Re: [Leica] Contax/Zeiss

[Duncan Young <dunk@mincom.com>]

On Mon, 2 Feb 1998, Bud Cook wrote:

> I keep seeing posts that imply that Contax lenses are *Zeiss*.  I wonder
> just how much Zeiss have to do with the lenses used on Contax cameras.  Do
> they simply supply the optical formulae?  Do they also design the mounts?
> Do they supply any physical part of lenses?  Do they simply lend Contax the
> prestige of the Zeiss name?  Are Contax lenses no more Zeiss lenses than
> NASCAR race cars are actually Fords and Chevys?


The 16mm Hologon is made in Germany, the rest are made in Japan.

I am under the impression that the lenses are designed by Zeiss, some
made in Germany and some made in Japan.  As long as quality control is
maintained in raw products and manufacturning techniques, I don't see that
it would make any difference where the product is made.

From the Contax web page, a few quotes from the history of the company:

It was obvious that Carl Zeiss could not continue to produce
cameras in Germany. Retail pricing soared against the tide of
lower priced products from Japan.  A solution was found in a
partnership with Yashica. Carl Zeiss would continue to design
and produce superb optics for camera bodies constructed in
Japan. A novel solution that other German camera manufacturers
would use later. Yashica was an electronic camera manufacturing
giant with tremendous production capability.
Yashica was already producing an aperture preferred automatic
camera of the rangefinder type in the 35 GSN when the
agreement was inked. It was this electronic camera
manufacturing experience and the huge production capacity that
drew Carl Zeiss to Yashica. After only one meeting of the
Board Of Directors at Yashica, the decision was made to
initiate "Top Secret Project 130" 

A third partner joined the design team to produce this hybrid
camera; the F. Alexander Porsche Group. Their expertise was in
the field of ergonomics, or human engineering, a concept
foreign to most consumer products of that time. The result

   < etc >

There was resistance from Carl Zeiss to embrace autofocus technology
because it was felt that the lenses would have to be made from
lighter materials such as plastic.


    Duncan