Zeiss Ikon serial numbers

jonmanjiro

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Let us know your serial numbers!

Lets see if the serial number ranges of the Zeiss Ikon (the modern one manufactured by Cosina) can give us an idea of how many were made.

My black ZI is 15612358 (purchased new at Fujiya Camera in Tokyo in March 2009), which I think is a late one.

Based on the serial number ranges so far (see below), it looks like 15,000 ZI's and 4,000 SW's were manufactured (assuming Cosina used every available serial number in these serial number ranges which unlikely).


15525001 - 15530000 (5,000 ZI cameras)
15590001 - 15595000 (5,000 ZI cameras)
15610001 - 15615000 (5,000 ZI cameras)
15615001 - 15619000 (4,000 SW cameras)


15525178 (silver ZI - earlier s/n than Ltd. series > photo here)
15525340 (silver ZI Limited Edition Nr.0010)
15525384 (silver ZI Limited Edition Nr.0054)
15525425 (silver ZI Limited Edition Nr.0095)
15525521 (silver ZI Limited Edition Nr.0191)
15525526 (silver ZI Limited Edition Nr.0196)
15525578 (silver ZI Limited Edition Nr.0248)
15525609 (silver ZI Limited Edition Nr.0279)
15525695 (silver ZI Limited Edition Nr.0365)
15525699 (silver ZI Limited Edition Nr.0369)
15525742 (silver ZI Limited Edition Nr.0412)
15525745 (silver ZI Limited Edition Nr.0415)
15525875 (silver ZI Limited Edition Nr.0545)
15525987 (silver ZI Limited Edition Nr.0657)
15526184 (silver ZI Limited Edition Nr.0854)
15526199 (silver ZI Limited Edition Nr.0869)
15526288 (silver ZI Limited Edition Nr.0958)
15526445 (silver ZI Limited Edition Nr.1115)
15526727 (silver ZI)
15526830 (silver ZI)
15527047 (silver ZI)
15527377 (black ZI)
15527519 (black ZI)
15528829 (silver ZI)
15529130 (black ZI)
15529233 (black ZI)
15529401 (black ZI)
15529822 (black ZI)
15529854 (black ZI purchased on 9/14/2006)

15590069 (silver ZI)
15590122 (silver ZI)
15591450 (black ZI)
15591498 (black ZI)
15591628 (black ZI)
15591727 (black ZI)
15591837 (silver ZI)
15592097 (silver ZI)
15592278 (silver ZI)
15593345 (black ZI)
15593392 (black ZI)
15594054 (black ZI)
15594265 (black ZI)
15594305 (black ZI)
15594336 (black ZI)
15594376 (black ZI)
15594544 (black ZI)
15594695 (black ZI)
15594812 (black ZI)
15594964 (black ZI)

15610068 (black ZI)
15610104 (black ZI)
15610195 (black ZI)
15610220 (black ZI)
15610376 (black ZI)
15610467 (black ZI)
15610497 (silver ZI)
15610691 (silver ZI)
15610777 (black ZI)
15610791 (black ZI)
15610911 (black ZI)
15611028 (silver ZI Limited Edition Nr.0436)
15611047 (silver ZI Limited Edition Nr.0475)
15611049 (silver ZI Limited Edition Nr.0493)
15611077 'silver ZI Limited Edition Nr.0600 - photo here)
15611177 (silver ZI)
15611266 (black ZI)
15611401 (silver ZI)
15611427 (silver ZI)
15611481 (silver ZI)
15611761 (silver ZI Limited Edition Nr.0117 - last digit of s/n doesn't match last digit of Ltd. number > photo here)
15611791 (black ZI)
15611921 (black ZI)
15611931 (black ZI)
15611947 (silver ZI Limited Edition Nr.0177 > photo here)
15611982 (black ZI)
15612036 (black ZI)
15612128 (black ZI, purchased in 2011)
15612358 (black ZI, purchased in March, 2009)
15612359 (black ZI)
15612405 (black ZI)
15612415 (black ZI)
15613024 (black ZI)
15613038 (black ZI)
15613086 (black ZI, purchased in 2009)
15613094 (black ZI)
15613906 (black ZI)
15614123 (silver ZI)

15615156 (silver SW)
15615229 (silver SW)
15615322 (silver SW)
15615463 (silver SW)
15616286 (black SW)
15616317 (black SW)
15616514 (black SW)
15617096 (black SW)
15617166 (black SW)
15617167 (black SW)
15618581 (black SW)
 
Apparently the first one of the "limited edition" cameras had the serial number 15525330 (extrapolating from 2 other Limited Edition cameras).

That would lead one to believe that there were at least 87,000 of them made.

Then again, this one http://m8.i.pbase.com/g1/71/653971/2/130708808.NVtzlabF.jpg does not jibe with the other 2 limited edition ones I've seen.

Interesting! That photo you linked (silver Zeiss Ikon Limited Edition Nr.0177 with serial number 15611947) doesn't jibe with what I thought I knew about Zeiss Ikon serial numbers either... :confused:

I thought the serial number ranges were 1552xxxx for the initial batch of Zeiss Ikons (which includes the Limited Edition cameras) followed by two other batches with serial numbers in the 1559xxxx and 1561xxxx ranges.

I've trawled the net for serial numbers (see the list below) but hopefully we get a few more serial numbers to help piece together the mystery.

Does anyone have one with a serial number later than the 1561xxxx range?
 
Lets see if the serial number ranges of the Zeiss Ikon (the modern one manufactured by Cosina) can give us an idea of how many were made.

Let us know your serial numbers!

My black ZI is 15612358 which I think is a late one.

If it helps: mine is a limited silver with serial number 15526184 (Limited Edition Nr. 0854)

Regards,
 
Jon,

What is going on? Take photos, not serial numbers. Get out there. This is one of the best times to be taking photos in Japan.

It is OSHOGATSU!

Maiku
 
Mine is limited edition #10 and the serial number is 15525340. It will be interesting to see the correlation between limited edition number and serial number, if any.
 
Mine is 15529854, Black finish, not a Limited Edition, but rather a US gray-market item that came on 9/14/06. I understood that Zeiss was then taking over US distribution from Hasselblad USA, and weeding out all the gray market dealers.
 
That would lead one to believe that there were at least 87,000 of them made.

Hmmmm 87,000 sounds way too high to me.

Based on the serial number ranges so far, I'd say 15,000 ZI's and 4,000 SW's (and this assumes that Cosina used every available serial number in these serial number ranges which I think is unlikely).

15525001 - 15530000 (5,000 ZI cameras)
15590001 - 15595000 (5,000 ZI cameras)
15610001 - 15615000 (5,000 ZI cameras)
15615001 - 15619000 (4,000 SW cameras)
 
A silver ZI Limited Edition #0657 with matching serial number #15525987.
And a silver SW with sn #15615229
 
Lets see if the serial number ranges of the Zeiss Ikon (the modern one manufactured by Cosina) can give us an idea of how many were made.

Let us know your serial numbers!

My black ZI is 15612358 which I think is a late one.

My black ZI is 15612359. Our cameras must have been next to each other on the production line.

Regards,
BV
 
Bob your SW's serial number is a new high. Is it a recent purchase?

I've had it for about three or four years, as I recall I got it right as they ( the SWs ) were announced as going out of production? Via a well known eBay seller at a fraction of what they go for now.
 
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