Silly question - removing a presumed M42 lens

Hey all - my family were cleaning out today and we found a Praktica MTL 5 camera with a 50mm 1.8 lens attached. I was overjoyed as I've never used a film SLR before (yeah, shush) and had much fun running around with it all day... until I wanted to take the lens off. Doesn't seem to want to come off. I've got the manual, doesn't mention a button to take it off like the EF mount has... and stuff on the internet says it's an M42 mount. Now try as I like google doesn't seem to find any sites which actually explain how to unscrew a mount like this so I figure it's either so obvious that I'm totally missing it or that this isn't actually an interchangeable lens camera, which I was fairly hoping it was... Stuff on the 'net about this camera in general seem to describe people using different lenses on it.

Any help? I've pressed every button on the thing and found out what they all do so far and I'm stumped. Don't want to resort to trying to unscrew it or somesuch in case that's not the right thing and I cause damage.

Thanks;

Jim

If it's an M42 screw mount lens, you should just be able to grab hold of the entire lens and twist it counter clockwise to unscrew it off the body.

Ya, just unscrew it. Be careful as it might be a bit stiff - sound slike it's not been used for years.
you might also want to reconsider removing the lens unless you have others to put on - you might get dust all over the ....

Nice find!

Thanks a heap guys, I'll give that a go now. Knowing which way to unscrew it was important as I think it is going to be pretty stiff

...unfortunately too stiff. There's not enough non-rotating parts of the lens to grip to get a good grip (aperture and focus rings are not something I want to put too much tension on) and the small bit I can hold doesn't really give me much grip. Is there any kind of trick to getting them off short of spraying it with WD-40 or similar?

Try a big hammer ...just curious...why do you want to take it off?

Yes, indeed...why take it off? The lens isn't going to work on any other camera system without modification. Think of it as a non-zooming, giant, archaic, P&S. Then tell your grandkids about it. Offer it on e-bay to a collector.

Will work on the Canon with a cheap M42/EOS adaptor that can be bought off eBay. I have several classics that do a beautiful job like that.

condyk wrote in post #2312570
Will work on the Canon with a cheap M42/EOS adaptor that can be bought off eBay. I have several classics that do a beautiful job like that.

Other than plain curiosity that's pretty much why I want to remove it.. gives me a good excuse to purchase some of those nice M42 lenses which will be useful on a film body when I want to have a play with film and for my 20D with an adaptor.

Some of them can be stiff. Just a firm grip and turn. There is no other way.

You could use an elastic band for extra grip.

rhys wrote in post #2312698
You could use an elastic band for extra grip.

I might try that.. unfortunately we don't have any in the house due to some people having latex allergies but next time I go to the shops I'll pick up a few.

yeh just yank it, those old lenses can take some punishment, not like this EF crap

Beauty - just had to keep on trying and it screwed right off. Thanks guys!

You might find the meter batteries hard to obtain if they're the mercury type. I used to use a Practika MTL-5 myself. It was a club camera. The mousetrap film holder is decidedly interesting but it takes great photos.

The battery's a "Varia" V624PX - Dad wrote it on the bag it was in before he put it away years ago when we were kids... I was stunned to see that it still had charge when I put it in. Meter seems to work fine at that.

Parents were just going to throw it away when they found it, too..