Praktica LTL 35mm SLR Camera - Circa 1970 - 1975

The Praktica LTL is an East German 35mm SLR camera with interchangeable M42 screw-mount lenses and stop down TTL metering, produced from December 1970 to November 1975 by Pentacon. It has a vertical-run focal plane shutter, with speeds from 1s to 1/1000 + B and a self-timer operated by a rotating lever below the front-mounted shutter-release. The meter is operated by a button on the side of the mirror housing, which is pushed back to stop down the lens and activate the meter. Film speeds for the meter are set by a scale inset into the top of the shutter-speed dial. The meter requires a PX625 mercury battery or equivalent; otherwise camera is entirely mechanical.
It was one of the first series of L models, comprising the L with no built-in meter, the LB with an external selenium meter and match needle display on the top plate, the LLC with open aperture TTL metering and a lens mount with electrical contacts handling communication of the chosen aperture between the camera and lens, and the VLC, which was like the LLC, but with interchangeable viewfinders.

The LTL has a vertical-travel focal plane shutter, with speeds from 1s to 1/1000 + B and a 10 second self-timer operated by a rotating lever below the front-mounted shutter-release. The meter is operated by a paddle on the side of the mirror housing, which is pushed back to stop down the lens (and activate the meter).