Originally posted by ChrisPlatt Coincidentally I just purchased my first GDR camera, a Praktica B200 SLR with lens.
I hope it's better quality than the Zorki I once owned...
Chris
As a long time Practica (and the earlier Praktikas!) user (and I still have a MTL5, BX10 and BX20 in the cupboard) I don't think you need to worry very much - they go on and on in my experience, albeit sometimes rather noisily because of the mirrors!
Also, I think I bought a B100 or B200 for work in the late 1970s and that never let us down.
OTOH, you need to be selective about lenses: try to get "genuine" East German Zeiss lenses (and not the later "Zeiss-branded" Japanese versions - mainly from Sigma IIRC and not very good, although the actual Sigma-branded ones aren't at all that bad).
BTW: just in the process of acquiring a (reputedly) very low shutter count K3-II at a reasonable price from another member of the UK Forum - should be here in a few days!