Praktica LTL

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The Praktica LTL is an East German 35mm SLR camera with interchangeable M42 screw-mount lenses and stop down TTL metering, produced from December 1970 to November 1975 by Pentacon.

It was one of the first series of L models, comprising the L with no built-in meter, the LB with an external selenium meter and match needle display on the top plate, the LLC with open aperture TTL metering and a lens mount with electrical contacts handling communication of the chosen aperture between the camera and lens, and the VLC, which was like the LLC, but with interchangeable viewfinders.

The LTL has a vertical-travel focal plane shutter, with speeds from 1s to 1/1000 + B and a 10 second self-timer operated by a rotating lever below the front-mounted shutter-release.

The meter is operated by a paddle on the side of the mirror housing, which is pushed back to stop down the lens (and activate the meter). This also functions as a DOF preview switch. The viewfinder display is the center-the-needle type. Film speeds for the meter are set by a scale inset into the top of the shutter-speed dial. The meter requires a PX625 mercury battery or equivalent; otherwise camera is entirely mechanical.

Focusing is via a Fresnel lens with central micro-prism spot and ground glass outer collar.

There is a hot shoe connection for flash, but no separate PC socket.

The shutter release is locked until the film has been advanced, and camera has a warning system via a viewfinder warning flag, which disappears when the film is wound. There is also a shutter release lock, whereby turning the button until two dots on a collar around the shutter release button and the release button itself align locks the shutter release.

There were several variations of the LTL, for example, with and without a pentaprism Pentacon logo, with and without a self-timer, and with two differently sized shutter release buttons, in addition to all black versions.


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