Re: [Leica] Leitz and Leica Glass

[Lucien <lucien@ubi.edu>]

Patrick,

I guess I have some written sources at hand that you don't:
;-)

In Leica M Compendium, Jonathan EastlandHove Books 1994
Page 173 Appendix 1

The Leica Glass Research Laboratory

There are been much confusion as to whether Leitz made their
own optical glass for their production lenses.
In a letter from Leica GMBH to the author, dated 27 April 1993,
a company executive stated that neither Leica or Leitz 
ever smelt its own glass from raw materials for production purposes.
The letter acknoledges the existence of the 'scientific laboratory'
for the exploration of new optical glasses, and details the fact
that'some of the very special glasses were smelt there'.
snip

Lucien

Marc James Small wrote:

>To the best of my knowledge, and per every written source 
>I have at hand, neither Leitz nor Leica EVER made their own glass.
>The Research Lab was simply that:  a research lab.  

Patrick G. Sobalvarro wrote:

>I guess I have some written sources at hand that you don't:

>"Several types of glass are necessary in any one lens.  
>A glass may be supplied by one of a few optical-glass 
>manufacturers in the world, or it may be a special Leica glass 
>developed and made in their own glass laboratory.  
>Bought-in glass will be accompanied by a certificate that
>it meets specifications; a batch of Leica's own glass will 
>be analyzed for chemical purity and tested for correct 
>optical properties."

>-Dennis Laney, "Leica Lens Practice: 
>Choosing and Using Leica Lenses,"
>2nd Ed., Hove Books, 1993.
>and:
>"Leica lenses are based on high quality optical glasses, 
>some of which are produced in the Leitz Glass Research Laboratory,
>including the use of rare earth glasses."

>- Guenter Osterloh, "Excellence in Photography: 
>Applied Leica Technique," 2nd English-language edition, 
>Umschau Verlag, 1985. 

>I'm pretty sure I have some other references that say this, 
>as well, but I'm too lazy to dig through them right now.