Praktica MTL3 Viewfinder from Outer Space

[DamienW]

Hello...first post...be gentle...about time I joined a photography forum instead of just reading them. Hope this thread fits ok here....

Prompting this post was the purchase of a Praktica MTL3 on eBay. It was described as near mint, and probably seeing little use with clear glass etc etc. I'm a bit sentimental about the old Praktica cameras, since an MTL3 was the first SLR I abused when I was young. When I received this one, I found hazing and separation on the lens, and a blurry viewfinder on the body. Forget about using the aperture at all, as it feels like somebody has poured honey into the lens body, and the focus ring is little better. Film advance operated three or four times (shutter did sound good) before jamming. I think the marketing was a touch optimistic.

Anyhow, not much money blown and it looks like the seller will agree to a part refund. I'll just use it for parts/education such that I am able.

But on to the topic of my post...I took a photo through the viewfinder to show the seller how affected it was. I managed to focus on the muck obscuring the top part of the image, and it revealed a rainbow kaleidoscope of dribbles and swirls. Does anybody have a better idea than me of what this is?

My first impression was that it is some sort of oil or other fluid. Fungus did come to mind, but it just doesn't appear as I expected (with my naked eye...fungus looks a little more 'jaggy' and tree-like). Otherwise, maybe some sort of delamitation of materials?

Just curiosity more than anything else. I'm not about to try to crack into the prism/viewfinder on this camera - I hear that it's...challenging.

Cheers!
Damien

PS...file title may mislead...it's a shot through the viewfinder with no lens on the body, not a shot of the lens.

 

[cgw]

With respect, take the partial refund and keep shopping. Too many 35mm cameras in better shape for very little $$$ to bother with junk. Ask here before you buy. We've been there--and back.

 

[DamienW]

With respect, take the partial refund and keep shopping. Too many 35mm cameras in better shape for very little $$$ to bother with junk. Ask here before you buy. We've been there--and back.

Oh yes...absolutely! I've no ambition to restore this one...the lens will maybe come apart to show my son the workings, and I may take the timer lever off it to replace the missing lever on a serviceable LTL that I have. I'd like a MTL3 in reasonably good order - so I will keep looking for that.

I'm curious about the stuff in the viewfinder though - like a little garden, and even a little colourful. Wondering if somebody knows what it is...fungus, mould?...oil?

 

[cgw]

Could be separation or coating deterioration on the focus screen/prism.

 

[compur]

The rainbow effect is caused by separation of laminated optical elements -- either between pairs of glass elements that were cemented together or glass and optical coatings.

See this:
Markus Keinath - Delamination and Seperation of Lenses

 

[jcdeboever]

There's a clean, working one on Etsy

Praktica MTL3 35mm SLR Camera with Auto-Promura C.P Hi Lux 28mm F2.8 Prime lens and carry case - #128

 

[vintagesnaps]

I've never seen that in a viewfinder before. Guess at least you've got a parts camera.

For a replacement try a dealer like KEH, Adorama, or B&H if they ship to where you live. Condition given on ebay seems to be subjective. And doesn't ebay cover the refund on an item if a seller doesn't?

 

[compur]

I've seen it most often in older German optics for some reason (though not Leitz or Zeiss). I guess it's the optical cement they used. When it degrades the two elements get air between them and this refracts the light into a rainbow. It affects lenses and viewfinder optics or any optics with multiple elements. It's not at all uncommon with post war Schneider and some Voigtlander lenses and viewfinders. You have to inspect these carefully before buying. I guess the "East German" Praktica optics used the same stuff.

 

[DamienW]

The rainbow effect is caused by separation of laminated optical elements -- either between pairs of glass elements that were cemented together or glass and optical coatings.

See this:
Markus Keinath - Delamination and Seperation of Lenses

Ahh nice...the flower pattern looks the goods. I think you and cgw hit the nail on the head.

 

[DamienW]

I've seen it most often in older German optics for some reason (though not Leitz or Zeiss). I guess it's the optical cement they used. When it degrades the two elements get air between them and this refracts the light into a rainbow. It affects lenses and viewfinder optics or any optics with multiple elements. It's not at all uncommon with post war Schneider and some Voigtlander lenses and viewfinders. You have to inspect these carefully before buying. I guess the "East German" Praktica optics used the same stuff.

Yes...it's interesting. The MTL3 I had many years ago experienced something similar. I'm thinking it was probably the exact same issue. I took that camera to a tech at the time, and he said that it was unrepairable due to the glues used inside the camera. Well, there you go!

 

[DamienW]

I've never seen that in a viewfinder before. Guess at least you've got a parts camera.

For a replacement try a dealer like KEH, Adorama, or B&H if they ship to where you live. Condition given on ebay seems to be subjective. And doesn't ebay cover the refund on an item if a seller doesn't?

Yes...eBay should probably have sorted it if required, but I contacted the seller first and we came to an agreement (they were a little more generous than I asked actually). Happy enough with the result.

 

[DamienW]

There's a clean, working one on Etsy

Praktica MTL3 35mm SLR Camera with Auto-Promura C.P Hi Lux 28mm F2.8 Prime lens and carry case - #128

That one is tempting, if only for the rather unusual lens.

 

[that1guy]

i don't know about any of this but i actually just picked this same camera up for about 40$ with 3 lens and some weird flash the camera body is in good condition but i haven't checked the meter since i don't have a battery

 

[DamienW]

i don't know about any of this but i actually just picked this same camera up for about 40$ with 3 lens and some weird flash the camera body is in good condition but i haven't checked the meter since i don't have a battery

The Praktica gear should be pretty cheap as a rule I think. I'll just have to wait to find the right example of a MTL3.

You can get the Win Cell zinc-air batteries, but they're about $10 a throw. I have a few bodies that need the old mercury batteries, so I invested in a convertor (pop a normal SR43 into it, and it goes into the camera - drops the voltage to 1.35v). You can always go straight with a silver oxide cell - shouldn't damage the camera, but the meter may read over (I think) - at least, my Ricoh Singlex II didn't read properly with a fresh silver oxide cell.

Hope your MTL3 goes well, and that it doesn't have any delamination of the prism!

 

[john.margetts]

The MTL cameras should be fine with either alkaline or silver batteries as they use a bridge circuit for the light meter.