[rollei_list] Re: OT: Kwannon Prototype

  • From: Marc James Small <marcsmall@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2010 22:33:12 -0400

At 09:42 PM 7/21/2010, Peter K. wrote:
Well, the Minolta-35 according to those who worked at Minolta was patterned after the Leica. At least Sam says so in his book. But it was the first with the 24 x 32mm format which was subsequently used by copied by Nikon. As to whether or not Minolta infringed on those early patents, who knows. It is true that all German patents in their country were made available to the public free of charge. Somehow I do not think that Canon is upset Zeiss left them out. They have done exceptionally well and unlike Zeiss still make cameras. You forget the stubborn Zeiss folks who would not change and refused to use a focal plane shutter in their 1970s SLRs. While very good, it made the lens more expensive as were the cameras and they left that business to Canon and Nikon.

No, German patents remained valid in all nations save for the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union. They were certainly enforceable in Germany and, after 1954, once more in Japan.

I have no idea what you are talking about with regard to Zeiss and focal plane shutters. ZEISS IS A LENS COMPANY, Peter. Zeiss Ikon is the camera company. And the 1970's saw the Icarex and the SL 706 and the Contarex with focal plane shutters. Oddly, though, the single best selling Zeiss Ikon camera from 1951 to 1973 was the leaf-shutter Contaflex, which outsold all other Zeiss Ikon cameras several times over and which made the only profit the company knew after the end of the War.

Marc



msmall@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Cha robh bàs fir gun ghràs fir!

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