The 2013 Summer Lecture

 Well, not a "Lecture", more a thought.

Yesterday I had a conversation about the lens I was using, the post war U.S. Zone Sandmar. And while driving home I thought about the different approach of America and Russia.

The Russians had a great respect for the German optical industry - and took everything they could. Contax became Киев, Zeiss became "aus Jena". Agfa-Wolfen became Orwo and so on.

The Americans didn't bother - that's the right word. My Elmar 9cm was made while they marched into Wetzlar - I have a picture of that, with the Leica building - and the work just never stopped!
Chemicals and silver were of course scarse, but in 1946 Perutz was allowed to produce films again.
And for my very American Argus I not only have that German Sandmar, but also the 135mm Robin: Soligor, Japan!
Yes, collectors know: you can find that "U.S. stamp" on the products, but they kept being German (or Japanese) and not American.
Interesting, isn't it?

Top picture: Berlin 1945. Bottom: Düsseldorf 2013, with that 100mm Sandmar on the Argus.