Zeiss Historica Spring 2002

Zeiss Historica Spring 2002

The Spring 2002 issue examines the metal focal plane shutter used in many early Zeiss 35mm cameras like the Contax.  We also see some early prototypes of the Contax S, and in Zeiss Historica’s 2001 Annual meeting, there were some pretty good special guests!

Pg 2. The first steps toward the Contax S.  Drawings and photographs from Dresden reveal the original conception of the Contax S by Wilhelm Winzenburg and the development of the design in 1945 and 1946.

Pg 6. Zeiss Personalities: Hans Sauer and Harry Zollner.

Pg 8. The original Contax focal-plane shutter.  The shutter mechanism of the Contax I, II, III, Twin Lens Contaflex, Super Nettel, Nettax, and Kiev rangefinder cameras was a technical masterpiece, and this metal focal-plane shutter was the first to deal successfully with the problems that arise in this approach.

Pg 11. Zeiss Tele Tessar 30 cm f/8.

Pg 12. Part 1 in a series about the Contarex prototypes by Bernd K. Otto.  Prototype models of the Contarex show the addition of various features to the original concept; some survived into the final production models, while others were rejected.

Pg 16. Zeiss Opton takes issue with some of Nippon Kogaku’s claims that their lenses were superior to Zeiss Contax lenses.

Pg 17. Fernrohrlupen.  The combination of a binocular and a set of positive lenses to mount in front makes a very useful stereoscopic microscope.

Pg 20. Zeiss Historica Society’s Annual Meeting, 2001.

Pg 24. Book Review, We’re Certainly not Afraid of Zeiss, Barr & Stroud Binoculars and the Royal Navy by William Reid.

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