Praktica Lenses
From former Praktica-Users site
 Site is gone and now the domain is infected
Posted 12-11-2025

The next page contains information on these lenses.
If the images are missing, they are also missing on that site,
the site closed around 2012.

This camera manual library is for reference
and historical purposes, all rights reserved.
All links removed and made into a PDF file,


 - Links go to a PDF of the former page -
The former site had multiple spaces in the links.
A no-no in website formatting.

Praktica M42 Lenses

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 4/20

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 2.8/20

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 4/25

  • Meyer Orestegon / Pentacon 2.8/29

  • Meyer Lydith / Pentacon 3.5/30

  • Meyer Primagon 4.5/35

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 2.8/35

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 2.4/35

  • Meyer Helioplan / Wide-Angle Anastigmat 4.5/40

  • Carl Zeiss Tessar 4.5/40

  • Meyer Primotar-E 3.5/50

  • Meyer Primotar 2.8/50

  • Meyer Trioplan 2.9/50

  • Meyer Domiplan 2.8/50

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 2.8/50

  • Meyer Oreston / Pentacon 1.4/50

  • Meyer Oreston / Pentacon 1.8/50

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 2/50

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 1.8/50

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 1.4/55

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 2/58

  • Meyer Primoplan 1.9/58

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 1.4/75

  • Carl Zeiss Biotar 1.5/75

  • Meyer Primoplan 1.9/75
  • Carl Zeiss Biometar 2.8/80

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 1.8/80

  • Meyer Trioplan 2.8/100

  • Meyer Orestor / Pentacon 2.8/100

  • Feinmess Bonotar 4.5/105

  • Carl Zeiss Triotar 4/135

  • Meyer Primotar 3.5/135

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 4/135

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar  3.5/135

  • Meyer Orestor / Pentacon 2.8/135

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 2.8/180

  • Meyer Primotar 3.5/180

  • Meyer Telemegor 5.5/180

  • Meyer Orestegor / Pentacon 4/200

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 2.8/200

  • Meyer Telemegor 5.5/250

  • Meyer Orestegor / Pentacon 4/300

  • Meyer Telemegor 4.5/300

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 4/300

  • Meyer Telemegor 5.5/400

  • Meyer Orestegor / Pentacon / Prakticar 5.6/500

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Fernobjektiv 8/500

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Spiegelobjektiv 4/500

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Spiegelobjektiv / Prakticar 5.6/1000

  • Praktica bayonet B-mount Lenses

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Prakticar 2.8/20

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Prakticar 2.4/28 FL

  • Pentacon Prakticar 2.8/28 (1st/2nd version)

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Prakticar 2.4/35 (1st/2nd version)

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Vario-Prakticar 2.7-3.5/35-70

  • Pentacon Vario-Prakticar 3.5-4.8/35-70

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Prakticar 1.4/50 (1st/2nd version)

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Prakticar 1.8/50

  • Pentacon Prakticar 1.8/50 (1st/2nd version)

  • Pentacon Prakticar 2.4/50 (1st/2nd version)

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Prakticar 2.8/50

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Macro-Prakticar 2.8/55

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Prakticar 1.8/80

  • Pentacon Vario-Prakticar 4.5-5.6/70-210

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Vario-Prakticar 4/80-200

  • Pentacon Prakticar 2.8/135 (1st/2nd version)

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Prakticar 3.5/135

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Prakticar 2.8/200

  • Pentacon Prakticar 4/200

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Prakticar 4/300

  • Pentacon Prakticar 5.6/500

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Prakticar 5.6/1000

    •  

    Pentacon Six Lenses

  • Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 4/50
  • Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 2.8/65
  • Meyer Primotar E 3.5/80
  • Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 2.8/80
  • Carl Zeiss Jena Biometar 2.8/80
  • Carl Zeiss Jena Biometar 2.8/120
  • Meyer Primotar 3.5/180
  • Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 2.8/180
  • Caspeco 4/240
  • Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 4/300
  • Meyer Telemegor 4.5/300
  • Meyer Orestegor / Pentacon / Prakticar 4/300
  • Meyer Orestegon / Prakticar 5.6/500
  • Carl Zeiss Jena Spiegelobjektiv 5.6/1000

    • - Taken from the site -
    An introduction to lenses


    Disregarding the two earliest Praktiflex models, Praktica cameras had employed two different lens fittings: the M42x1mm screw mount inherited from the Contax-Pentacon series, and the bayonet B-mount.

    The M42 mount, which was also adopted by many other camera manufacturers, started life with no mechanical linkage arrangement between the camera and the lens, and the amount of intrusion into the camera was not standardized; some of the earlier lenses can intrude further into the camera body. With the advent of semi-automatic and automatic diaphragm mechanism, a coupling arrangement was devised. At the back of the lens is a plunger pin, which mates with a striker plate within the camera's mount throat. Just before exposure, the striker plate moves forward and pushes the plunger pin, which stops down the iris diaphragm to the selected aperture value. With this, the intrusion of the lens into the camera becomes standardized to a degree, and the use of earlier lenses with greater intrusion can foul the striker plate, rendering the shutter inoperable. To make these earlier lenses work, Praktica incorporated an extra mechanism in models until the Super TL, where the striker plate action can be disengaged.

    A further refinement is the addition of automatic aperture simulation and indexing, first used in the Praktica LLC, where a series of three electrical contacts transmit the maximum and selected aperture values of the lens to the metering system of the camera, effecting full-aperture metering. This electrical transmission system was also employed in the B-mount.

    For the Pentacon super, which appeared before the LLC, a mechanical simulator system was used. By turning the aperture ring, a spring-loaded pin in the camera body was pushed in at various amounts, thus transmitting the selected value. A very expensive method which required costly precision metalworkin techniques, so it was not used in other models.

    The B-mount was introduced with the B200, and remained unchanged throughout its life. Incorporating automatic diaphragm and electric simulation, a few late lenses exist in prototype form which incorporate an extra linkage which would have made it possible for the camera to set the aperture, enabling shutter-speed priority and programmed exposure automation, but no camera with these facilities had ever been made.

    Not unlike many camera manufacturers, Praktica sourced all the original lenses from independent makers, and the two major ones were Hugo Meyer of Görlitz, and Carl Zeiss of Jena, both long-established and respected optical houses.

    Meyer remained an independent establishment, and after the war, began to trade under the style of VEB Feinoptisches Werk Görlitz, having acquire Curt Bentzin of the same town. It was subsequently acquired by Pentacon as its lens department, and after a brief transitional period, it produced lenses under the Pentacon label. After reunification, Meyer briefly regained its corporate identity and marked its lenses under its own name again. Photographic lens production was only a small part of the Zeiss business, and in 1985 it acquired Pentacon and numerous other photographic equipment manufacturers in the GDR, along with the right to put its name on some Pentacon products. Some Prakticas were rebadged under the name of Carl Zeiss Jenaflex, and some Pentacon lenses were also rebadged as Zeiss, with the addition of a letter "SP" to signify its origin.

    Pentacon also sourced lenses from other manufacturers as well, although not to such a large scale as from Meyer and Zeiss. Among those Sigma of Japan was the most active, supplying several lenses of fixed focal lengths and a variety of zoom lenses. Other suppliers during the B-mount days included Cosina, Cimko, and finally Samyang of Korea produced a moderately comprehensive selection as well.

    Praktina cameras had used two similar mounts of breechlock design. Unlike the Canon breechlock, the locking ring is on the camera, and incorporates diaphragm actuation mechanism. The early FX only offered semi-automatic diaphragm, while the later IIA had fully automatic function. Although the basic mounts were the same, lenses were not interchangeable to provide diaphragm automation functions.

    The Praktisix and Pentacon six series used a breechlock mount similar to that of the Praktina. While they were not equipped with instant-return mirror, the mechanism is a hybrid between the semi-auto and auto varieties. While the lens has a plunger mechanism similar to that as in M42 lenses, the plunger action is reversed, and after shutter rundown, operating the advance lever (which advances film, sets shutter and lowers mirror) also brings forward the striker pin which opens up the iris again.

    Diaphragm Mechanism
    As one of the earliest 35mm single-lens-reflex cameras, technological developments through the decades can be seen demonstrated by the Praktica. Among them the evolution of the iris diaphragm mechanism is of particular interest.

    At the beginning, lenses were fitted with fully manual iris diapgragms, where the turning of the aperture ring moves the iris to its corresponding setting. In a reflex camera it would be a slight inconvenience, so the pre-set manual diaphragm came into being.

    The pre-set mechanism is basically the same as manual diaphragm, but with the addition of a limiter ring. In use, the limiter ring is set to the desired aperture setting, and then it can be opened fully for focussing and composition. Just before exposure, the ring can then be turned all the way until it is stopped by the limiter, thus eliminating the need to take the eye of the viewfinder to set the aperture value. This mechanism remained in use for many years, especially in lenses of very long focus.

    After this came semi-automatic diaphragm. The aperture value is first set, and then a tensioning ring is turned until it latches, which opens the iris all the way up for focussing and composing. When the shutter release button is pressed, the striker plate as mentioned earlier pushes the plunger pin at the back of the lens, and releases the spring mechanism inside the lens which snaps the iris to its selected value.

    Finally, fully automatic came after this. A weak spring holds the iris diaphragm fully open all the time, and the aperture ring works as a limiter. When the plunger is pushed in, it overcomes the spring tension and closes the iris down to the value as set by the aperture ring.

    by Samuel Tang