I bought my Praktica LTL3 when I was in Year 11 (aka Form 5 in 1979) and was my introduction to 35mm SLR photography. This is a great reliable camera which saw many years and miles of service.

Whilst in Fiji I bought a Hanimex zoom lens and the disadvantage of the screw mount lens became obvious. It was very easy to cross thread the mount if you weren’t careful.

At this time I began processing my own films using a Paterson film tank and an LPL Enlarger. I never got into colour as the process is expensive and you need to have precise control over the temperatures of your chemicals.

Focussing

The focussing method with a screen in the viewfinder worked well but it needed to be well lit. The aperture only closed to the pre-set amount when the shutter was pressed or when taking a light reading, thus allowing for easy focussing. Under low light conditions getting the focus correct was difficult.

Vacation Use

The camera saw much use on vacations and one bush walk from Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair. The photos are clear and well exposed.

Instruction Manual

Featured image: Bernt Sønvisen