Talk:Carl Zeiss AG

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Move product lists out of this article[edit]

Large parts of the current article Carl Zeiss AG are very extensive lists of old former products. They are highly selective, as Zeiss in total is absolutely not represented by these lists. Zeiss has hundreds to thousands of current products and more former ones. I would be very happy if we could move these lists out of this article. They seem to be valuable for some people. What about creating a site "products of Carl Zeiss AG"? Other suggestions are welcome. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Akriesch (talkcontribs) 11:52, 3 July 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Milestone list[edit]

The milestone list has been copied off the Praktica website [1]. Is this a copyright violation? Johnteslade 08:59, 19 Nov 2004 (UTC)

It looks pretty obvious that this was ripped straight from the site. Nevertheless, the content was very offtopic and, in areas, completely unreadable. I reworked all the other text on the page and couldn't find anywhere to stash the list, so it's been removed. I have, however, added an external link to the site you mentioned. --Milkmandan 03:08, 2004 Dec 22 (UTC)

microscope lenses[edit]

I saw nothing regarding Zeiss AG microscopes... maybe this could be included..

picture[edit]

Sure thats him on the picture ? His clothing looks strange for a german of his time. Here is the picture that google image search displays most: http://www.amuseum.de/physik/exh96/cz_hist.htm

Wartime[edit]

I for one would be very interested to know what Zeiss manufactured during the world wars. Anyone know?

At the end of WWII
field glasses
"Zieloptiken" (optics to target projectile)


Is there a detailed account anywhere of the use of slave labour by Zeiss during WW2?

MedChemist46J[edit]

I am a serious microscope collector with a good collection of Zeiss corporation history and the early history of the microscope line. I will add material in the coming week if this seems appropriate. I will initially take the history of Zeiss AG back to the founding in 1846.

  • If your data includes the metrology angle, that would be appreciated as well! --67.98.18.66 18:17, 10 November 2005 (UTC)[reply]

Zeiss Ikon[edit]

The section on Zeiss Ikon should be removed. It confuses Zeiss Ikon, which was an inedepenent company with a complicated history, owned by Carl Zeiss, with Carl Zeiss AG. Furthermore it is wrong in many details, for example the Pentacon/Praktica company since 1990 has no connection with Zeiss whatsoever. Or it says "The history of Carl Zeiss AG begins in Jena before World War II" - but the history of Carl Zeiss started in the 1860s, whereas the history of Zeiss Ikon started in the 1920s, but in Dresden. The whole section should be removed.

  • I agree. After WWII and the formation of the DDR, Carl Zeiss Jena was an important industrial operation, exporting optical instruments throughout Easter Europe and beyond. Praktica cameras were widely sold in the West, competing in the same marketplace as Zeiss Ikon cameras from West Germany. The history part of the article needs some good revision. JXM 22:51, 30 May 2006 (UTC)[reply]
  • What is said above is substantially true. While Zeiss was instrumental in facilitating the 1926 merger of several major camera producers into a market leader, these were two very separate companies. Zeiss made lenses and Zeiss-Ikon made cameras. Zeiss Ikon was a huge company that merits a stand alone article. --Kevin Murray (talk) 15:52, 5 March 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Source[edit]

http://www.company7.com/zeiss/history.html

This link seems like a good source of historical info. Is anyone able to summarize it for the Wikipedia entry?

Also, what is the point of the long list of lenses in the current article? Seems more like an advertisment than anything else...... JXM 07:00, 31 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Cine[edit]

Carl Zeiss is well known for their cine lenses and has been for some time. I think that there should be more of a mention of this in describing the company's history.

Star projectors[edit]

Is it significant enough to include somewhere in the article that Zeiss makes star projector machines for planetariums? I can't imagine that very many companies do... LordAmeth 22:03, 21 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Binoculars[edit]

Echoing the requests for star projectors, cine lenses and microscope lenses. Zeiss make the most popular high-end binoculars for birdwatches. At least that's the situation in Europe, and has been since at least the 1980s. JöG 15:39, 20 January 2007 (UTC)[reply]

problems in History section[edit]

"The history of Carl Zeiss AG begins in Jena before World War II, then the world's largest location of camera production."

  • Jena was ever the the world's largest location of camera production? Is this confusing Jena with Dresden? Also "begins in Jena before World War II" is true, but it's a hundred years before... I can't fix this sentence because I don't exactly understand what's being said. Herostratus 22:08, 21 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

"...Nevertheless, there was an enormous amount of respect for the innovation and engineering that came out of Dresden—before the war, Dresden had been responsible for the world's first SLR camera..."

  • What kind Dresden? This is the first mention of Dresden. Is Zeiss somehow associated with Dresden? This is not stated.

"At the end of the war, Zeiss Jena was occupied by the US army. When they moved to West Germany shortly after the war, they forced many people in Zeiss management to relocate to West Germany as well."

  • They were forced? By the US Army? What, kidnapped? I'm not saying its not true, but could we please have a cite for such a serious accusation. Herostratus 22:08, 21 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Well, hard to give a primary evidence, but this: http://books.google.com/books?id=rRgMzRIMYyIC&pg=PA761&lpg=PA761&dq=zeiss+oberkochen+amerikaner&source=web&ots=oeRqDwkqqX&sig=3gpfVEma9D0x6hTq5XxxAugiKoQ#PPA760,M1 is a scientific publication (Oldenbourg is a renowned history publisher) saying the US Army deported "126 first class scientists and technicians" and give a report from Marshall Shukov to Stalin as a source. They even say this was done in several companies.


The whole history section is a mess. It confuses Zeiss Ikon (Dresden, later Stuttgart, a camera manufacturer owned by the Zeiss Company) with the Zeiss Company itself. The "before WW II" is wrong in any case, the traces of Zeiss Ikon, let alone Zeiss, go back much earlier. I would remove the history section, since it gives confusion only and many things are in the innovations section as well.80.137.89.117 (talk) 23:21, 1 February 2008 (UTC)[reply]

The history section is heavily weighted toward the divisions that developed and manufactured cameras. At some point it should be rewritten to focus on the complete company. Tuyvan (talk) 00:50, 2 February 2008 (UTC)[reply]

The history section is still rubbish. For example, it says "By World War I,[4] Zeiss was the world's largest location of camera production. Zeiss Ikon represented a significant part of the production along with dozens of other brands and factories, and also had major works at Dresden." Zeiss Ikon was only founded in 1926. And the last sentence abou the "indpendent eastern Zeiss Ikon" is complete nonsense, there is no "easstern Zeiss Ikon", independent or not. If I find time to rework it, I will do. Anabody else attempting this, please note: Cameras were never a product of Carl Zeiss, and Zeiss Ikon (a subsidiary) was only a small part of the Zeiss group. If you try to write about Carl Zeiss and refer to facts about Zeiss Ikon as if true for Carl Zeiss, you will get nonsense (as now). 212.66.136.158 (talk) 15:46, 12 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Hitler Germany and Zeiss[edit]

This is outragous that there is no mention of the Zeiss corporation during WWII... an absolute cover-up. Don't let Zeiss get away with 'earasing' history.

Reputation or maybe Popular culture[edit]

I am a student from Romania, and i would like to say something about the name <<Zeiss> that may not hold true for other countries but sure does for mine. It is common to reffer to any device(not just optical) that works ellegantly and flawlessly time and time again by saying "It works <<Zeiss>>!"(Romanian "Merge Zeiss!"). This is, I believe in the same way that sometimes people from english speaking countries reffer to a verry good car by comparing it to a Rolls Royce.

Not sure if this should be added, just tought you might be interested.(please excuse my spelling as I am not a native speaker of English)

I'm also not sure if it should be added. It is interesting, though, thanks for letting us know! Similar to how in the British army, 'Gucci' means any particularly fancy non-standard equipment: http://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/Gucci_Kit -- TomAnderson

Canon and Nikon Lenses[edit]

Perhaps something should be added in regards to the lens lineup announced for canon. http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Press-Release/Carl-Zeiss-Canon-EF-Mount-Lens-Press-Release.aspx —Preceding unsigned comment added by Anulogy (talkcontribs) 01:55, 20 September 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Sony lens[edit]

The camera lens list appears to miss the lens used on the Sony Rx1 and Rx1r. This lens is a Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 35mm f2.0. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Quarrel (talkcontribs) 11:06, 24 January 2014 (UTC)[reply]

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Red T, T*[edit]

"A lens so treated was marked with a red "T", short for "Transparent". The technique of applying multiple layers of coating was developed from this basis after the war, and known as "T✻" (T-star).[14]"

OK, but I have 1950s Zeiss brochure that states the T is for Transmission.92.40.10.11 (talk) 03:16, 17 February 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Business relationships[edit]

This section does not yet mention Sony. A major contemporary partnership I'd say. 92.40.10.11 (talk) 03:20, 17 February 2016 (UTC)[reply]

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Biased viewpoint[edit]

Article states "reckoned as one of the few East German firms that was even potentially able to compete on a global basis". This seems pretty biased to me. Reckoned by whom? There is no source for this remark, and considering that East Germany produced some very successful camera equipment and lenses that it exported to the west right up until reunification, this remark seems to be a product of prejudice rather than fact. Ianbrettcooper (talk) 13:24, 22 August 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Innovations section[edit]

This hole section looks to me to be in need of a complete rewrite. It's confusing, and reads like it could be the company's history page on their website. KaraLG84 (talk) 20:36, 19 June 2022 (UTC)[reply]