Here's why the Praktica FX2 is great and gorgeous! - Analog camera review
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- Опубліковано 3 сер 2024
- Hey! In this video, I am showing you the Praktica FX2. Come with me to find out why this is not just "your average Praktica": Instead, it's a truly significant and innovative early 35mm SLR camera! And it's fun to shoot as well!
Use these time stamps to jump to the sections that you're most interested into:
0:00 Intro
0:31 The history
1:32 The lens for today (also see my dedicated review)
2:08 Loading film
3:25 Starting to shoot
3:57 The features
4:21 The shutter
6:27 The finder & more features
7:30 M42 mount & auto aperture
8:18 The tripod socket
8:39 More shooting & samples
9:08 How to best operate the shutter button
10:36 More shooting & samples
11:07 How to operate the shutter dial
11:56 Night shot samples
12:20 Verdict
15:09 Outro
Don't miss my video of the Meyer-Optik Primoplan 58/1.9:
• Meyer-Optik Görlitz Pr...
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My camera was rebuild and serviced by Foto-Service Olbrich. Many thanks for the great work!
www.fotoservice-olbrich.de
Many thanks to the following sources for giving me permission to use their product photos in my video:
Flints Auctions:
www.flintsauctions.com
Mike Eckman:
www.mikeeckman.com
Foto Hahn Dresden:
www.foto-hahn-dresden.de
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Here's where I develop my film:
www.kontrastlab.de
(This is no affiliate link or anything like that. I'm just very happy there's still a dedicated analog development & printing service in Cologne!)
My instagram:
/
My photo & camera gear blog:
tomscameras.wordpress.com
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Score:
U In My Arms - Jeremy Blake
(Available at the UA-cam audio library) - Розваги
Bought my copy an hour ago at the fleamarket in Frankfurt for 22 Euro. Your video was very helpful to fully understand the mechanics, thx.
including the biotar 2/58mm (without the T)
Oh, congrats! That is a fantastic lens! I hope you'll have a lot of fun with your new camera!
The first camera I used was a Praktica FX 3 with a 50mm Tessar from Carl Zeiss, 2.8.thanks for giving infos about this beautiful machine.
Thanks for your feedback! So you had a really great first camera! 😀
Cheers mate I have an fx2 and I was sure it was dying but after seeing your video I realised I just didn’t know how to properly work that shutter dial. The biggest perk for me is the waist level viewfinder.
Hey, thanks for your comment! I'm happy to hear that your camera works well, and yes: I also totally love that waist level finder!
Hello 👋👋 greetings from Hong Kong. Really appreciate for your video as there are really limited information online for this camera. Thank you very much and keep it up for those quality content!!🤣🤣🤣
Hey, many thanks for your feedback! I’m glad you liked the video. And yes, this is a camera that definitely deserves more attention 😀
Hello Thomas, I found the following in a Praktica book from 1960 about using the time setting with or without the escapement:
Without the escapement, 1/10 =1/35 and 1/5=1/30 and when used with the short times can also be used, resulting in a strip up to 3mm wide.
I love also the old Prakticas
Thanks for this valuable information! It explains well what happens if you forget to set the selector switch to "slow". Yes it did already happen to me by accident. 😇
These are beautiful historic kameras, and fun to use! Danke
You're welcome! Yes I still totally love shooting it from time to time!
i picked up this camera up with a carl zeiss jena lens a few years ago for under £30. it sat in my cupboard before i decided to pick it up as a pandemic pursuit.
as a newbie, i genuinely find it quite intuitive! its manual quirks and limitations encourage you to get your hands dirty, which adds to the charm and appreciation of analogue photography. looking for a flash and prism asap.
thanks for the guide!
Hi Sarah, thanks for your comment! Great to hear that you have as much fun with your old Praktica as I have! I whope you also get some nice results with it!
Danke für das tolle Video. Habe meine FX2 gerade bekommen und das erste mal seit meiner Kindheit mal wieder einen Film eingelegt. Nach Jahren der digitalen Fotografie ist das echt was besonderes.
Glückwunsch zur neuen FX2!Ich hoffe, Du wirst viel Freude damit haben!
Good Saturday Evening, Thank you for your Great practtica Video, Thanks for sharing, have a great rest of your weekend
Many thanks Tony !! Have a great weekend too!
I love these videos Tom. I have this model and love it
Oh how cool! I really think that the FX2 is a totally underrated camera! I mean everyone’s scrambling their money to get a Leica M3 (which is totally gorgeous, yes) but these FX2‘s you really can get for almost free still … go figure :)
Great video! Just picked up an FX2! Thanks!
Thanks! And congrats, I hope you'll have fun with the camera! As I said, the shutter curtains and mechanism often need some TLC but when all is well, it's definitely a great classic shooter!
3:24 While it is ready to shoot, it is also a good idea to reset the frame counter.
I have waist-level Prakticas before the FX2, but want to add that the FX2 was the first designed with the option of adding a pentaprism for eye-level operation: the curved finder hood with a lower back was shaped to take one, available as accessory, made by KW but the prism inside was probably made by Zeiss, so it's not really that bulky as it fits inside the the hood. Zeiss offered earlier Praktica models a pentaprism attachment, branded as Zeiss, that sits on top of the finder hood; it looks very rickety and totally bodged, apart from the very limited view, it actually works quite well, although I do not take mine with me often. I also have one for the FX2/F.X2/FX3, but yet to acquire a good example.
Yes! I really forget to reset the counter very often! And you’re right about the prism. I talk about it in my video but sadly I don’t have one (and when I did the video, I also didn’t find a good photo of one to display in the video!
For what it’s worth, while I do like the prism insert of the FX2 which integrates nicely into the overall design, I think that the later Praktica bodies where it was built-in did look a bit bulky …
Thanks for the great Video. You got me to understand my Version a bit bether ;)
Greetings from germany
Thanks for your feedback, I do really appreciate it!
Just got one today, as I want to experience a bit more in photography, outside my comfort zone with more modern slr like Minolta x series or more "recent" praktica cameras. Got it w/ the optional prism, real nice addition as I was not very familiar with inverted images viewfinder. Thanks for your complete and very accessible video, that help me a lot, especially for the shutter/mirror trick, as I was thinking that my camera was defeckt. Nope, operator mistake level
I hope you have a lot of fun with your Praktica. These are truly old cameras so yes, some experience and some caution when handling will always help!
I really enjoyed your review of this camera. Your photography work is very good, compositions in black and white. I was impressed with your ability using a camera with many constraints. Have you done a review and history of the KW Praktina camera?
Hi Geoffrey! Unfortunately, the Praktina is still a white spot on the map for me. I've recently got a Contax S Typ D which I sent to Foto Service Olbrich in Görlitz/Germany for a rebuild. Can't wait to shoot that one! And the Praktina is definitely on my list for the future as well!
The first praktiflex pre war has a M40 mount. After the war it became M42. Nice review.
Yes you are right. It seems that the switch to M42 happened at the same time when the internals of the camera were reworked by Siegfried Böhm to fix some flaws and make it more suitable for mass production. Personally I’ve never come across one with M40 yet, I assume they are pretty rare today.
@@tomscameras It is also valid to see that the Praktiflex adopted the M42X1 "Contax" mount, along with the automatic diaphragm actuation system later on; it was more or less a sensible move in terms of product planning.
Hello Tom, great video! I have an fx3 coming my way and really excited about it. I am noticing the double action on the shutter button you mentioned (mirror then shutter), wonder if that is helpful in reducing vibration? e.g. if the mirror goes up much earlier than the shutter, its not all moving at once...
That's an interesting idea! However, you should use a tripod then ... because once the mirror pops up, you won't see the image anymore, and you'll most likely move enough to unintentionally change your framing!
Beautiful..
Many thanks! I appreciate it!
Live. Long. & Prosper!!!
Yes! :p
Hey Tom, just found your channel. I bought an old Praktica at an Estate Sale recently and want to use it. It appears to be a slightly different model than yours. It’s almost identical, but it doesn’t say FX underneath praktica. It also has a Zeiss Jena 50mm 3.5 lens. Do you have any familiarity with something like this? I cannot find anything that looks like it on the internet.
Hey Shane! It seems that you got the very first Praktica model. It didn't have any other designation, it was just the "Praktica". Those were made between 1949 and 1952. The even older models produced before 1949 were called "Praktiflex". Here's some information about that camera:
camera-wiki.org/wiki/Praktica_(1949)
Nice guide. Thanks for sharing! - May I ask where the serial number is engraved on a FX (predecessor of FX 2)?
I can only say that it's located in the film chamber on the FX2, I would have assumed that to be similar in the FX.
Maybe check out:
zeissikonveb.de
or
dresdner-kameras.de
They're all German sources, but often Google translate helps and/or you could try contact the site owners for any information.
@@tomscameras Thanks for your response. I had to look closer: the serial number is engraved inside the mirror chamber, underneath the mirror, on the front of the pedestal, near the M42 screw mount. Mine have 131xxx
Allow me a last question: Is the focal-plane shutter repairable (small holes) for this type of camera?
@@opensparcbox you can try to repair it with liquid latex or similar, but that is fiddly and often not perfect. The most permanent solution is replacement … I had mine sent to a shop in East Germany that can still do that (Foto Olbrecht in the city of Görlitz).
@tomscameras Thanks for the contact address. With best wishes from (East) Germany, Dresden to Cologne. ;-)
Is it usual for some versions of this camera to not have the winding sound when the frame counter is forwarded? I bought one today and it doesn’t make any sound really 👀
It could be connected to how you set the small dial on top of the shutter speeds! The one where you have to select slow or fast! Also check if your camera does work in all times. Sometimes the slow times are sticky / non-working ...
Hi, I've just picked up one of these up for relatively cheap and was wondering if you have to set the iso and how you would do that? I've read through the manual and it isn't mentioned
Hey! This is an analog camera and it does not have a light meter => you do not need to set the ISO anywhere on the camera!
You have to use an external light meter. You can download a light meter app on your smartphone!
And in that app you set the ISO to the same value of the film that you put into the camera ... then you do the metering with the app and transform the settings (f/stop and exposure time) to your camera and shoot.
If you don't have an app or want to be more experimental, then use the "sunny 16" rule. I did a video aobut that. It's a rule of thumb how to set the exposure on your camera without any light meter! Here's my sunny 16 video:
ua-cam.com/video/dQQRFBGYJI4/v-deo.html
Hope this helps, I hope you have fun shooting :)
@@tomscameras Hey :) I was meaning the speed of the film, I have a few other analogue cameras and have had to set the iso/asa when using a different speed of film and can't seem to find the way to set it on this (if there is :P) , thanks for replying so quick and I really enjoy your others vids :)
@@hellochair7202 Yes that is what I meant: On your other cameras, you have to set the speed of the film for the built-in lightmeter! Otherwise it won't work correctly!
But the Praktica FX2 does not have a lightmeter - so you can't set the film speed anywhere on the camera!
And if you use an *external* light meter or a light meter app on your phone, that's where you set the ISO! :)
@@tomscameras Ah right I understand now, thanks alot for this advice:)
@@hellochair7202 You're welcome, wish you a lot of fun with your Praktica! 🙂
Ich habe vor kurzem auch eine FX 2 gekauft, und nachdem ich zu Hause damit etwas rumprobiert habe hab ich festgestellt, dass der Bulb-Modus anscheinend nicht funktioniert. Ich habe das kleine Rädchen auf schwarz gestellt, das B ausgewählt und den Auslöser gedrückt gehalten, trotzdem hat sich der Verschluss sofort wieder geschlossen. Ich habe auch die anderen Verschlusszeiten ausprobiert und konnte auch da keinen Unterschied zwischen den Zeiten feststellen (was aber auch an mir liegen kann). Kann es sein dass da mit der Mechanik was nicht stimmt oder habe ich einfach was verkehrt gemacht?
Die Kamera lag wohl auch lange in einem Keller, die ganze andere Mechanik funktioniert allerdings problemlos und von innen sieht die Kamera auch einwandfrei aus.
Wäre wirklich dankbar für einen kleinen Tipp wo das Problem liegen könnte :)
Also eines vorab: Ich bin leider absolut kein Kamera-Mechaniker! Aber zwei Punkte:
1. Die Verschlußzeit auf B: Dann muß der Verschluß so lange auf bleiben, wie Du auf den Auslöser drückst. Ansonsten liegt der Fehler nicht bei Dir, sondern bei der Kamera.
2. Langzeitenwerk: (Also für die Zeiten 1/2 bis 1/20 Sekunde inclusive.) In meinem Video habe ich die ganzen "surrenden" Geräusche gezeigt, vor allem wenn man in den Bereich mit den langen Verschlußzeiten stellt und/oder zurück (kleines Rädchen auf roten / schwarzen Pfeil). Wenn da bei Dir niemals irgendwas zu hören ist, wäre mein Tip, daß das Langzeitenwerk generell nicht in Funktion ist.
3. Weitere Fehlerquellen: Ist der Verschluß noch dicht? Es ist ein Stoffverschluß, der Stoff wird oft "löchrig" ...
4. Die kürzesten Zeiten 1/500 und manchmal auch 1/200 laufen unsauber, weil der Mechanismus nicht mehr gut justiert ist und/oder die Schmiermittel überaltert sind. Dann kriegst Du bei diesen Zeiten unregelmäßige Belichtungen oder teilweise sogar ganz schwarze Bereiche im Bild.
Die Kamera in meinem Video hatte eigentlich alle oben beschriebenen Probleme! Und ich habe sie überholen lassen, Link ist in der Videobeschreibung.
@@tomscameras Danke für die schnelle Antwort erstmal. Die Kamera macht noch die entsprechenden Geräusche und der Stoffverschluss scheint auch dicht zu sein.
War mit der Kamera inzwischen aber mal bei nem Fotografen der sich auch noch mit analoger Technik auskennt und dort haben wir dann festgestellt dass der Verschluss gar nicht mehr aufgeht. Er bewegt sich zwar noch, lässt aber eben kein Licht rein, da wird sich also einfach die Mechanik im Keller totgelegen haben.
Und eine Reparatur lohnt sich für mich nicht, also kommt das gute Stück in die Vitrine, ist ja immer noch schön anzuschauen... :)
Hallo, super Video!
Meine Oma hat vor ein paar Tagen diese Kamera auf dem Dachboden rausgekramt.
Was genau bewirkt der Pin, der die Blende automatisch einstellt? Wenn ich bei dem Objektiv drauf drücke (Carl Zeiss Tessar 2,8/50) kann ich nicht erkennen, dass sich etwas ändert.
Die Blende hat ja auch keine Einstellung für auto.
Eigentlich muss man die Kamera doch mit externem Belichtungsmesser komplett manuell einstellen, oder?
Der Pin ist dafür da, daß im Moment der Aufnahme die Blende automatisch geschlossen wird. Also wenn Du zum Beispiel auf f/8 stellst, dann bleibt die Blende trotzdem auf Offenblende (in Deinem Fall f/2.8), damit das Sucherbild nicht arg dunkel wird und Du weiterhin leicht fokussieren kannst. Und erst im Moment des Auslösens wird die Blende durch den Pin automatisch geschlossen!
@@tomscamerasalles klar, danke!
I think with this type of speed selector you must only rotate clockwise that's how it is on my other Praktica's that is similar to this FX2
Actually there’s some cameras where it is often said to be like that - you should only turn the dial in one direction. However the FX2 is not one of these. It says in the original manual that you can turn it in both directions. Here’s a link to the Praktica FX2 manual online:
www.butkus.org/chinon/praktica/praktica_fx2/praktica_fx2.htm
Thanks for the reply and link, I would like to get this camera one day to add to my collection.
How are you able to set the iso on this camera ?
The camera doesn't have any light meter so you also don't need to set ISO on the camera body. You'll either use the "Sunny 16" rule or you take an external meter or smartphone metering app!
Bagus sekali teman🤝🤝💯💯💯
Terima kasih! - Thanks! :)
how do you like the fx2 compared to the exa 1c?
They are totally different beasts. I love the charme of the Exa 1c and also that many of them still work without flaws ... because they have such a simple mechanism and they are just not that old yet!
But in the end, I like the Praktica more. It feels more like a grown-up camera, it has a higher-quality body finish, and it also has a few real advantages: (1) Wider shutter speed range. (2) Can use all M42 lenses, also superwide + telephoto, whereas the Exa has problems due to the shutter design.
In the end, there are many, many beautiful cameras out there!! So it can be hard to choose!
Does this camera has light meter?
How the auto aperture is working?
In the camera body, there is this black piece just inside the lens mount at the bottom that is pushed forward when you press the shutter button. On all M42 lenses (that have auto aperture), there is a small pin that is pressed in by that black piece, and this closes the aperture automatically.
This is how it universally works for all M42 camera bodies and lenses, also Pentax and others. So if you get a Pentax Takumar lens and mount it on this Praktica, you'll also have auto aperture.
Note that "auto aperture" does not refer to the camera selecting the aperture for automatic exposure! It means that you can focus and view the image at open aperture (much more bright viewfinder image!) and the camera will automatically close down to the value that YOU selected in the moment that you take the shot!
@@tomscameras will it work with old biotar 58mm f2? If yes, only what i have to do is set aperteur to wide open?
It depends. Most Biotar 58/2s also don't have an automatic aperture. Remember, this was introduced in 1956 and many Biotars are older than that! According to the link below, there were however around 50,000 Biotars with automatic aperture pin (in German: "Springblendenfassung") made around 1958/59:
zeissikonveb.de/start/objektive/normalobjektive/biotar.html
With those lenses on a post-1956 Praktica such as the one I've got in my video, you'll have the same comfort than e.g. with a manual-focus Nikon SLR or Minolta or any other modern SLR camera.
That means: You just set the aperture to the value that you want to shoot, e.g. f/8, f/11 etc. Aperture is always open while you're looking through the viewfinder, and it only closes automatically in the moment that you press the shutter button.
My Chinese made Yi Mi digital mirrorless camera is modeled on the Praktica FX-2 film camera but its not a true digital rangefinder because they’re rare and expensive. The idea of being able to swap lenses originated with analog film cameras and its not such an innovation. Incidentally, you can mount M 42 lenses on Micro Four Thirds camera bodies with an adapter. 😊
The Praktica FX-2 is an old analog camera and it is one of the very first system cameras, yes. Back in the 1930’s when its predecessor the Praktiflex came out, it was a pretty new idea!