Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/02/05

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: [Leica] Multi-Coating
From: Marc James Small <msmall@roanoke.infi.net>
Date: Thu, 05 Feb 1998 10:33:31 -0500

I do not believe Leica began multi-coating until the middle 1970's.  Zeiss
and Pentax had both been experimenting with multi-coating in the 1960's:
Zeiss began to multi-coat industrial and scientific optics around 1968 on
an experimental basis.  Pentax and Zeiss then pooled their research, and
the Pentax SMC/Zeiss T* process resulted -- I believe Pentax beat Zeiss
into the marketplace with this one by 6 months or so, though it is hard to
say, as Zeiss' 1972 production wasn't marked 'T*'.  We now believe that all
regular production at Zeiss was multi-coated by the end of 1973 even though
most was not so marked.

The other thing Pentax got out of the deal was the Zeiss-designed 'K'
bayonet mount.  Pentax and Zenit are the only camera companies to have
gotten famous on someone else's lens mounts -- the Zeiss-designed M42 and K
mounts.

Marc

 
msmall@roanoke.infi.net  FAX:  +540/343-7315
Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!