Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/08/23

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Subject: [Leica] Universal viewfinder turret Russian Contax copy
From: mccluney at sbcglobal.net (Gene E. McCluney)
Date: Tue Aug 23 21:23:02 2005
References: <1b5aa7b1b5c616.1b5c6161b5aa7b@shaw.ca>

>Marc James Small writes in part:
>>
>>  Zeiss Ikon made these VF in a range of variations both before and
>>  after the War but the ones the Soviets decided to copy afforded 28mm, 
>> 35mm,
>>  50mm,85mm, and 135mm. 
>>
>
>Mark,
>
>Did the Soviets just copy Zeiss designs or did they dismantle the 
>Zeiss Works after WWII and ship the facilities wholesale (and 
>possibly key staff) to Russian territory?
>
>Always wondered this?
>
>Regards,
>
>Greg
>

THE SOVIETS ACTUALLY MOVED THE GERMAN TOOLING TO THE UKRAINE TO THE 
ARSENAL PLANT AND ALSO TOOK ENGINEERS AND SKILLED WORKERS.   THEY DID 
MAKE DESIGN CHANGES OVER THE YEARS, SO THE LAST KIEV 35MM RFDR 
CAMERAS ARE QUITE A BIT DIFFERENT (SAME LENS MOUNT THOUGH) THAN THE 
EARLIEST KIEV CAMERAS, WHICH ARE REALLY PRE-WAR CONTAX CAMERAS 
ASSEMBLED IN KIEV, UKRAINE, POST-WAR, WITH THE NAME CHANGED ON THEM, 
SO TO SPEAK.

Gene McCluney

In reply to: Message from gregj.lorenzo at shaw.ca (GREG LORENZO) ([Leica] Universal viewfinder turret Russian Contax copy)