Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/10/05
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 08:10 PM 1998-10-05 +0100, Alex Hurst wrote: > >C'mon Marc, what were Zeiss doing designing mounts for a Japanese company? >There must be an interesting story behind that one...... > Well, as they say, for the "REST of the story", you really should consult your copy of that estimable work, Barringer and <ah-HEM!> Small, THE ZEISS COMPENDIUM. But the short version is that Zeiss and Pentax tried to work together on a joint camera project in the 1960's. The deal fell through, supposedly because Pentax refused to manufacture the lenses for the new camera in Japan, but, before it died, it resulted in the joint development of the multi-coating technology shared by both companies (Zeiss's "T*" and Pentax's "SMC"), and Zeiss allowed Pentax the use of the K-mount, which they had originally designed for this camera. The deal with Yashica which led to the Contax SLR was next -- and note that lens production, to Zeiss' satisfaction!, is in Japan. Marc msmall@roanoke.infi.net FAX: +540/343-7315 Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!