The Praktica BC3 was produced by VEB Pentacon in Dresden, introduced around 1989 as the third iteration of the BC series of Praktica B-mount SLRs. It is a direct refinement of the BC2, retaining the same fundamental architecture - Praktica B bayonet mount, electronic horizontal cloth shutter, aperture-priority automatic exposure, and manual override - with incremental improvements to ergonomics and finish. The BC3 represents one of the last cameras produced under the East German state manufacturing system before German reunification in 1990 effectively ended VEB Pentacon's operations as a state enterprise.
Reference
Find film for your Praktica BC3
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
**Price** - BC3 bodies are among the least expensive functional 35mm SLRs on the market; expect $20-70 USD body-only, sometimes with a 50mm lens.
**Electronics are critical** - there is no mechanical shutter fallback; a dead electronics board means a non-functional camera. Confirm that all speeds fire and that the AE mode produces correct exposures.
**Shutter cloth** - horizontal cloth shutters of this era can develop pinholes, especially at the fold points. Check for light leaks and sluggishness at slow speeds (1s, 1/2s).
**B-mount contacts** - the electronic contacts inside the mount are the key interface point; clean gently with isopropyl alcohol and verify that the aperture coupling works correctly with a native lens.
**Light seals** - foam seals will almost certainly have degraded on any example over 35 years old; replacement foam seal kits are inexpensive and the job is straightforward.
**Meter accuracy** - at this price point, minor meter drift is acceptable if you have a handheld meter or work by experience. Gross inaccuracy (more than 2 stops) suggests a failing silicon cell.
**Service** - specialist East German camera repair technicians are available, primarily in Germany and Eastern Europe; general camera repair shops may be unfamiliar with B-mount electronics.
About this camera
The final refinement of the East German BC series - a late-era DDR SLR with B-mount electronics and aperture-priority AE, made in the last years before reunification.
Key Specs
Frequently asked questions
What film does the Praktica BC3 use?
The Praktica BC3 shoots 35mm film.
What battery does the Praktica BC3 take?
The Praktica BC3 uses a 2x AA battery.
What lens mount does the Praktica BC3 have?
The Praktica BC3 uses the Praktica B mount.
What shutter speeds does the Praktica BC3 offer?
The Praktica BC3's shutter speeds range from 1s to 1/1000s.
What light meter does the Praktica BC3 use?
The Praktica BC3 meters with center-weighted-silicon.
**Lens acquisition** - native B-mount lenses are less commonly found than M42 or K-mount glass; budget some time to source a good 50mm if none is included.
Field
Value
Format
35mm
Mount
Praktica B bayonet
Years
~1989 - ~1991
Shutter
1s - 1/1000s + B, electronic horizontal cloth
Flash sync
1/125s
Meter
Center-weighted silicon
EV range
~EV 2 - EV 18
Modes
Aperture-priority + manual
Weight
~490 g
Battery
2x AA
Mechanical fallback
None
History
The Praktica B mount was introduced with the B200 in 1979, replacing the M42 screw thread that had defined the Praktica system since the postwar years. M42 had served Praktica well - it was also used by Pentax, Fujica, Mamiya, and many others, creating a large shared lens ecosystem - but the thread mount could not support the electronic aperture coupling that AE bodies required. The B bayonet addressed this by providing electrical contacts within the mount.
The BC series represented the consumer mid-range of the B-mount lineup: BC1 (~1984), BC2 (1986), BC3 (~1989). Each step refined ergonomics and finish without fundamentally altering the mechanism. The BC3 is distinguished from the BC2 by minor improvements to the control layout and reportedly to the viewfinder.
Production ended definitively around 1990-91 as the East German state manufacturing apparatus was dissolved following reunification. VEB Pentacon was liquidated; the Praktica brand was subsequently acquired and revived under western management, producing cameras under the Praktica name but without continuity of the Dresden engineering tradition.
The BC3 is therefore among the last cameras manufactured in the line of East German SLR production that traces directly back to the KW Praktiflex of 1938 and the postwar Contax S - the first pentaprism SLR - produced by the same Dresden works.
Why It Matters
The Praktica BC3's significance is primarily historical: it is a terminal product of the East German camera industry, made in the final months before reunification ended state manufacturing. The Dresden camera tradition was one of the most technically important in the world from the 1930s through the 1960s - it produced the first pentaprism SLR, established the M42 thread mount as an industry standard, and manufactured cameras of genuine quality under difficult postwar conditions.
By 1989, that tradition was exhausted commercially. The BC3 cannot compete with a contemporary Canon EOS 650 or Nikon F-801 on metering sophistication, autofocus, or build quality. What it offers is continuity with that lineage, at very low cost on the used market.
For collectors, the BC3 is a low-commitment way to hold a piece of the final Dresden era. The Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 that was commonly bundled with BC-series bodies is a genuinely useful standard lens with character, and the camera will work adequately for manual-focus 35mm shooting as long as the electronics are functioning.
Lenses & Accessories
The Praktica B bayonet provides electronic aperture coupling; lenses must be native B-mount for AE operation. M42 lenses can be adapted with a simple ring, with stop-down metering only.
Key native B-mount lenses:
Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 - standard kit lens, most common B-mount glass; multi-coated, solid performer for the price
Pentacon 135mm f/2.8 - popular telephoto, widely available, usable for portrait work
Pentacon 29mm f/2.8 - wide angle; less commonly encountered
Pentacon 80-200mm f/4.5 zoom - consumer zoom of the era; variable quality
Sigma, Tamron B-mount variants - some third-party manufacturers produced B-mount lenses; availability varies significantly by market
M42 adapter - allows use of any M42 lens; stop-down metering, no AE
Sample Photographers / Notable Use
Used by East German amateur and semi-professional photographers in the late 1980s as the current-generation Praktica mid-range SLR.
Collected by photographers interested in the DDR manufacturing legacy and East German camera history.
Occasionally adopted by contemporary photographers working with the B-mount system who need a second or student body.
Fujifilm Superia X-TRA 400 (marketed as Superia 400 in some regions) is an ISO 400 C-41 consumer color negative film in 135 format, one of Fujifilm's most popular consumer films. It delivers warm, vibrant colors with moderate grain and remains in production in some markets.