8, prakticia 35-70mm (don't know f), prakticia 70-210mm (don't know f).
Nick Singh Only these lenses? No, forget it, it is not worth it.
Paulo Moreira So I would end up with a BX 20 and three lenses for 70 pounds. Just to double check that would be too expensive here is the link? www.mrcad.co.uk/CarouselProductView.ink?Row_ID=516686
Nick Singh You didn't mention that the deal included a BX20. In that case it is different, it is no longer expensive. However, bear in mind that the zooms are not made by Pentacon, they are Sigma lenses. The only German lens is the one fitted to the camera. It is up to you to make the choice!
Hello, I have a problem with my Praktica bx20, my shutter does not open when I take a photo meaning the image is not captured onto the film. The only think I have found online is to change the battery which I have done but nothing has changed. Can anyone help?
Hello, first you have to check if you have the correct battery for your BX 20 camera. When pressing the shutter button you should see some LEDs lighting up. If they don't light up, check the battery chamber contacts, they might me oxidized, clean them with alcohol or vinegar. If they are corroded you must use a bit of sand paper (not too hard). If none of this works, then the camera is faulty. Still, you can use it in the flash synch shutter speed (about 1/100) because it is a mechanical shutter speed. Best of luck!
Hi, does it work without a battery?
+Vanessa Foo No, the Praktica BX 20 or 20S needs a 6 V battery to work. However, there is one shutter speed that works without battery, it's the flash synch speed at around 1/100 th.
Thought the Jena 1.8 was one of the radioactive lenses. But it's the 1.4, not the 1.8 ;)
AFAIK the Zebra Pancolar 50mm 1.8 (M42 mount) is also radioactive.
The Thorium contained in some lenses gave "interneters" the reason to spread all sorts of rumours. This one lacks the characteristic yellow cast of lenses containing Thorium. Anyway, the amount is far too weak to offer any serious danger, any X.ray medical exposure will probably be equivalent to a lifetime use of a radioactive lens.
Paulo Moreira Actually one rumour is that the yellow cast would remove the need for (light) yellow filters (haven't seen evidence though). But that would be what I call a feature :).
Koen Verbeke I don't believe in that since colour film had a strong demand when the Pancolar 55/1.4 was available in the mid sixties, I can tell you that the yellow cast in my CZJ Prakticar 50/1.4 was really annoying, the viewfinder would have the same yellowish cast and the colour prints too. Fortunately the Portuguese sun took care of things and it is now gone! :)
Paulo Moreira Hm, obviously the "feature" was not intended by the manufacturer. It's how some users are reported to have learned to live with it.
what film does this take?
It takes normal 35 mm film.
BX20s?
The BX20s is just an updated BX20, mainly the less angular body and DX coding. Sadly these "updates" are set backs. the body rattles and the the DX system manual override is poorly designed ending at ISO 400, but I will remake the video of the BX20 s in the near future.
+Paulo Moreira
Dear Paulo!
Greetings from Serbia!
I have recently bough a Praktica BX20. I have one question: is that
normal that when I have no battery inserted in camera, the shutter speed
is always the same, even in "B" position is like 1/125?
Thank You!
Best regards, Arpad
+repzah Thank you for writing Arpad. The answer to your question is yes, it is normal. The BX20 is an electronic camera, without battery the camera defaults (uses) the flash synch speed of around 1/100th that is mechanical. Some electronic Nikons have also a mechanical B setting, but not this Praktica.In order to take full advantage of your camera's qualities you must use a 6 V battery (6LR44), that mechanical speed is there in SOS only.
I wish you have a great time with your BX20!
+Paulo Moreira
Thank You Paulo for your fast answer! So, I need to buy a 6V battery to use my BX20 with all the advantages.
I have one more question for you: in your video, when you cocked the shutter with the flash speed option, the shutter was a bit slower I think (it sounded like it is slower), but in my case, without battery the flash sync is much faster (or sound like faster), is it okay?