The Pentacon Six System
by
TRA
Advertisements
for the Praktisix and the Pentacon Six
In the realm of advertising, it is impossible to
hope for a comprehensive listing (unless one had
access to the manufacturer’s archive!), so here I am
limited to those advertisements that I have come
across over the years. As far as possible, I
have sorted these in date order. The absence
of advertisements for a given year is not an
indication that the camera was not advertised,
merely a reflection of the random nature of the data
that I have managed to gather, years after the dates
when the advertisements first appeared, in most
cases.
More detailed publicity material, brochures, etc
from distributors in various countries and from an
early East German export agency are found here.
| 1957 |
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[1957_ad_01s.jpg]
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“Kleinbild
oder 6 × 6?” (“35mm camera or 6 ×
6?”). Full-page advertisement in a
West German photographic magazine,
reportedly in 1957, the first full year that
the Praktisix was available.
Approximate dimensions: 195mm × 273mm
Click on the image here to see the
advertisement full size.
At the time, the 35mm Praktina was one of
the leading 35mm SLR cameras, world-wide,
particularly prized by scientists and
professionals of all sorts, because of its
features and reliability and the vast range
of accessories offered for it. Both
the Praktina and the Praktisix were made by
KW in Dresden.
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[1957nov_P6_hobby_mags.jpg] |
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Full-page
advertisement in the West German magazine
“hobby Das Magazin der Technik”,
Stuttgart (West Germany), November 1957
Approximate dimensions: 150mm × 210mm
Click on the image here to see the
advertisement full size.
We note that the camera shown in this
photograph is fitted with a 65mm f/2.8
Flektogon wide-angle lens.
The text under the camera name states (in
German) “First 6 × 6 cm SLR camera with
fully automatic aperture”.
The same advertisement appeared, again
occupying a full page, in the December 1957
issue of the West German magazine “POPULÄRE
MECHANIK”.
Approximate dimensions: 150mm × 231mm
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[1957_Dec_BRDs.jpg]
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A different
version of the previous advertisement, this
time reportedly from a 1957 issue of the
West German “PHOTO Magazin”. The
notation at the bottom of the page (“110 –
12”) is probably an indication that this is
from the December issue of the magazine.
Approximate page dimensions: 210mm × 295mm
Approximate advertisement dimensions: 210mm
× 155mm (half of a large-format page)
Click on the image here to see the page full
size.
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| 1958
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[1958jans.jpg]
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Full-page advertisement
reportedly in the West German magazine
“hobby Das Magazin der Technik”,
Stuttgart (West Germany), January 1958
Approximate dimensions: 150mm × 210mm
Click on the image here to see the
advertisement full size.
Three cameras from KW are featured here: the
market-leading 35mm Praktina (top of page,
and middle), the much more economical 35mm
Praktica FX 3, and then, at the bottom of
the page, the Praktisix.
Interestingly, some prices are given.
The headline title is “Das
überzeugende Mattscheibenbild”, which means
“The convincing focussing-screen
image”. The following text refers to
the lack of parallax problems and the
uncomplicated way that one can work with all
sorts of close-up photography.
The description of the Praktisix
emphasises the fully-automatic diaphragm,
interchangeable viewfinders, fast shutter
advance, focal plane shutter up to 1/1000
sec and interchangeable lenses from 65mm to
400mm. Interestingly, 400mm did not
remain as a focal length for lenses
manufactured in East Germany for the
Praktisix and the Pentacon Six, although the
West German Enna did offer a 400mm lens in
this mount for many years. (See report
on that lens here.)
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[1958Apr_P6_hobbys.jpg] |
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Half-page advertisement in
the West German magazine “hobby Das Magazin
der Technik”, Stuttgart (West
Germany) April 1958
Approximate dimensions: 75mm × 210mm
Click on the image here to see the
advertisement full size.
This appears to be the same photograph as in
the previous advertisement. |
[1958_BRDs_3.jpg]
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Full-column advertisment
from an unidentified West German magazine
(clear from the advertisement on the other
side of the page), reportedly from 1958,
month not specified.
Approximate dimensions: 78mm × 205mm
Click on the image here to see the
advertisement full size.
Again the Praktisix, the Praktica and the
Praktina are featured, although this time
the Praktisix is given top billing.
The text states, “The single lens reflex
with parallax-free focussing screen focus,
interchangeable lenses and focal plane
shutter is the leading camera type today”.
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| 1959 |
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[1959apr_USAs.jpg]
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Full-page advertisement in
the April 1959 issue of the American
photographic magazine “Modern Photography”.
Approximate dimensions: 204mm × 279mm
Click on the image here to see the
advertisement full size.
Some items from other manufacturers are
featured, but the emphasis is on the
Praktisix (“THE LONG AWAITED BIG
SIX Big Pictures With Small Camera Ease”)
and the Praktina IIA (“Already
the World’s Finest 35mm Single-lens
Mirror-Reflex”).
The distributor appears to be the
“STANDARD CAMERA CORPORATION” of Fifth
Avenue, New York.
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[1959_anciens-frss.jpg]
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Full page-width
advertisement in a French magazine,
reportedly published in 1959. The
magazine is printed on high-quality glossy
paper and the advertisements on the back of
this page are for top-quality furniture,
wallpaper, luxury soft furnishings and
decoration, which suggest that this was not
a photographic magazine but a publication
aimed at comfortably-off members of society.
Approximate dimensions: 235mm × 150mm
Click on the image here to see the
advertisement full size.
The advertisement is for the Praktina
IIA and the Praktisix and the headline text
states “POUR LE PROFESSIONAL – POUR LE
SCIENTIFIQUE – POUR L’AMATEUR ÉCLAIRÉ”,
which means “FOR THE PROFESSIONAL – FOR THE
SCIENTIST – FOR THE ENLIGHTENED AMATEUR”.
Interestingly, the cameras are priced
in “anciens francs” (“old francs”).
For the “nouveau franc” (“new franc”),
both banknotes and coins were
introduced on 1st January 1960. 100
anciens francs became one nouveau franc, but
old and new denomination banknotes
circulated side by side for years, their
value being recognised by the pictures on
them, since the notes with new franc values
printed on them were identical in design to
those with old franc values, and indeed
French people continued to think in terms of
“anciens francs” for at least a decade,
especially for large sums of money, such as
the price of houses or cars (and, no doubt,
cameras!).
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1962
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[1962_Jul_USAs.jpg]
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Another full-page
advertisement from an American photographic
magazine, probably again “Modern
Photography”.
Approximate dimensions: 204mm × 279mm
Click on the image here to see the
advertisement full size.
This advertisement appears to have been
placed by the distributor of these East
German cameras, which now seems to be the “PRAKTI
CAMERA COMPANY” of 705 Bronx River Road,
Bronxville, New York state. Bronxville
is apparently about 15 miles north of
central Manhattan, New York city.
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| 1963 |
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[1963_BRD_1s.jpg] |
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Half-page advertisement
reportedly from 1963 in a West German
magazine, probably “hobby Das Magazin der
Technik”, published in Stuttgart.
Approximate dimensions: 144mm × 205mm
Click on the image here to see the
advertisement full size.
This advertisement is in a highly-prominent
position, on the Contents page, and I
include the Contents column, which gives an
indication of the type of magazine this is.
The main text says “Man sieht mehr im
Lichtschacht”, which means, “One
sees more in the waist-level finder”.
The main distributor for West Germany now
appears to be the firm BEROLINA, although
Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg have their own
distributor. |
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[1963_BRD_2s.jpg]
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Half-page advertisement
reportedly from 1963 in a West German
magazine, probably “hobby Das Magazin der
Technik”, published in Stuttgart.
Approximate dimensions: 144mm × 205mm
Click on the image here to see the
advertisement full size.
The main text says “Sie haben nur
eine halbe Photoausrüstung”,
which means, “You have only half
a photographic outfit”. The
main distributor for West Germany continues
to be the firm BEROLINA, while Bavaria and
Baden-Württemberg continue with their own
distributor.
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| 1964 |
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[1964_Frs.jpg]
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A small French
advertisement, reportedly from the magazine
“Photo Ciné Revue” in 1964
Approximate dimensions: 71.4mm × 190.5mm
Click on the image here to see the
advertisement full size.
The title text states, “PRAKTISIX
aussi maniable qu’un 24 × 36”, which means,
“As easy to handle as a 35mm camera”. |
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[1964_BRD_1s.jpg
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A small, foot-of-page
advertisement reportedly from 1964 in a West
German magazine, probably once more “hobby
Das Magazin der Technik”,
published in Stuttgart, to judge from the
page format and the contents on the other
side of the page.
Approximate dimensions: 144mm × 62mm
Click on the image here to see the
advertisement full size.
The title, “EINE GANZ
GROSSE”, means, “A TRULY GREAT ONE”.
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| 1965 |
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[1965_Jan_1s.jpg]
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A whole-page advertisement
from the U.K. magazine “Practical
Photography”
Approximate dimensions: 204mm × 277mm
Click on the image here to see the
advertisement full size.
Long before the arrival of the 21st century,
I was wondering why the advertisers were
seeking to limit their potential market to
less than half the U.K. population, by
advertising this Praktisix II as only being
for “the discerning man!” (emphasis
added, but exclamation mark original).
We note that the U K distributors at the
time were J. J. Silber of London.
It is interesting to note the prices, as
well as the features that are mentioned,
although I am not quite sure what a “Click
stop single pivot” is!
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[1965_Frs.jpg]
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A small French
advertisement, reportedly from the
magazine “Photo Ciné Revue” in 1965
Approximate dimensions: 71.4mm ×
190.5mm
Click on the image here to see the
advertisement full size.
Key features highlighted
are “Well hand-holdable without
needing a grip” and “rapid advance
lever”. We note that the plain
prism is featured in the
photograph. (The metering
prism wasn’t released until the
following year.) The
advertisement also refers to the
“silent and vibration-free focal
plane shutter with speeds from 1
second to 1/1000 sec”.
Numerous lenses are also
listed. The name “Carl Zeiss”
is not used, and the lenses are
designated as “IENA”, using the
standard French spelling of “Jena”,
well-known in France from one of
Napoleon Bonaparte’s victories, and
commemorated in the name of a Paris
Métro (underground train)
station. We note both
wide-angle lenses, the 50mm and the
65mm, the 80mm and 120mm Biometars
(referred to as “BM”) and the 180mm
Sonnar, referred to as “S” (because
of the dispute with Zeiss West
Germany over the use of the name
“Zeiss” and lens names such as
“Sonnar”). The 1000mm mirror
lens is there, but not yet the 300mm
Sonnar nor the 500mm Pentacon.
To fill the gap between 180mm and
1000mm, the advertisement lists the
East German Meyer Optik f4.5 300mm
“Télémégor” lens and the West German
Enna f/4.5 400mm. |
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[1965_Apr_USAs.jpg]
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Full-page
advertisement in the April 1965 issue of the
American photographic magazine “Modern
Photography”.
Approximate dimensions: 210mm × 279mm
Click on the image here to see the
advertisement full size.
We note that whereas three months
earlier, in January 1965, the U.K. magazine
“Practical Photography”
was advertising the Praktisix II,
this U.S. ad is still featuring the previous
model of the camera.
Another suprise is that
there is yet another change in the name of
the USA distributor, which is now given as
the “EXAKTA CAMERA COMPANY” of New
York. However, the address is the same
as in the 1962 ad from the “PRAKTI
CAMERA COMPANY”: 705 Bronx River Road,
Bronxville, New York state, so the company
name may be new, but the people behind it
are probably the same.
The price of the Praktisix with
waist-level viewfinder and 80mm “C.Z.”
Biometar lens is US$269.50.
As well as the 80mm Biometar, the
50mm and 65mm Flektogons are illustrated,
the 120mm Biometar, the 180mm Sonnar and the
300mm f/4.5 Meyer Optik Telemegor.
However, close examination of the photograph
reveals that the version of the 180mm Sonnar
that is illustrated has the mount for Exakta
35mm cameras (note the shutter release
button near the base of the lens in the
photograph).
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| 1966 |
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[1966_May_USAs.jpg]
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Another whole-page
advertisement from the USA, this time from
the May 1966 issue of “Popular PHOTOGRAPHY”
Approximate dimensions: 195mm × 265mm
Click on the image here to see the
advertisement full size.
A couple of things surprise us with
this advertisement:
The Praktisix II is announced as being “For
220 and 120 Film!” We have never seen
a Praktisix that took 220 film, but in 1966
Pentacon Dresden had announced that the next
version of the camera would take 220
film. When that version was released,
it had been given a new name: Pentacon Six.
The photograph appears to
be a retouched version of the one that was
used in the 1965 advertisement above, with
the only changes being the logo on the
waist-level finder, the name on the camera
and the airbrushing out of the Exakta 35mm
camera shutter release on the 180mm Sonnar
(plus the rear of the three focussing
screens has been moved). Such changes
were clearly made by advertisers long before
Photoshop was invented!
We notice that the same East German
lenses are shown as those announced in the
French advertisement of the previous year,
above.
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[1966_Oct_USAs.jpg]
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The same whole-page
advertisement was run in the October 1966
issue of “Popular PHOTOGRAPHY” (and perhaps
in the intermediate months, too; I have no
way of checking).
Approximate dimensions: 195mm × 265mm
Click on the image here to see the
advertisement full size.
Why have I reproduced it again?
Because of one difference, which will only
be visible from the full-sized copy of the
ad: the price for the camera with
Waist-Level Finder and 80mm “C.Z.” Biometar
lens was US$279.50 in May; in October it was
US$299.50. (The prices of the four
items at the bottom of the page have not
changed.)
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| 1967 |
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[1967_Frs.jpg]
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Apparently a whole-page
advertisement, again reportedly from the
French photographic magazine “Photo Ciné
Revue”, this time from 1967, of which there
can be little doubt, as the camera featured
now has the new name: “PENTACON SIX”
Dimensions: uncertain, as I only have a
reduced-size copy.
However, you can click on the image here to
see a larger-sized version.
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[1967_May_17_APs.jpg]
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A whole-page advertisement
from the popular U.K. weekly magazine
“Amateur Photographer”
Approximate dimensions: 198mm × 265mm
Click on the image here to see the
advertisement full size.
The page is conveniently dated for us: 17
May 1967.
As with the French advertisement reproduced
to the left, the emphasis is on promoting
the new camera name. We note that in
the U.K. the name “Carl Zeiss” can appear on
the lenses and in the text of
advertisements.
According to Barry M. Jones in his
publication “From KW to Pentacon”, between
1966 and 1968 UK distribution of GDR cameras
was transferred to a different UK company, C
Z Optical Ltd, and then to C Z Scientific
instruments Ltd, which took over completely
from J J Silber. (Published by Barry M
Jones, 2014, pp. 41-42)
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| 1971 |
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1971_US_ads.jpg]
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A full-page
advertisement from an American photographic
magazine, possibly again “Modern
Photography”. The person who supplied
this ad told me that it was from 1971.
Approximate dimensions: 204mm × 278mm
Click on the image here to see the
advertisement full size.
This advertisement appears to have
been inside the back cover of the magazine,
which is quite a prominent location.
Moveover, the magazine cover is printed on
heavier paper than that which is used for
the normal pages within the magazine.
We assume that this ad was placed by
the US distributor of the Pentacon Six, and
note the mistake in the the English, which
might mean that the wording was determined
in East Germany, or simply because at that
time the distributors might have had on
their staff people of German origin who had
arrived in the USA at some point after 1933.
(The title states “the only 2¼ inch
square format SLR of
the world that features ...”, a clear
translation of the German “die einzige 6×6
quadrat Format Spiegelreflexkamera der
Welt”. More normal English would have
been “the only 2¼ inch square format SLR in
the world”.)
We note that
even though the main point of the
advertisement is to promote the metering
prism, this is in fact mounted on a Pentacon
Six camera that does not have the “TL”
designation that was introduced in 1969 (see
here).
A very similar illustration
was used in a GDR brochure that we have seen
that was printed the following year.
(See here
and scroll down to 1972.) However, the
position of the camera, the angle of the
shot and the lighting are all slightly
different, and the camera on the front of
the brochure bears the name “Pentacon six
TL”.
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[1971_Nov_03_AP_1s.jpg]
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Here we reproduce two
whole-page advertisements by U.K.
photographic dealers, in the 3rd November
1971 issue of “Amateur
Photographer”, as the Pentacon Six is
featured in each of them, along with various
accessories and lenses for it.
The first advertisement is from the
London-based company TeleTape Photographic
Ltd.
Approximate page dimensions: 208mm × 295mm
Click on the image here to see the
advertisement full size.
Readers may be interested to compare the
prices for Pentacon Six items with those of
some other cameras featured on this page.
TeleTape seems to list its “normal” (?!)
prices on the left, in brackets, followed by
their current prices. TeleTape sends
everything post free.
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[1971_Nov_03AP_2s.jpg]
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The second dealer
advertisement from the 3rd November 1971
issue of U.K. magazine “Amateur
Photographer” is from the company ffordes
Photographic Ltd, based in Basildon, Essex.
As before, approximate page dimensions are
208mm × 295mm.
Click on the image here to see the
advertisement full size.
ffordes also lists first prices that we
assume are their “normal” prices, followed
by their current prices. ffordes
charges 50p postage on each item, which,
even then, was unlikely to cover the cost of
sending the heavier items.
Comparing the prices from these two
companies, we see that one of them would be
cheaper on some items, while the other would
be cheaper on others! These days, most
of us would be happy to pay the prices from
either of these dealers to get new Pentacon
Six cameras, lenses and accessories!
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| 1972 |
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[1972_Cambridges.jpg]
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I clearly
remember this advertisement, as it was in
the October 1972 issue of the American
magazine “Modern Photography”,
which I bought in London in Autumn 1972 from
one of the larger newsagents. It was
to be another four and a half years before I
was able to buy my own Pentacon Six.
This is a half-page advertisement,
approximate dimensions: 202mm × 156mm
Click on the image here to see the
advertisement full size.
The camera is here called “The Pentacon Six
TL”, although it is also referred to by a
title apparently thought up by the
advertiser: “The Pentacon Six TL 66”.
Apart from the 500mm Pentacon, not yet
available, most East German Pentacon Six
lenses are included, plus the 400mm Enna
Tele Ennalyt and the 90mm Kilfitt Macro
Kilar, these last two lenses being from West
Germany.
The advertiser is Cambridge Camera Exchange,
a company based in New York that specialised
over many years in the East German Exakta
35mm camera system.
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The Pentacon Six continued to be
advertised in the U.K. until at least 1978,
principally by one of the above companies,
TeleTape Photographic Ltd, and was still
being advertised in the USA by Cambridge
Camera Exchange of New York up until at
least 1990, if I remember correctly.
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