C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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slr-35mm
The Praktica MTL 3 (1978) is a 35mm single-lens reflex camera made by VEB Pentacon in Dresden, East Germany, the state successor to KW (Kamera-Werkstätten). The MTL 3 represents the mature form of the Praktica MTL series — a line that had introduced TTL (through-the-lens) metering to the affordable East German SLR range in the early 1970s.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
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Before you buy used
About this camera
East Germany's workhorse SLR of the late Cold War era — the Praktica MTL 3 combined a reliable vertical metal shutter, a dual-mode TTL CdS meter, and universal M42 compatibility into a camera that could be picked up for a fraction of Western rivals' prices.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm (24×36 mm) |
| Mount | M42 screw (42×1mm) |
| Years | 1978–1985 |
| Shutter | Vertical metal focal-plane: 1s – 1/1000s + B |
| Flash sync | 1/125s (X-sync); FP sync on PC socket |
| Meter | CdS TTL, stopped-down / open-aperture |
| Exposure | Manual (meter-guided) |
| Viewfinder | Pentaprism, 92% coverage, 0.9× |
| Focus | Manual, split-prism + microprism ring |
| Battery | PX625 / SR44 (1.35–1.55V) |
VEB Pentacon inherited the Praktica brand from KW following East Germany's postwar nationalisation of the camera industry. The Praktica L series launched in 1969 introduced a new vertical metal shutter and a cleaner body design. By 1972, the Praktica LLC added open-aperture TTL metering for compatible lenses. The MTL series (MTL = "Multi-TTL" or simply the designation for the dual-mode metering version) consolidated these improvements and offered a reliable, affordable TTL SLR to Eastern-bloc and export markets.
The MTL 3 was the third generation of the MTL line, refining the circuit design and ergonomics. It was widely exported throughout Western Europe, the UK, Australia, and elsewhere, often at prices well below comparable Japanese cameras. In the UK it was sold through Dixons and other mass-market retailers; in the US through various importers. Its combination of low price, M42 compatibility, and genuine TTL metering made it a popular first SLR for students and budget-conscious photographers throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s.
The MTL 5 succeeded it in 1985 with further refinements, and the Praktica B series introduced a new bayonet mount for automatic-aperture operation.
The Praktica MTL 3 matters as the most widely distributed affordable M42 SLR of the late Cold War period. Millions of units were exported, introducing photographers across Europe and beyond to TTL metering and interchangeable-lens photography at accessible prices. Today it represents outstanding value for M42 lens users: fully functional bodies sell for under $50, and the camera's standard mechanical design responds well to basic cleaning and servicing.
Premier M42 lenses: Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 50/1.8, Flektogon 35/2.4, Sonnar 135/3.5; Meyer-Optik Oreston 50/1.8, Trioplan 100/2.8; Pentax Super-Takumar 50/1.4, 35/3.5. The MTL 3 also accepts any M42 lens via simple screw-in fitting. Accessories: cable releases, motor drive interfaces (limited), Exakta/M42 adaptors for some lens lines, extension tubes and bellows for close-up work.
BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
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