Zeiss Historica Fall 2005

Zeiss Historica Fall 2005

Holy moly!  What is that on the cover of this issue?  The 40 cm f/1.5 UHU lens makes the Contax II and it’s viewfinder look like toys when placed side by side.  What is it like to shoot a 400mm telephoto lens at f/1.5?

In addition to this monster lens, the Fall 2005 issue asks the question “What if” August Nagel had never left to work for Kodak, and developed the Retina for Zeiss?  Be sure to check out this issue!

Pg 2. Nearly 100 years ago, Allvar Gullstrand brought to Zeiss a concept for an instrument that revolutionized diagnostic ophthalmology, the Zeiss-Gullstrang Slitlamp.

Pg 8. Zeiss wooden tripods

Pg 10. Kodak’s Retina was the camera Zeiss-Ikon should have, and could have, made if only they had been able to keep Nagel happy enough to stay with the firm.  Peter Wallage explores August Nagel and the Retina.

Pg 16. The Contaflex 126 was often dismissed as a cheap Instamatic, but John Schilling suggests that when used to their strengths, these 126 format cameras are quite capable!

Pg 20. Charles Barringer explores a little known Zeiss plant in Coburg Germany that produced Zeiss lenses in the late forties and early fifties.

Pg 24. Finally we get to that huge lens on the cover.  The UHU (German for Eagle Owl) was a night vision lens developed during WWII.  TAKE MY MONEY!

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