Practica MTL3 car boot bargain

ZoneV

ZoneV

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For the last few weeks I've been on the look out for an old film camera to have a play with and I might have found just what I need.

I was (reluctantly) having a look around a local car boot sale this morning and spotted a Practica MTL3, in its case, along with a few lenses. Unfortunately all the lenses except the fitted Carl Zeiss 2.8/50 are in pretty bad order, I think they've been kept in a loft or garage for too long.

Anyway, the 50mm lens seems fine and the camera shutter seems to work fine too. The light meter doesn't work but I can't get the battery compartment open, someone's tightened it up like a maniac as though their life depended on it. It's had a quick squirt of WD40 and is by the radiator warming up gently to see if that loosens it.

"Stop babbling and get to the point you bloody fool!", I hear you shout. Well, the price for this little bundle of joy... the princely sum of £5. :woot:

If the light meter turns out to be faulty or I can't get at the battery, I'll be back for advice regarding how to use my Fuji S7000 light meter for setting up shots with this practica. :thumbs:

I can't wait to give it a try.
 
Finally got to the battery but had to remove the bottom of the camera body to get there. Closer insepction revealed the battery cover's thread was seized in place by lovely green battery-guts but I eventually managed to un-seize it and now it's assembled again awaiting a new battery.

I hope that's all it needs to be fully functioning, fingers crossed.
 
Wow, that was my first SLR, good luck with getting the battery sorted :thumbs:
 
It was my first slr too, way back in 1980.
 
Edit: Wow, two ex-MTL3 users.

Thanks, it looks like a lovely camera and I'd love to breathe new life into it. It's built like a flippin tank (and the shutter sounds like one being fired too!). What's your opinion of it? pros & cons?

I've really been bitten by the film bug, just won an auction for a vintage medium format camera (see my other thread). I have a lot of learning ahead of me. New cameras, new techniques and hopefully dev stuff too (which I'm totally clueless on).

I haven't felt this enthusiastic about photography for a long time. Old cameras and film photgraphy are very appealing to me at the moment, I can't wait to get out and about with them.
 
Pros and cons. hmmm

pros

built like a tank.
loads of cheap m42 screw mount lenses available on ebay
good camera to play around with.

cons

for a fiver I cant really think of many.
 
Make that 3 users, I'm sure I still have mine in the attic somewhere and some lenses. I must hunt them down some time.

Congrats on the £5 bargain, have fun with film!!
 
Still got mine
The meter does not work, nor does the frame counter but still takes good pictures :)
 
Thanks for the replies and encouragement folks.

Suvv, how do you get by without the meter? I've come to depend on my digital camera's inbuilt meter and I think I'd be lost without it. I'm genuinely interested in how you get by without one, it's something I'd like to learn.

On the subject of meters, if it turns out that my Praktica's meter is terminally broken, will I be able to use my S7000's meter to determine the correct exposure settings and "tranfer" the settings to the Praktica? I'm guessing I can but I'm usure how the aperture sizes compare between the two cameras because I assume they use different focal lengths. For example, the smallest aperture I can set on my S7000 is f8 whereas the Praktica stops all the way down to f22. For the purposes of metering, does f8 on the S7000 equal f22 on the Praktica?
 
For metering purposes f/8 is f/8. Its because its a ratio and not a set size of hole so it transfers between any camera. You should be able to get reasonably close with your fuji and if you're shooting print film you'll be fine as the film can handle a bit of over or under exposure.

If you want to go down to lower aperture settings (f/16 etc) then you can just change the shutter speed in stops:

if your shutter speed is 1/500 @ f/8 it would be:
  • 1/250 @f/11
  • 1/125 @f/16
  • 1/60 @f/22

btw, also my first camera :thumbs:
 
My first SLR was the Practica model with no meter that immediately preceded those that had TTL metering. F2.8 Zeiss lens that proded negs that allowed me to print sharp 12 x 10 prints.

Fully converted to digital now, but thought I'd have a poke about in this section out of interest.
 
arclight said:
My first SLR was the Practica model with no meter that immediately preceded those that had TTL metering. F2.8 Zeiss lens that proded negs that allowed me to print sharp 12 x 10 prints.

Fully converted to digital now, but thought I'd have a poke about in this section out of interest.
Click to expand...

Sorry - typo error in my post - for "proded" pl. read "produced"
 
raathistle said:
For metering purposes f/8 is f/8. Its because its a ratio and not a set size of hole so it transfers between any camera. You should be able to get reasonably close with your fuji and if you're shooting print film you'll be fine as the film can handle a bit of over or under exposure.

If you want to go down to lower aperture settings (f/16 etc) then you can just change the shutter speed in stops:

if your shutter speed is 1/500 @ f/8 it would be:
  • 1/250 @f/11
  • 1/125 @f/16
  • 1/60 @f/22

btw, also my first camera :thumbs:
Click to expand...

That makes perfect sense, 'Thistle. Thanks for tips. I was aware of the relationship between shutter speed and aperture (i.e. adjusting either by 1 increment = 1 stop) but unfortunately much of the remaining theory behind camera optics is a mystery to me as you can tell from my aperture question.

Whilst looking around for info on assessing correct exposure without a meter I found an interesting method called the "f16 sunny day method". Although I now know I can use my other camera's meter, it's still an interesting method and good to know. I recommend anyone not familiar with it to look it up.
 
ZoneV said:
Suvv, how do you get by without the meter? I've come to depend on my digital camera's inbuilt meter and I think I'd be lost without it. I'm genuinely interested in how you get by without one, it's something I'd like to learn.
Click to expand...

I use an old handheld light meter, it even has a cover so that I can use incident light readings. No batteries as it uses the output from the light cell to drive the meter and no battery in the camera either :)
 
I took the Praktica out this afternoon to run a film through it and disaster struck.

Despite appearing to operate without a problem, after my first shot with film the mirror stuck in the up position. The shutter release button seems to move freely and the winder moves but will let me continue winding the film indefinately. After removing the film and opening the back it's clear what's happening: it's as though the shutter-release mechanism is somehow stuck - each time the thumb winder is wound, the camera automatically and instantaneaously takes a shot. :shrug:

Back to the drawing board! :'(
 
Try taking a few shots with the timer - mine sticks now and again but the timer clears it somehow. As the mirror is stuck up you can't actually see what you are taking but you get good at guessing ;)
Good Luck
 
This was my first SLR, I used to love the mechanical self timer till the winder arm fell off...good luck with the guessing.
 
Check the rewind button on the bottom of the camera, make sure it is not stuck in.
 
and another one whos first slr was a Practica, think the price helped! :D
 
I've been fiddling with it some more but haven't had any luck. I hope it wasn't my efforts yesterday to free the seized battery cover that buggered it up. I'm beginning to regret using the WD40. Although I didn't use much, that stuff gets everywhere. I'll leave the camera somewhere warm, with the case-bottom off and the back open and return to it in a few days to see if there's an improvement.

In the meantime, I've decided to have one more shot at cheap entry into the world of 35mm film SLR photography (any more faulty old cameras and I may aswell shell out for a reasonably modern model, and I want to avoid doing that if possible. I want an old tank not a new-fangled all-singing all-dancing job). So, after receiving confirmation from the seller that it's all in good working order I've just bid for, and won, a Zenit 12XP with: standard 50mm lens, 2x auto tele convertor, Sirius 80-200mm f3.9 continuous focusing one-touch macro zoom lens, Helios 220 flash unit and 2 cases (the original Zenit case plus a fairly modern one capable of holding the camera with zoom lens I think). Cost? £20 delivered (£10 bid plus £10 P&P).

Wish me luck, I hope the Russians did a better job than the Germans.
 
I'm sure that I have a couple of MTL3s upstairs somewhere. I know light meter failed on one and I think the other is in a bit of a state too. But sure brings back some happy memories of taking photos when I was still at school!
Good luck with your filmic escapades... it's very tempting to go back to it as I'm on such a tight budget this year.
 
Prob not your fault mate they were prone to this problem, and I don't know the cure. We bought this outfit, camera and 3 lenses, for our son when he joined the RAF many years ago. Came home with some superb piccys,"till the shutter started sticking" Plenty of these about in charity shops and some of the lenses are super.
Good luck.
 
Hope no one minds me digging up this old thread.

Just got back from a boot sale where i picked up a MTL3 in superb condition for the princely sum of £2 lol only the one lens, a 28mm f2.8 ENSINOR, which is in great condition too :)

The light meter isn't working but i'm hoping it's just a case of fitting a new battery because the battery compartment is nice and clean.

May just get a M4/3 convertor as well and try out this lens on my Olympus Pen mini.
 
He originally wanted £3 the Italian in me haggled the price down :lol:
 
Swissy said:
Hope no one minds me digging up this old thread.

Just got back from a boot sale where i picked up a MTL3 in superb condition for the princely sum of £2 lol only the one lens, a 28mm f2.8 ENSINOR, which is in great condition too :)

The light meter isn't working but i'm hoping it's just a case of fitting a new battery because the battery compartment is nice and clean.

May just get a M4/3 convertor as well and try out this lens on my Olympus Pen mini.
Click to expand...

That was a bargain and the lens might be a good one as Ensinor (trade name) had some good lenses e.g. 24mm
 
Yeah i googled the lens when i got home and it looks like it could be a good one :)

After giving the lens a good clean the glass is in amazingly good condition.
 
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If the light meter doesn't work, be all manly and use the sunny 16/11 rule.

The MTL3 was my Dad's first SLR back in the 70's. He still has it now, but the shutter's jammed.
 
ZoneV said:
snip

I've decided to have one more shot at cheap entry into the world of 35mm film SLR photography

Wish me luck,

snip
Click to expand...

One more shot?

Do you not realise that you're now hooked?

give you a fortnight and you'll be having a little exploration of folders, rangefinders, Oly Trips, TLRs, the whole nine yards:naughty::naughty:
 
I'm very new to film, but just a heads up on something that's helped me a lot so far with my unmetered Yashica J: an iPhone app called (you'll never guess!), Light Meter. You can use it free with ads, but it only costs 69p to get rid of them anyway!

I assume it's not as accurate as a dedicated meter, but in practical terms it's worked great for me so far, and is better than getting your DSLR out just for metering. Gives you actual settings, not just an EV.

I assume there must be Android equivelants available?
 
Southdowns said:
I'm very new to film, but just a heads up on something that's helped me a lot so far with my unmetered Yashica J: an iPhone app called (you'll never guess!), Light Meter. You can use it free with ads, but it only costs 69p to get rid of them anyway!

I assume it's not as accurate as a dedicated meter, but in practical terms it's worked great for me so far, and is better than getting your DSLR out just for metering. Gives you actual settings, not just an EV.

I assume there must be Android equivelants available?
Click to expand...

I use a selection of light meter apps and they compare very well to the built in light meter in my D700 and my handheld Sekonic.
Of course they have their limitations and I wouldn't expect them to cope with the challenges I give my spot meter but for everyday use you can't go wrong for 69p.
 
I've been using that app on my iPhone with a Kowa Six and to be fair, having just got a couple of rolls of slide film developed I reckon it's spot on. After all, the iPhone meters like any other digital camera so should be as accurate as them too.

Definitely recommended as I've always got my phone in my pocket whereas carrying a dedicated light meter is just another piece of kit to store.

Cheers
Steve
 
Steve Smith said:
EV is actual settings. It's a function of shutter speed and aperture only.
Click to expand...

Then it's not a setting, it's a result of settings. Yes you can set your camera up for a given EV, but you need to know what actual settings to use to achieve it.

I cannot set EV directly using any of the switches/dials/menus/rings on any camera I've ever used: they have no setting called EV, they have settings for aperture, ISO and speed.

The app lets you fix any two of the three variables (ISO, aperture and speed), and tells you what to set the third to to achieve good exposure. If it gave you an EV, you still wouldn't know what settings to make without additional knowledge, so giving you an EV is NOT giving you actual settings.
 
You would.

e.g. EV 15 is f16 at 1/125 or f11 at 1/250 or f8 at 1/500 or any other combination giving the same exposure. EV is just a combination of aperture and shutter, light level and ISO have no bearing.

On the other hand, LV is a measure of light.

Only at ISO 100 do the two sets of numbers match.

I do have cameras which can be set usng an EV number.


Steve.
 
No, you wouldn't, not without additional knowledge. If the app gave you EV 15, you still would not know whether to set the aperture to f16, f11, or f8, even if you knew you wanted 1/250 second, unless you knew how to work it out. The point of my comment about the app giving you ACTUAL settings was that in this situation, you'd tell it you wanted 1/250 second and tell it the ISO. It would know, based on the LV it measured, that you needed EV 15, and tell you what to actually set the aperture to; f11 if at ISO100.

If it just gave you an EV, you would have to know how to work out aperture and speed from that at your particular ISO, so you have NOT been given actual settings.

If you we're teaching someone to drive, would you tell them what wheel RPM they needed to travel at 70mph, or would you teach them how to choose the correct gear and throttle position? By your logic, you'd do the former, because the "setting" you're after is 2600rpm, rather than 70% throttle in gear 5; i.e. the things the driver can actually set.


Steve Smith said:
.... light level and ISO have no bearing.
Click to expand...

This confirms my point. In order to tell you what EV is needed for a correct exposure, the app needs to measure the LV. Then, if all it did was tell you that EV, you would still need to work out which speed and aperture resulted in that EV, AND how to correct for the ISO you're using, before you knew what actual settings to dial in. The app does that for you, so does give you actual settings.

You are only right if your camera has an actual, direct EV setting. Very few do, including the OP's camera.
 
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Threeracers said:
Me to (Hasselblad) and I prefer using it - much quicker!

Mark
Click to expand...

Then for those cameras, Steve is right, but not for the OP's camera or the vast majority of others.
 
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