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Dom
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 24, 2004 - 09:08 am: | 
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hi, i recently bought a praktica mtl 5b as a starter slr camera. It works well and the prints ive developed are fine.
when i adjust the aperture size the screen goes darker or lighter, which i think is meant to happen yes?? but sometimes when fully open, the aperture will not close again when i turn the ring, but if i leave the camera a while and come back it works again, whats goin on?? also there is a thermostat-like click when it starts workin again, any advice would be appreciated as i am a little bit lost.
also the timer on the body, how does one work this?? should the foto take just by cocking the camera and turning the little timer arm??cos that isnt workin for me.
thankyou so much, this forum is a wealth of knowledge!
dom |
Winfried
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 24, 2004 - 10:18 am: |
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The MTL5B has stop-down metering. Between the shutter button and the lens mount there should be a button which you have to press when metering. The aperture of the lens will close and open when this button is pressed - if your lens(es) have a M-A switch set it to the A position.
Sometimes the aperture mechanism of older lenses is gummed up and does not work as it should.
On most cameras you have
a) to cock the camera
b) set the self timer lever
c) press the shutter button which will release the self timer. The shutter will be fired when the self timer lever has reached its start position again. |
dom
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 27, 2004 - 11:12 am: |
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thankyou so much, gonna rush home and try it out, its been frustrating me and you hopefully saved my pretty camera. cheers
dom |
Kevin Hodges
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 04, 2004 - 01:56 pm: |
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I have just acquired a Praktica MTL 5B, and would like to download a manual- any ideas!! |
swallin
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 05, 2004 - 01:57 pm: |
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There are several books on the use of Prakticas that have been written over the years. A library list should come up with several. Practica themselves wrote several books in English for the European/UK market. |
Thomas
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 11, 2004 - 03:35 am: |
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Just a remark on the self-timer:
You have to wind up the camera, set the lever of the self-timer and then PUSH THE SILVER KNOB ON TOP OF THE SELF TIMER.
And for the manuals:
Go to www.praktica-users.com and you will find a selection of manuals. As the Praktica L-series are more or less the same in the basic operations, a MTL3 manual will probably be good for working with an MTL5b.
Bye,
Th. |
stepanka rockova
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 07, 2004 - 04:04 pm: |
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Hey, my practica MTL5 stopped winding up due to a tiny loose screw, after removing it from the mechanism, the lightmeter stopped working (shows much more light). Is there any simple way to return the screw to its place? I am far from my home in practicaland and don't have the money to have it repaired here by pros. |
Marek Lewandowski
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 02:40 am: |
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About metering:
Do You have the tools to disassemble the camera?
With a flat, thin screwdriver you may remove the bottm cover of your camera (four screws, remove the battery first anyway. Watch out for the film-rewind button, it will jump out, but is easy to put back upon reassembly!).
Right under the taking roll there is a potentiometer, that should be coupled with the ASA/shutter dial. Set DIN17 and 1/15s - the silver wiper of that potentiometer should appear in the index hole. Check if it moves when changing shutter speeds. If this works, check for any loose/broken wires.
To put the bottom cover back, you have to put the rewind button in first. Get a pin, and push the flat, black lever away from the buttons axle - it is spring loaded and moves softly. Then you insert the button, paying attention to the cut on its bottom, press it in and let the lever jump back over the protrusion of that button. It is now cocked in the rewind position.
Align the battery holder and gently put the bottom cover back in place. Screw the screw next to the rewind button first in. Cock the shutter and see if the button works fine, if so - put other screws in place. else remove bottom cover and put the button again under that lever - it jumped out when you were putting the lid on...
Marek |
Stepanka Rockova
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 03:48 pm: |
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Dear Marek,
thank you so much for your detailed explanation.
I will give up on it though, because it seems quite complicated.
I desperately needed my camera, which is fitted by tubes, to shoot for my friend. At the end I resolved it by buying a second-hand micro-nikkor lense and used my partner's camera. The pictures were success.
In 3 weeks I am going home to Prague and I will have my practica repaired there. It seems I could hurt it more than help.
Thank you so much though for your time and your expertise, I might need it some other time again, as my partner dragged me to NY where practica is a very exotic brand.
take care
happy happy healthy new year
Stepanka |
Marek Lewandowski
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 31, 2005 - 12:32 am: |
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Greet Prague from me! I love this place...
I hope You'll get your camera fixed. Actually, it's not as complicated as it sounds, most people get confused by a dry description, but you soon enough notice, that the description gets clear as you get along with the disassembly. Nevertheless, most important is you got your pictures.
Feel free to email me if in trouble, I read Czech and Slovakian as well, can't write though... ;0)
Tak dobreho noveho roku ;) |
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