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Help with Praktica LB2
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 12:45 pm    Post subject: Help with Praktica LB2 Reply with quote
Hi everyone,


I recently came into possession of an old Praktica LB2 camera body and am trying to pick up one or two cheap lenses for it.
I've come from the hand-holding world of DSLR so know nothing really; my question is this:

LB2 takes screw-mount lenses, M42. So can i buy any M42 lens?


Any help appreciated!


PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 12:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
M42 lenses are plentiful, often expensive, and frequently cheap. Fleamarkets and charity shops are a good source of supply and sensible prices. Ebay will often yield sensibly-priced M42 lenses too, but all-too frequently the prices they fetch are well above average. For example, don't be tempted by a 50mm f2.8 Tessar for fifty quid, they are plentiful and probably worth a tenner. Etc etc.

A good starting point will be to work out which focal lengths you desire, and place an ad in the Wanted section on this forum.

Good hunting, and welcome Wink


PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 1:05 pm    Post subject: Re: Help with Praktica LB2 Reply with quote
Hi, and a warm welcome to the forum.

strifethrualens wrote:
LB2 takes screw-mount lenses, M42. So can i buy any M42 lens?


You certainly can, it's the most common type of lens mount. There are a few different types (preset, auto etc). Your camera was designed to use the auto type, but any will be fine on your camera. You'll pick all that up soon enough. It was made by a company in Dresden, East Germany, called Pentacon and would have originally been supplied with a choice of 50mm kit lenses and I suggest you start with one of these, so you can check that the camera is working OK.

I'd suggest you look for a Carl Zeiss Jena (CZJ) Tessar 2.8/50 or a Pentacon 1.8/50 Multicoating, which are both fairly cheap but reasonable quality.

The uncoupled light meter on the camera is the selenium type and these often lose their accuracy over time, so I would suggest you check this against your DSLR before doing anything else. There's not much you can do to repair it though, so you'll need to use a hand meter. The shutter is the vertical metal type which are usually very accurate and Praktica cameras don't use foam light seals which deteriorate, so these shouldn't need attention.

Nice camera to start with! Smile


PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 9:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Keep an eye open on ebay, but don't get too keen on the first lens you see. Set yourself a top price you want to pay and search the listings to select suitable items to watch. DO NOT BID EARLY. Wait until the within last minute of the auction and enter your highest bid. If it goes higher than you want to pay, let it go and move on to the next item. You will score sooner or later.

Sometimes, for some strange reason, a camera with a lens attached goes cheaper than a lens on its own.

Read the description carefully. Beware of "I am selling for someone else and I know nothing about......." type sellers. Ideally you should not buy from someone with a feedback score of less than 99.7%. Have a look at the feedback to see what they have been selling and what recent buyers (last month or so) thought of the seller.

I have acquired a number of M42 lenses on ebay, including the Tessar and the Pentacon lenses mentioned above, plus a Helios 44M and a Soligor 28mm wide angle. All of these prime (fixed focal length) lenses give results good enough to enlarge to A4 size from 35mm film. I have also bought a bad Zuiko 50/1.8, which was supposed to have a "snappy diaphragm" but didn't (issue resolved by a good seller who made a genuine mistake).

Don't be afraid to ask questions here, where there is a lot of knowledge and experience.


PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 11:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks for your help so far guys.
It's had a quick look-over by my local repair shop; the selenium meter is fine (tested against a hand-held) and everything clicks/works fine. Very surprised at the quality (puts my plastic Olympus DSLR to shame) with its weight/nice leather effect and has that wonderful old vintage smell you get on stuff that was built to last.

I've set myself a maximum of £20 for one lens - any more is a bit daft at the moment. Gutted that i just missed out on a nice telephoto lens for £10! Got a list on ebay i'm watching...


What about film? Where's the best place to buy cheap 35mm these days?


PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 11:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
You don't say where you are, but I find these good for film:

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/default.php?cat=1&type=1190&man=0&go=GO&comp=

They were recommended to me by friends and I have used them once so far. Film arrived within 3 working days.


PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 2:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I'm in London; quite a lot of the £ shops near me sell colour Kodak film; i'm after b&w preferably.
Thanks for the heads up, skida - though amazon do cheap Ilford b&w film @ £3.17 a roll


PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 2:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The Kodak Colour Plus they sell at the pound shops is good for practising on but colours are quite muted and grain is an issue on enlargements.


PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 7:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Cheers for the tip; i'll probably buy a few just for practising with. I have also come into possession of an old LOMO c/o Grandad!
I bought two Ilford via amazon and am looking at ebay. Jessops & Boots seem expensive at the moment.


PostPosted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 1:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I am sure you are going to enjoy taking film shots.

A few hints:

1. No image stabiliser on old film cameras so try to ensure your shutter speed is a higher number than the focal length of the lens, ie: 50mm lens - use no slower speed than 1/60th. If the light level doesn't allow this, use a tripod or steady the camera on a wall or something similar.

2. Learn the "Sunny 16" rule (Google is your friend). I find that this works well with film, especially when older light meters can be quite inaccurate.

3. If using a lab for processing, use the "Scan to CD" service. The scans will not be the highest possible quality, but you can get your shots on the computer quickly and scan the "Winners" at a higher quality later.

4. You have a fixed number of shots on a film so more thought, planning and self-discipline is necessary, but getting good results out of an old camera is very satisfying.

5. Once you think you have "cracked it" and are wishing to continue, invest in good quality film.


PostPosted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 2:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
strifethrualens wrote:
I've set myself a maximum of £20 for one lens - any more is a bit daft at the moment.

Hmm. I think you'd be daft to spend £20 and be disappointed. Unless you're very, very lucky you'll not get a very good quality lens for that little. And then later on you'll regret buying it and want something better. There aren't any really bad 50mm lenses, except Meritar and Domiplan can sometimes be awful, but you should really aim to stick with good names - in M42 this means CZJ, Takumar, a Helios 44 variant or a little Industar-50, which was my first 50 back in the early 60s and it took smashing pics. I'd say save up until you can afford something good.

Many of us here have acquired good lenses very cheaply by searching eBay for M42 cameras with lenses attached.

skida wrote:
I am sure you are going to enjoy taking film shots......

4. You have a fixed number of shots on a film so more thought, planning and self-discipline is necessary, but getting good results out of an old camera is very satisfying.

Brilliant advice! Having to take care over every shot is why I still prefer film.


PostPosted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 1:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
As Peter said, most 50mm(ish) standard lenses give good results. I found a very satisfactory Pentacon 50/1.8 attached to a knackered Praktica Super TL for about £20 incl p&p, but you have to be patient as some film equipment is going for silly money because all the digitographers are realising that the cheap glass kit lenses that come with their DSLR are pretty poor and buying up older, better glassware.

When searching, you need to see phrases like "no fungus" and "smooth or snappy diaphragm". I have had 2 Zuiko 50/1.8s with slow, sticky diaphragms and my fat fingers don't lend themselves to lens maintenance.


PostPosted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 1:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Helios f2 58mm & a zebra Domiplan f2.8 50mm - picked them both up on ebay for £20, and condition is described as very good.
I think these should keep me busy; thanks for the tip regarding Industar!


PostPosted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 9:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Is it a pre-set Helios or does it have automatic diaphragm? I think you will be delighted with this lens. There are mixed feelings about the Domiplan (I have never used one so can't judge), but, unless you are going to make massive enlargements, I think you will find it does the job.


PostPosted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 9:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I believe it is an automatic


PostPosted: Sun Mar 25, 2012 6:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I walked away from a Helios 44-2 and a CZJ 50 yesterday, complete with a Praktica and Zenit as rear lens caps Wink for less than £25 in a local charity shop. There's still some bargains out there, and lenses like this are very easily found.
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