Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/11/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 05:24 PM 11/18/1999 +0000, Mike Johnston wrote: >Incidentally, we may need some perspective adjustment here. I'd always >been told that in the 1930 through the 1950s, ZEISS was the top brand of >camera for status and prestige--Leica was considered more no-nonsense, >more workmanlike, less precious, and was preferred by working >photographers because its shutters never broke and it was more >affordable. But Zeiss was more the "carriage trade" brand. Well, first, you are wrong about Adams: he owned a Leica from the later 1930's on, and taught for years at the Leica School. And "Zeiss" never made cameras or, to be precise, "Zeiss" has made a handful of cameras over the years. "Zeiss Ikon", a completely different company, made cameras. There is a connexion, though rather distant: they shared a common ownership in the Zeiss Foundation, which owned, and owns, all of Zeiss, and owned around 45% of Zeiss Ikon. And, finally, the Contax was regarded as a lot tougher than a Leica. It was standard fare for combat and expedition photos: Capa used Contax and the '53 Everest Expedition -- which could have had their pick of ANY camera - -- took Prewar Contax RF's along as their official camera. Marc Marc msmall@roanoke.infi.net FAX: +540/343-7315 Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!