Leica is back at Wetzlar

Carl Zeiss AG in Oberkochen and Carl Zeiss GmbH in Jena and Heidenheim.

Great to know this! So the other poster mentioned high-end lenses (such as...?) coming from Oberkochen, and binocs from the Hensoldt plant in Wetzlar; what's made in Jena and Heidenheim?
 
Leica Schule 1986. I spent a week with Walter Heun and it is still one of the coolest things in my life.

Those are great images. So unpretentious and real (and unlike official promo images of today's Leica.) Do you have more you can post, or a website?

Thanks!

(I like the Charlie Brown, too. And also the little blue bird attached to the top of the lamp in the 'shutter testing' image.)
 
Great photos! Wonder what the bottles of"stuff" were on her desk?
Paul

I'm guessing that it's the white fill paint and also some clear solvent. It appears that she's wiping in the lettering white filler. I've seen other images of filling in by using a cloth and then wiping off the excess.
 
@rybolt : great pics !


.. what's made in Jena and Heidenheim?
imho Heidenheim is only "seat" of the Carl Zeiss Stiftung (Carl Zeiss foundation) which is mayor owner (100%) of the Carl Zeiss AG.
Carl Zeiss GmbH Jena is part of the Carl Zeiss AG . In Jena there is the production and development of optical systems eg:
* Entwicklung optischer Lösungen (Optikdesign + Konstruktion, Prototypen- und Serienfertigung)
* Montage von Optischen Systemen (Fassen, Montieren, Justieren)
* Entwicklung und Fertigung Optischer Komponenten (z.B. Asphären, Freiformoptik, Optische Schichten, Großoptik, Mikrooptik)
* Entwicklung und Fertigung Mechanischer Komponenten (Prototypen, Betriebsmittel und mechanische Einzelteile sowie Oberflächenveredelung)
* Objektive für Interferometer

In Göttingen Carl Zeiss makes their microscopes.

The other "heir" of VEB Carl Zeiss Jena is Jenoptik, Jena (Laser & Materialbearbeitung, Optische Systeme, Industrielle Messtechnik, Verkehrssicherheit und Verteidigung & Zivile Systeme.) [most know products in photography: digibacks for Medium Format and the development of the Leica M8]
 
Those are great images. So unpretentious and real (and unlike official promo images of today's Leica.) Do you have more you can post, or a website?

Thanks!

(I like the Charlie Brown, too. And also the little blue bird attached to the top of the lamp in the 'shutter testing' image.)

I just remembered how interesting it was that the factory used so many of their own pieces to make they're own products. The head that's holding the shutter assembly is a large ballhead. I do have other things from the factory. I spent a week at the Schule and probably half of that time was in the factory. It was very cool to see the 'Lens Bank' where they kept elements for lenses that would need future repair.
Also, this was during the time that they were promoting the R4. The guy who designed the camera spent an afternoon explaining to us how he came up with the design. I don't know why but in later years I really liked that camera; owned a bunch of them and never had a moments problem with them. These were all shot with an M6 with either a Noctilux or a 75mm. There were 12 of us in the class (all US Leica dealers) and I'm afraid I hogged those two lenses.
 
@rybolt : great pics !



imho Heidenheim is only "seat" of the Carl Zeiss Stiftung (Carl Zeiss foundation) which is mayor owner (100%) of the Carl Zeiss AG.
Carl Zeiss GmbH Jena is part of the Carl Zeiss AG . In Jena there is the production and development of optical systems eg:


In Göttingen Carl Zeiss makes their microscopes.

The other "heir" of VEB Carl Zeiss Jena is Jenoptik, Jena (Laser & Materialbearbeitung, Optische Systeme, Industrielle Messtechnik, Verkehrssicherheit und Verteidigung & Zivile Systeme.) [most know products in photography: digibacks for Medium Format and the development of the Leica M8]

Thank you! So I understand that Jenoptik is no longer owned by Carl Zeiss AG or the Stiftung, and is now independent?

I apologize for interjecting Carl Zeiss into a Leica Wetzlar thread -- both very interesting to me. My local dealer also went to Leica Schule and I know it made a big impression on him.
 
Thank you! So I understand that Jenoptik is no longer owned by Carl Zeiss AG or the Stiftung, and is now independent?
you are right Jenoptik isn´t part of the Stiftung (or AG).
Jenoptik was the mayor part of the VEB Carl Zeiss Jena divisions, which became not part the Stiftung after reunification. This was in 1992/4 (as you like to see ist ;) ) .
Jenoptik divisions were mostly the "non optic" parts of the former VEB. The state of Thuringia was in the first years mayor owner of Jenoptik - in the late 90ies privatization started. Today a state of Thuringia owned Stiftung (foundation) has a 25.01% minority of Jenoptik, the rest ist owned by shareholders.
Other (smaller) divisions of VEB Carl Zeiss Jena like Analytik Jena were sold to the employees and are still employee owned. (Analytik Jena is today owner of Docter Optics [to close the ring to Leica/Leitz ;) ] )
 
I like the shot of the woman working on a camera, with a Peanuts comics calendar on her desk. It gives such a personal feeling to the scene and to the cameras.


Yeah ... but what's that on the desk she's drinking, Leica kool aid? :D
 
Today (14.04.2014) the move from Solms to Wetzlar Leitzpark is finished. All production facilities are now in the "Leica Stadt Wetzlar". ;)
 
On Sunday 25.05.2014 there will be a "Tag der offenen Tür" (open day for public) at Leitz-Park Wetzlar.

>No its about that they just finished a new state of the art campus for all activities.
>Companies do such things like this. Not uncommon.

May be it is not uncommon. But in the region there are a lot of places which are are cheaper for building a campus than Wetzlar. The "branding problem" (Leica camera doesn´t own the brand - and the branding licence is very restrictive [remember the "black dots" @ M9]) is one argument who spoke for the town of Wetzlar. A Leitz-Oberbiel, Leitz-Solms or Leitz-Braunfels wouldn´t be so impressive ;) and the "Leitz-Wetzlar" brand isn´t owned by Leica Microsystems or Geosystems.
 
So do Carl Zeiss and Jena, but that's long over. At this point I don't know where Zeiss is located. (It's really just the Stiftung -- they don't actually make anything themselves anymore, right?)

I'll settle for Leica being anywhere, so long as they're still in business.
Really?

http://www.zeiss.de/corporate/de_de/ueber-zeiss/kontakt/zeiss-in-deutschland/zeiss-in-jena-sued.html

Zeiss AG is a massive opto-mechanical company producing a wide range of products with a turnover of more than 4 Billion Euros…..:rolleyes:
http://www.zeiss.de/corporate/de_de/ueber-zeiss/daten-und-fakten.html

BTW, Zeiss is in Wetzlar too, they build binoculars there. ;)
 
On Sunday 25.05.2014 there will be a "Tag der offenen Tür" (open day for public) at Leitz-Park Wetzlar.


sorry I have to correct me:

The "Tag der offenen Tür" (open day for public) for the general public at Leitz-Park Wetzlar is Saturday 24th of May 2014.
Leitz Park will be open from 10:00 -18:00 (CEST) for the general public.

Friday (23.05.2014) there will an event for VIP, media,... (starting 12:00 CEST).
On Sunday (25.05.2014) the park is opened only for the Leica staff and their famillies.
 
Leica Schule 1986. I spent a week with Walter Heun and it is still one of the coolest things in my life.
M6ASSEMBLY-X2.jpg


]

One of those M6s just might be the one that I have......can't quite make out the serial numbers in your picture ..... :bang:
Great shots thanks for sharing.
Bob
 
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