Praktica MTL-50

...of the cheap-and-nasty Zeniths), the Praktica MTL-50 (which can be found fairly easily in second-hand shops) is a dinosaur by modern SLR standards - it's heavy, it's clunky, and almost everything is mechanical. Which is why I like it so much. I've had mine since 1989, and it's still in perfect working order, mainly because there isn't a great deal to go wrong.

The main thing you'll notice when picking up an MTL-50 is the weight - it ...
...be in for a treat: Praktica lenses are often extremely cheap (twenty quid for a 135mm telephoto), yet high quality. The Zeiss 50mm lens that came with my camera has never let me down, and remains my favourite lens on any SLR I've tried.

To sum up, then: if you're a techno-freak who likes all the latest bells and whistles on your camera, steer well clear. The same goes if you want the "point-and-shoot" capabilities of the ... more

(Temporary intro part 2: thank you, Ciao! This op is now in the right place, so I'll remove this intro completely in a day or two.)

Now this really is a blast from the past. One of the last true Eastern Bloc cameras (with the exception of the cheap-and-nasty Zeniths), the Praktica MTL-50 (which can be found fairly easily in second-hand shops) is a dinosaur by modern SLR standards - it's heavy, it's clunky, and almost everything is mechanical. Which is why I like it so much. I've had mine since 1989, and it's still in perfect working order, mainly because there isn't a great deal to go wrong.

The main thing you'll notice when picking up an MTL-50 is the weight - it is far heavier than almost any modern camera on the market today. For some that might be a drawback, but for me it's a bonus, because that weight is a sign of the Praktica's exceptional strength. As an illustration of this, my camera has survived being dropped six feet onto Tarmac with barely a scratch - how many modern SLRs could take that sort of punishment? This robustness is very reassuring - you get the (fully justified) impression that it will take anything you throw at it.

Loading a film (yes, a normal 35mm roll - it's not *that* old!) is a little fiddly, but not too bad once you've got the hang of it. You just need to remember which sprockets and wires to feed the film in front of, and which behind, otherwise you'll get a horrible scrunching noise a few pictures into the film.... There's no DX coding, either, so you'll need to set the film speed using the knob on top of the camera (you can use any speed of film from 12 to 1600 ASA), which also doubles as the shutter speed setter (1-1/1000s + B [time exposure] + flash settings - the MTL-50 has a standard hotshoe socket).

Once the film's in, and you've fired off a couple of wind-ons, you're away. The viewfinder is a decent size (and, this being an SLR, is an accurate representation of what your photo will look like), and the LED light-meter (the only electrical part of the entire camera), though simple, works very well. Focusing is easy using the classic "three concentric circles" method (ground glass etc), and the shutter release is well positioned (assuming you're right-handed, of course...). The wind-on lever is easy to flick with the thumb, and gives a satisfying noise as the film advances. Rewinding the film can be a pain, though - the rewind lever's grip is very small, and you can easily hurt your fingers.

As for lenses... the MTL-50, like a large number of older cameras, uses the M42 screw thread (*why* was this perfectly sensible standard abandoned in favour of the current hotch-potch of proprietary mounts?). Although lenses using this thread are pretty much obsolete, they were made in such numbers that they're still fairly widespread, and most branches of Jessops (or the equivalent) will have a couple tucked away in the corner of their "used equipment" section. You might also try Cash Converters. If you can find one, though, you may well be in for a treat: Praktica lenses are often extremely cheap (twenty quid for a 135mm telephoto), yet high quality. The Zeiss 50mm lens that came with my camera has never let me down, and remains my favourite lens on any SLR I've tried.

To sum up, then: if you're a techno-freak who likes all the latest bells and whistles on your camera, steer well clear. The same goes if you want the "point-and-shoot" capabilities of the modern compact. However, if you have no need of a Nikon and don't like-a the Leica (sorry), but want a sturdy, reliable workhorse that will last you for years to come, then the Praktica MTL-50 is very hard to beat. 

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