At 14:24 1/27/02, Alan pondered:
Anyone know much about this lens -- I guess Carson is the candian distributor
if I remember correctly. Not really interested in buying it just curious...
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1325112254
If it is what I think it is . . .
These surface occasionally, and they are NOT Carl Zeiss lenses!!!!!
They were marketed by VEB Carl Zeiss Jena in the GDR (East Germany). The
record of this state-owned company is "spotty." Some lenses, especially
some based on pre-war designs and patents were excellent if build quality
was maintained. These lenses are NOT based on pre-war designs or patents.
VEB Carl Zeiss Jena could have been rebuilt into a company that rivaled
Carl Zeiss in West Germany, but for a variety of reasons never was. With
severe economic problems (late 1970's to early 1980's??) VEB Carl Zeiss
Jena prostituted its name by badging its name on lenses designed and built
by other manufacturers in the Pacific Rim, much like Olympus did with
Cosina regarding the OM-2000 and a couple of zoom lenses specifically made
for it.
**** While some of these lenses are not necessarily "bad" they are most
certainly NOT worthy of the Carl Zeiss reputation (similar to an Olympus
badged Cosina lens; it is not a Zuiko). ****
These lenses could *not* be exported into the U.S. with "Zeiss" or a Zeiss
logo on them. Some did slip in with people buying them overseas duirng
their travels or while living briefly in Europe, and bringing them back as
personal property (and Customs not catching it).
--- Post-War "Zeiss" Events ---
Before WWII, the Zeiss Stiftung (foundation) was centered around Dresden
and Jena. There were some facilities in and near Stuttgart that were
acquired years before when Zeiss Ikon was formed out of several other
camera companies. After WWII, The Zeiss Stiftung (Foundation) was moved to
these facilities in the Stuttgart area to keep it out of Soviet
hands. This included Schott Glass, Zeiss Ikon and Carl Zeiss. Not
everything could be moved including many of the factory workers. What
remained in the Jena area that wasn't moved to Stuttgart or carted off by
the Soviets as war reparation became state owned VEB Carl Zeiss Jena within
the GDR (East Germany).
Trademark and patent lawsuits ensued and took years to resolve. Within the
U.S., the East German VEB Carl Zeiss Jena was prohibited from using the
"Zeiss" name or its logos in any form. Other names such as "Jenoptik" were
used instead. This was not the case within other countries; I believe
France among them. In those cases, Carl Zeiss Jena was commonly
used. (Pre-war patents could be used.)
After the reunification of Germany there was some thought the Zeiss
Stiftung would acquire VEB Carl Zeiss Jena and bring them back into the
foundation. IIRC there was some very limited asset acquisition, but for
the most part it wasn't economically feasible (part of it was how the
"state-owned" method of doing things structured them). Do a Google search
for "Jenoptik," one of the names used by VEB Carl Zeiss Jena before
Germany's reunification. It still exists as a company. Perhaps, some day,
it may build itself into a respectable rival to Carl Zeiss.
-- John
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