Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/10/05

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Zeiss Pentax mounts( was35 goggled)
From: Marc James Small <msmall@roanoke.infi.net>
Date: Mon, 05 Oct 1998 19:38:48 -0400

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!