S.H.
Picture taker
It is perhaps a strange question, but I just don't get it. Why were some Zeiss Jena lenses, normally in Contax mount, produced in LTM mount mount during WWII. For example, Thiele's books shows that in 1943, 2000 Biogon 3.5cm were produced, among them 400 in LTM. But why ? 😕 Leitz and Zeiss were competitors, AFAIK they never cooperated before (I'm not speaking of the very small batches of 2 - 20 lenses of the 30s). 400 is too small to be a commercial cooperation, too large to be prototypes.
Is there any known / documented reason why they produced such lenses in LTM before 1945? Also, were they re-barreled by a (military) subcontractor to be used on existing military Leica, such as IIIcK? A military order could oblige competitors to work together...
(looking at dates / numbers, lots of "original" or "converted" LTM Jena lenses are post WWII : as Leica bodies were cheaper / more available, it makes sense that lenses were sold to raise cash or to follow US/soviet commands.)
Is there any known / documented reason why they produced such lenses in LTM before 1945? Also, were they re-barreled by a (military) subcontractor to be used on existing military Leica, such as IIIcK? A military order could oblige competitors to work together...
(looking at dates / numbers, lots of "original" or "converted" LTM Jena lenses are post WWII : as Leica bodies were cheaper / more available, it makes sense that lenses were sold to raise cash or to follow US/soviet commands.)