The Praktica's Little Cousin

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>The Pentona doesn't seem to be a particularly well-known camera. It's a 35mm camera designed by Zeiss Ikon and first marketed in 1956.</p><div></div>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>Originally, the Pentona was constructed by the German company KW, ( Kamera- Werkstaetten), but in 1959 this company merged with VEB Kamera-und Kino-Werke Dresden, and from that point on the Pentona bears the Pentacon symbol. The company was re-named Pentacon in 1964. The little camera is just about as simple as one could imagine, yet the quality of build and finish is high and it's a pleasure to handle, with one of the smoothest and quietest shutter releases I've experienced. The Pentona has a nice bright peephole of a viewfinder with a couple of parallax correction pointers, a film wind/shutter cocking knob, and the world's most awkward film rewind using a flat disc on the base of the camera. Construction of the working module is of metal while the removable back and body is of a solid textured plastic. The shutter is Priomat with speeds of B, 1/30, 1/60 and 1/125. Focusing is by estimation, with distances marked around the front of the lens. It's a very basic camera, indeed...But it takes excellent photographs.</p><div></div>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>What lifts the Pentona above the great slurry of similar cameras is the fine quality of its lens, a 45mm Meyer-Optik Gorlitz Trioplan f/3.5. </p><div></div>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>This little lens had been around for decades before the Pentona appeared, being based upon the original Cooke Triplet, a design patented in 1893. An uncemented triplet, the Trioplan was used in a myriad of cameras, being gradually improved over the years with better glass and coatings, as they evolved. It was replaced by the Domiplan in about 1963 when auto diaphragms were in demand; this copy has very good coating, and produces excellent colour and contrast with a surprising absence of flare. It actually performs better than a couple of Domiplans I have, in this respect. It's also very sharp, though 200 ISO film and a maximum shutter speed of 1/125 meant that the apertures were constantly in the f/8 - f/16 range, the sweet spot for most triplets. Given the relative simplicity of the tasks I put it to, it performed as well as many far more complex lenses I've used.</p>

<p>The Pentona was upgraded to a Mk.II model in 1963, with a film wind lever and brightline viewfinder, and I can well believe that these simple cameras have taken many thousands of fine photographs, over the years. I post a few samples; I was surprised by the quality and I hope you find some to like. Fuji Superia 200, scans from the Fuji Frontier.</p><div></div>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>No.2</p><div></div>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>No.3</p><div></div>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>No.4</p><div></div>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>No.5</p><div></div>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>No.6</p><div></div>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>No.7</p><div></div>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>No.8</p><div></div>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>No.9</p><div></div>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>No.10</p><div></div>

[steve_mareno1]

<p>Wow. That green bush and blue building nearly leap out of the frame. Juicy colors. I agree, the lens has lots of sharpness and contrast. I'm beginning to really like the way the best of these triplet lenses make images.</p>

[harveysteeves]

<p>I agree, great colours and sharpness but the compositions make the shots.</p>

[Matthew Currie]

<p>Nice shots, and encouraging. Some time ago I bought a ratty Exacta (yes, this one has the "C" in its name), whose shutter lasted just long enough to get out of the store. No loss at the price, but I hoped to fix it or put the lens on another, East European beast of an Exakta (this one with the "K"), which I found in a $5 junk box, but had heard that the lens, a Meyer Goerlitz Trioplan, is held in very low esteem. Obviously, though, this series of photographs suggests otherwise. I guess I'd better stick some film in that Exakta and find out.</p>

<p>Mind you, I do credit the photographer here with using it well, too. </p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Very nice results.The Trioplan is generally underrated, but in your hands it produces sweet results.<br>

This reminds me that this is one DDR camera I do not have.</p>

<p>I do have a Taxona (<a href="00R6tH">link</a>) with the 24x24mm format, it is a sort of elder, but smaller, brother of the Pentona.</p>

[subbarayan_prasanna]

<p>Crisp shots <strong>Rick! </strong>I also noticed that this lens was a favourite in that era of elegance when Dresden dominated the camera industry. I have been trying to get one of these lenses in the M42 or Exakta mount. But the prices are out of reach, now. Thanks for the post. SP</p>

 

[rod_larson]

<p>Kind of reminds me of a Paxette the way it is built with the removable back and the hinged<br>

film pressure plate. It is truly an excellent performer.</p>

[Mike Gammill]

Outstanding, Rick. I've never heard of this one. Thanks for sharing.

[david_smith110]

<p>Wonderful shots as usual Rick. And some interesting info on a camera I was not aware of. Thanks for posting.</p>

[h._p.]

<p>I'm not surprised that the Trioplan performs better than the Domiplan. Without having to move the rear element away from the mirror's path, the designer can put the lens exactly where it will do the most good.</p>

<p>And Rick's pictures, as usual, show off the capabilities to the best advantage.</p>

[brett_rogers]

<p>Surprisingly sharp. "The New Cafe" is a particular favourite. but typically, they're all good. Thanks for sharing those images and words, Rick.</p>

[Alan Johnson]

<p>Interesting post, <strong>Rick</strong>, I did not know that Dresden also made P&S cameras at that time.I looked up some prices in "Amateur Photographer" magazine 4Nov 1959, prices in GBP:<br>

Pentona-7, Voigtlander Vito BL-27, Zeiss Contina-18 , Ilford Sportsman-10 , Leica M3+2.8 Elmar -130.<br>

I think in those days the speed of Kodachrome was ASA 10 so there was an incentive to get a lens that performed well.</p>

[charles_stobbs3]

You always come up with an interesting camera and great accompanying photos. Thanks.