Tag Archives: Zeiss Ikon

a man from Texas

Posted on September 18, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. John Alldredge was charter member number 8, joining the PHSC in early 1975. He served in a number of positions on the Toronto Branch Executive including President, Vice-President, and Treasurer. John assisted in the annual auction as a ‘gate-keeper’ … Continue reading →

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triple tengor tango

Posted on July 7, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. After WW1, the German camera industry was in a crisis – too many companies making too many cameras that were very similar. The government invited  Zeiss to  the dance and the mighty Zeiss-Ikon was formed. Zeiss Ikon and a … Continue reading →

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bunch of Klapp

Posted on February 20, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. In English, we say a camera is a folder if it has a bellows that can be folded so the body and lens are more compact – like Kodak folders. In German, the term is klapp, not folder. The … Continue reading →

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a Johnny come lately

Posted on December 3, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. Introduced in 1924, the Leica by Leitz was a flat out success. Two years later, in 1926, its competitor, Zeiss formed the Zeiss-Ikon group to rationalize the German photographic Industry. By 1932, the first Zeiss Contax reached market – … Continue reading →

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shining Leitz on the human condition

Posted on October 27, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Before photography, we relied on paintings and sketches, like those of Hogarth in 18th century London, to depict the human condition. Later in the 19th century when photography found its legs, some enterprising photographers, like Mathew Brady  (American civil … Continue reading →

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a modest merger

Posted on August 6, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. In 1729, an anonymous article called, “A Modest Proposal” was written by Jonathan Swift, known for his satirical tales like, “Gulliver’s Travels“. The article was also intended to be a satirical piece but was taken as very serious when … Continue reading →

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hi-yo kinamo

Posted on April 2, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. In April, 1923 this ad appeared in the American Cinematographer. ICA in Germany announced its 35mm (standard film) Kinamo camera – the smallest movie camera of the time. The Kinamo was designed for both professionals and (advanced) amateurs, hence … Continue reading →

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introducing a photographer to minicams in 1938

Posted on October 2, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. When Leitz announced the Leica mid 1920s, most photographers used larger cameras and rarely needed to enlarge their negatives. In 1926, the German government arranged for Zeiss to form the mighty Zeiss-Ikon conglomerate in Dresden to rationalize the German … Continue reading →

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doing it better (sometimes)

Posted on September 19, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. On page 31 of the March 1950 edition of Popular Photography, an advertisement touts the Zeiss-Ikon Contax-S camera at whopping price of $475USD with the coated Zeiss Biotar lens. The model S was briefly sold while later models were … Continue reading →

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eye of the storm

Posted on August 31, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. It was ‘the best of times and the worst of times‘ between the world wars. After the first war, pent-up demand blossomed into unprecedented wealth in the first decade, followed by the worst depression ever in the next (world … Continue reading →

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