The German Democratic Republic, commonly known as East Germany, was a country that existed from 1949 to 1990. During this time there were several film camera manufacturers and factories in East Germany, which included Praktica, Pentacon and Zeiss Ikon. The brands were also known outside of the GDR and are still well known to many photographers today.
Praktica was an East German camera manufacturer founded in 1949 in the city of Dresden. The company was one of the first camera manufacturers in East Germany and produced a range of popular SLR cameras that were known for their durability and reliability. Praktica cameras were used by both professional and amateur photographers in East Germany and were also exported to other countries.
Beier was another East German camera manufacturer based in the town of Freital, near Dresden. The company produced a range of cameras for different film formats. The company was founded in 1923 and started with the production of wooden plate cameras. After the Second World War, a large part of the company was incorporated by the East German state and completely taken over in 1972. From this point on, Beier was the VEB camera factory Freital. The camera models include the Beirette models.
Zeiss Ikon was an East German camera manufacturer founded in 1926 in the city of Dresden. The company was a joint venture between German camera manufacturer Zeiss and German camera manufacturer Ikon, and produced a range of high quality cameras that included rangefinders, SLRs and medium format cameras. Zeiss-Ikon cameras were widely used by professional photographers in East Germany and were also exported to other countries.
Cameras made in GDR
Beroquick KB 135
The Beroquick KB 135 is a 35mm camera from East German production.
Boots Beirette B.L.
The Boots Beirette B.L. is a camera of the private label of the British drugstore chain from East German production.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Contax FBM
The Contax FBM is an M42 SLR camera from the late 1950s for the 35mm format.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Fotoicon MTL 3
The Fotoicon MTL 3 is an old film camera from East Germany.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 120
Hanimex Praktica 66
The Hanimex Praktica 66 is medium format camera with a East German origin. It was built by the VEB Pentacon Dresden in the GDR and sold on the Australian market.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Hanimex Praktica L
The Hanimex Praktica L is a camera from the brand that was built in the GDR.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Hanimex Praktica Nova I B
A single lens reflex camera for the 35mm format from the GDR for the American market.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Hanimex Praktica Super TL
The Hanimex Praktica Super TL is an SLR from GDR production for the American market.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Pentacon FBM
The Pentacon FBM is an SLR camera from the late 1950s from the GDR.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 120
Pentacon Six
The Pentacon Six is an East German single lens reflex camera for medium format film and is the predecessor of the Pentacon Six TL and the successor of the Praktisix.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 120
Pentacon Six TL
The Pentacon Six TL is a single lens reflex camera for medium format film by the VEB Pentacon Dresden.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Pentaflex SL
The Pentaflex SL is a single lens reflex camera with M42 lens thread.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Porst reflex CX3
The Porst reflex CX3 is a camera from Photo Porst.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Porst reflex CX4
The Porst reflex CX4 is a camera based on a camera from Eastern Germany.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Porst reflex CX6
The Porst reflex CX6 is a M42 SLR from East Germany.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Porst Reflex FX 6
The Porst Reflex FX 6 is a camera from Photo Porst and was built in the GDR.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Porst Reflex FX2
It is a single lens reflex camera from Photo Porst and was also sold under the Praktica brand.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Porst Reflex FX3
The Porst Reflex FX3 is a 35mm camera. The company Pentacon built the camera from 1967 to 1971 for Photo Porst.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Porst FX 4
The Porst FX 4 is a reflex camera by Photo Porst from East German production.
Pouva Start
A simple medium format camera from Freital, Germany.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica 1000
The Praktica 1000 is a single lens reflex camera for the Dutch market from Pentacon.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica Autoreflex S
The Praktica Autoreflex S is a camera sold by Ringfoto and was built by VEB Pentacon.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica Autoreflex S-TL
The Praktica Autoreflex S-TL is a SLR camera and was also sold under an other name.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica Autoreflex SL
The Praktica Autoreflex SL is a camera made by the VEB Pentacon in Eastern Germany.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica B 100
The Praktica B 100 is a single lens reflex camera produced in the 1980s by the VEB Pentacon Dresden in East Germany.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica BCA
The Praktica BCA is a single lens reflex camera by Pentacon.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica BCC
A 35mm camera, built in Dresden, that was mainly designed for the GDR domestic market.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica BCS
An electronic SLR from East Germany.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica BM
The Praktica BM is SLR camera for 35mm film is one of the last cameras of the East German camera producers.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica BMS
The Praktica BMS is a camera from Pentacon from the late days of the East German company.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica DTL 2
The Praktica DTL 2 is an M42-SLR from the 70s.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica DTL 3
The Praktica DTL 3 is a camera for the M42 lens thread.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica EE 2
The Praktica EE 2 is a 35mm SLR with light meter from Pentacon.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica EE 3
The Praktica EE 3 is a camera from the late 1970s.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica FX2
The Praktica FX2 is a single lens reflex camera with M42 lens thread.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica L
Praktica L is a successful SLR of VEB Pentacon Dresden.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica L2
The Praktica L2 is a single lens reflex camera from the 70s.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica LB
The Praktica LB is a camera from the 1970s.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica LB 2
The Praktica LB 2 is a SLR made by the VEB Pentacon.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica LLC
The Praktica LLC is an East German SLR camera and was built from 1969 to 1975 by VEB Pentacon Dresden.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica LTL
The Praktica LTL is a film camera from the 1970s.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica LTL 2
The Praktica LTL 2 is a SLR made in the 1970s.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica LTL 3
The Praktica LTL 3 is a SLR made in the 70s by Pentacon.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica MTL 3
The Praktica MTL 3 is a camera with M42 lens thread from Pentacon.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica MTL 5
An SLR for 35mm by Pentacon from the GDR.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica MTL 50
The Praktica MTL 50 is an East German camera.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica PL electronic
Praktica PL electronic is Pentacon's first SLR camera with an electronic lock.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica PL Nova I
The Praktica PL Nova I is a 35mm SLR from the 60s to 70s from the VEB Pentacon.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica PL Nova I B
A single lens reflex camera from Dresden from the VEB Pentacon.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica PLC 2
The Praktica PLC 2 is a camera made in the splitted Germany in the 1970s.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica PLC 3
The Praktica PLC 3 is a German SLR from the VEB Pentacon.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica Super TL
A single lens reflex camera from Praktica, a brand of the VEB Pentacon Dresden.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica Super TL 1000
The Praktica Super TL 1000 is a M42-SLR for 35mm film from Pentacon.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica Super TL 2
The Praktica Super TL 2 is a SLR from the 1970s.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica Super TL 3
This is a camera from the 1970s made in the East of Germany.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica Super TL 500
The Praktica Super TL 500 is a single lens reflex camera from the 80s by the East German compay VEB Pentacon Dresden.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica VLC 2
The Praktica VLC 2 is a SLR camera for M42 lenses from VEB Pentacon Dresden.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Praktica VLC 3
The Praktica VLC 3 is a SLR camera for M42 lenses.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 120
Praktisix
The Praktisix is a single lens reflex camera for medium format film from East Germany. It is the predecessor of the Pentacon Six.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Revue BC 2
The Revue BC 2 is one of the last versions of a Pentacon single lens reflex camera under the Revue brand from Foto Quelle.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Revue ML
The Revue ML is a single reflex camera from Foto Quelle from East German production.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Revueflex Reflex BL
The Revueflex Reflex BL is a SLR from DDR, built by VEB Pentacon.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Revueflex SL
The Revueflex SL is a SLR camera from Foto Quelle, a West German mail order company.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Revueflex TL 25
A West German version of the Praktica MTL 5.
- Single lens reflex camera
- 35mm
Revueflex TL I
A West German version of the Praktica MTL 3.
