Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/12/16
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Leitz (Leica) used to make the Noctilux glass in small quantities in their Glass Research Lab in Wetzlar. This lab was sold to Corning France several years ago. I don't think Leica has made much of their own glass for many years. Schott has been a primary supplier for many years, as well as Hoya and others. This is typical of the optical industry. The glass is supplied in many forms, such as blanks (sort of like a glass hockey puck) or in cylinders which are then sawn up and ground and finished by Leica. I was last in the Leica factory in September at Photokina time, and they are now using CNC machines to grind the individual lenses. They are also still doing their own coating of the lens surfaces. Then on to assembly. If any of the LUG members are ever in the vicinity of Solms, try and take a factory tour. It is most interesting. I believe they run a regular tour on Tuesdays. Bill Rosauer