Part nine of the documentary "The Cameras of the GDR and the Development of the SLR". To watch the entire documentary, here is a link to the playlist: [ Ссылка ].
In this particular video we continue our story with the development of the Praktica by Pentacon, and talk about Carl Zeiss, Zeiss Ikon, KW (Kamera Werk Niedersedlitz), Meyer Optik Gorlitz and Exakta were all really the samr Dresden company in East Germany. We show how Pentacon developed the Contax Rangefinder, the Contax S single lense reflex with pentaprism, and how this became the Pentacon camera as well as the company name. We also discuss the Praktiflex, Praktica, Praktina system camera and the various models of Praktica in the 60s 70s and 80's culmiating in the final model the Carl Zeiss Jena Jenaflex.
This is the second Praktica video, concentrating on the history and development in particular.
The entire series follows the progress from the Origin in Jena, the Exakta and Praktiflex cameras, made in Dresden before WW2, through the development of the Contax S by Zeiss Ikon Jena and Dresden, and the Praktina in Dresden, how this became the Pentacon and later the Praktica of Kamera Werk Niedersedlitz (Dresden), or KW. How the various makers of lenses and cameras were consolidated at Dresden and Jena into one company, including the famous lens maker Meyer-Optik Gorlitz.
This and much more, including the movement of the intellectual property and machinery from the GDR (German Democratic Republic) to West Germany, Russia, Ukraine and Japan, with the involvement of the US Internationalists. It is an inter esting journey over 20 or so video parts, a Super Documentary, made during the winter of 2022/23 in Bromyard, UK.
Music by Lightnin' Papa Abe Ram and the Small Stones.
I hope you enjoy the videos.
Adam of Bremen-Krubally,
November 2022.
