Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/08/23
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>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