The Porst FX 4 is a SLR camera. It was built from 1968 to 1975 by VEB Pentacon in the GDR. The 35mm camera was intended for the West German market and was offered in the East under the name “Praktica PL Nova I B“.
The lenses of the Porst FX 4 can be easily interchanged. This is possible trough the M42-Gewinde. There are many interchangeable lenses available for the M42 mount. The M42 lens mount was developed by Carl Zeiss in Jena (Germany). Zeiss, Pentacon and Pentax were among others major manufacturers of M42 lenses. The Porst FX 4 has no autofocus. It is manually focused.
The camera has a built-in light meter on top of the lens. This is a selenium exposure meter, which does not need electricity for the measurement but can lose accuracy over the years. This can be corrected by setting the ISO value according to the deviation.
The shutter speed and aperture can be selected by the photographer. The Porst FX 4 has a bulb mode, for example for long exposures. The shutter can remain open for a variable time and expose the film. An optional external flash can be used via the provided PC flash socket.
Films for the Porst FX 4
The Porst FX 4 exposes 35mm film. These are still easy to get today and development services are still around. For black-and-white shots, you can go to with the Kodak TRI-X 400*. For color images, the Agfaphoto Vista 200* is a possibility.
The color film is processed in the C-41 process. The C-41 process is standardized and is offered by most development laboratories.
The exposure area of the Porst FX 4 is 24 mm x 36 mm big. For example, a normal 35mm film can hold at this size a least 36 pictures.
The 35mm camera has a connector for a cable release. There is also a thread for mounting a tripod. Batteries are not needed for taking pictures.
Today you can buy the camera only in used condition. The value of the Porst FX 4 depends on the condition of the camera.
Technical datasheet
| Attribute | Specification |
|---|---|
| Type of Camera | Single lens reflex camera |
| Film format | 35mm |
| Picture format | 24 mm x 36 mm |
| Lens mount | M42 lens mount |
| Focus | Manual |
| Viewfinder | Pentaprism finder |
| Exposure times | 1/500 second to 1 second, Bulb |
| Bulb mode | Yes |
| Light meter | Yes |
| Built-in flash | No |
| Flash Connection | PC-Flash |
| Tripod mount | Yes |
| Cable release thread | Yes |
| Self-timer | No |
| Company name of the brand | Photo Porst |
| Manufacturer | VEB Pentacon |
| Country of production | GDR (German Democratic Republic) |
| End of production | 1975 |
| Production duration | 7 years |
| Estimated value / Used price | 50,73 Euro 82,6874,8549,57394,2143,698503,64593,2854,71 Estimate based on used prices of 6 offers (possibly with different scope of delivery and/or condition). As of 13.5.2024 |
| Average used price in the year 2023 | 55,31 Euro (59.53 US-Dollar) |
Hello!
I recently purchased a Porst fx 4 made in 1968. I was wondering if you knew what other color films would be good for the camera?
Thank you!
Congratulations on the purchase.
It depends on what kind of pictures you want to take and what sensitivity you need. For a start, the Kodak Ultramax 400, Kodak Color Plus 200 or even the Superia 400 are a good choice.