[Leica] Re: Japan vs. Germany in Korea

[LRZeitlin <LRZeitlin@aol.com>]

A lot of misinformation about the recognition of Japanese optical quality
during the Korean War has been promulgated to the LUG by apologists for the
German camera industry. I am a Korean vet with a personal knowledge of the
facts of the situation.

In 1951 I had just graduated college with a degree in optical physics only to
be drafted to assist in the Korean "Police Action". I was assigned to the
Armored Corps research center (CONARC) at Fort Knox, to help evaluate tank
gunsights and rangefinders and found myself detailed to photograph armored
equipment in combat action in the Korean theatre. While not a combat
photographer, I worked side by side with a number of representatives of news
agencies and freelancers.

My official Army issue photography kit consisted of a Leica IIIf, with Signal
Corps engraving to prevent my selling it on the black market, a 35mm F3.5
Summaron lens, a 50mm f2.0 Summitar lens, and a 90mm f4.5 Wollensack (Leica
mount) lens. At the time (early 1952) this was the best available Leica gear.
No doubt there were some first edition Summicrons in Germany, but not in
Korea. Correspondents using 35mm equipment had either Leica stuff similar to
mine, or a Contax II or Contax IIa setup with a f1.5 50mm Sonnar. In
comparison to the combined viewfinder/rangefinder of the Contax with its
opening back, the Leica was harder to use and far more difficult to load in
field conditions. On the other hand, the Leica shutter proved more reliable.
Contaxes, with their complicated internals failed after a couple of months of
dirt and humidity. The guys we really envied used Nikon S RF cameras picked up
in Tokyo. They had the simple rugged shutter of the Leica and the combined
viewfinder/rangefinder and opening back of the Contax. I picked up one at a PX
in Seoul, with three Nikkor lenses and a universal finder for about $250, and
used it in preference to my Army issue Leica gear until I was rotated back in
1953. The Nikon pictures were at least as good and often better than the Leica
pics.

Remember when this was. Don't let the current state of Leica cameras and
lenses cloud you reason. There were no Leica M series. There were no
Summicrons. There were no Tele-Elmars. Leica had no decent wide angle lenses
shorter than 35mm. No 
ASPH. Lenses screwed in. Bottom loading with no inspection flap. The synch
setting varied for each shutter speed and type of bulb. No lever wind. Pull
out knob film rewind. Seperate viewfinder and rangefinder windows of peephole
size.

The cost issue that someone mentioned was simply not a factor. Only the
freelancers paid for their own stuff. The news media photographers had trunks
full of company provided equipment and expense accounts that made all of us
jealous. Despite what was implied to the LUG, there were no $10 Japanese
lenses. However, both German and Japanese cameras were far cheaper in actual
dollars that most of us imagine. The PX or duty free price of a Leica and lens
was less than $200, perhaps $150 if you bargained hard. In 1954, I picked up a
first model M3 with and Elmar lens, and a late model IIIf with a collapsible
f2.0 Summicron lens, each for $174, at a duty free shop in England. I still
have and use both cameras. I even kept the receipts to prove the prices to
customs.

The hard fact for most Leica fans to accept is that working photographers
preferred the Nikon equipment simply because it was better. Even those that
stuck to their Leicas for sentimental reasons picked up a Canon Serinar lens
or two, particularly the Serinar 35mm f2.8, that was sharper than the
Summaron.

Now as far as tha Japanese stealing German designs and patents, that may have
been in part true. However most of the patents had expired by the Korean war,
particularly Leica shutter patents. Nikon simply chose the best features of
Contax and Leica models. Technically both Leica and Contax patents issued in
the U.S. were confiscated as enemy property during WW2. The Japanese cameras
were originally all marked "Made in Occupied Japan" and produced under the
authority of the US Govt. Soon after the start of the Korean War, the marking
requirement was eliminated. Japanese lenses were, in fact, optically different
from German designs but there is certainly no shortage of good lens designs.
Indeed, the German optical industry was never reluctant to appropriate good
ideas when it served its purpose.

One misguided writer mentioned that the LUG archives contain at least 200
posts relevant to this topic, no doubt expressing the view that working
photographer preference for Japanese optics during the Korean Was was a
carefull concocted myth. Even if 200 people belive a foolish thing, it is
still a foolish thing. I was there, Charlie. I know.
LarryZ