In the nature reserve in the Netherlands / Germany – A One Shot Story

Gary Smith replied:

Comment posted: 24/06/2026

At some point I may get around to my article about twins born hundreds of miles apart: my Voigtländer and my Kodak Retinette. It seems that there was quite a bit of shuffling with Zeiss Ikon. August Nagel and his friend Carl Drexler founded Drexler & Nagel in 1908 to produce photographic equipment. In 1926 he merged the operation with three other operations with funding from Zeiss to form Zeiss Ikon. By 1932 he had left Zeiss Ikon, formed another operation which he subsequently sold to Eastman Kodak which became Kodak AG based in Stuttgart.

Walter Reumkens replied:

Comment posted: 24/06/2026

Later, Voigtländer also became part of Zeiss Ikon. For Zeiss Ikon’s outdated management, Voigtländer’s excellent innovations were seen more as obstacles to their Contarex, Contaflex and Icarex models than as the future of the company; they were never produced, and then, naturally, the lights went out. These cameras sat on the shelves of camera shops; they were no longer state-of-the-art and, on top of that, more expensive than the first Japanese cameras. They remained on the shelves right up until the company went into administration – nobody was buying them any more. It’s all an interesting yet sad story. You really ought to finish that article you mentioned, Gary.

Gary Smith replied:

Comment posted: 24/06/2026

I had intended to shoot identical shots on both cameras but somewhere along the way the film in the Retinette jammed and I lost it. So I have replaced the film in the Retinette but have yet to go out with both cameras again. I still have plenty of exposures in the VITO CLR.

Walter Reumkens replied:

Comment posted: 24/06/2026

That was a bit of bad luck, of course, but these things happen from time to time. Last time, I didn’t extend my folding lens properly when shooting my first film, and ended up with nothing but circular, out-of-focus images. Take your time, Gary!

Walter Reumkens replied:

Comment posted: 25/06/2026

Thanks, Ibraar, that’s all true. As a so-called ‘Wessi’, I always walked past the Voigtländer and Zeiss Ikon cameras in the shops and bought Nikon cameras instead – but I’ve never regretted it. After reunification, I became more interested in cameras from the GDR, which were built under harsher conditions and, to me, seemed to come from another world. That’s why I chose this Contax D rather than a Contaflex. After buying it from an antique dealer, it had to go in for servicing due to shutter problems. Foto Olbrich in Görlitz fitted it with completely new shutter curtains and it now works perfectly. The company repairs all cameras and lenses from the GDR; I can highly recommend them. I also own a green Werra. Good luck with your search! https://kameramuseum.de/objekte/pentacon-contax-d-veb-zeiss-ikon/

Ibraar Hussain replied:

Comment posted: 25/06/2026

I meant made in west Germany or East Germany (not Wast)

Ibraar Hussain replied:

Comment posted: 25/06/2026

Now you’ve got to try a Contaflex!

Walter Reumkens replied:

Comment posted: 25/06/2026

If only you knew how many cameras I’ve got waiting to be used. A former colleague has the Contaflex II, which I’ve used before. I’m currently rather taken with Voigtländer, specifically the Ultramatic CS. We’ll just have to wait and see. First up, it’s the turn of the Contax D and my RTS again. :-)))

Walter Reumkens replied:

Comment posted: 25/06/2026

Ibraar, my automatic translation isn’t quite right. Before I buy something new, I’d have to sell something old first. But what? It’s not always easy to decide when you’re going through a break-up. So, once I’ve got some money in the pot again, I’m leaning towards the Ultramatic CS or the Bessamatic CS. It would be better if I could just stop this obsession.

Ibraar Hussain replied:

Comment posted: 25/06/2026

The Ultramatic CS is the most beautiful camera ever - it’s build quality and level of finishing and feel makes a Leica M or Rolleiflex look and feel like a Halina My review coming on 13th July - with the Septon 50mm f2 is a wonderful combination

Ibraar Hussain replied:

Comment posted: 25/06/2026

The Ultramatic is quite a bit more refined and nicer in every way to the Bessamatic It handles better and just overall the coolest camera

Ibraar Hussain replied:

Comment posted: 25/06/2026

So forget the Bessamatic - get an Ultramatic CS, you won’t regret it

Walter Reumkens replied:

Comment posted: 25/06/2026

I’m really looking forward to your article. To me, it also looks a bit ‘more refined’. I’m sorry, but despite all their technical excellence, they’re often a bit too baroque for my taste. The very finest and best model was never actually produced; the Zeiss Ikon management were against it because it was made by VL: https://www.klassik-cameras.de/WestdeutscheSLR.html#Voigtlaender_132 This camera might have prevented the company from going into administration. Thanks Ibraar!

Walter Reumkens replied:

Comment posted: 30/06/2026

Before the division of Germany, Zeiss Ikon had factories in both West and East Germany (Stuttgart and Dresden). Parts of the Dresden factories were destroyed, whilst the machinery was deported to the USSR. However, production was resumed. So there was one part of the company in the West and another in the East. A general meeting decided to relocate the company’s headquarters to West Germany. In the course of this, there were problems with the naming rights, and the names of the lenses were changed several times. Zeiss-Ikon East became a state-owned enterprise (VEB). Zeiss-Ikon East was privatised. The rangefinder cameras Contax II and III had previously been built in Dresden. There are a great many publications on the subject, which are not always historically accurate. Unlike Ibraar, I have something of a soft spot for post-war East German cameras. So, as well as the Contax D, I also have two Werra iIII cameras in green and quite a few other cameras and lenses from that period. They all still work! Their compatriots there had to work under difficult conditions, subject to state supervision and a planned economy, yet they produced very good products, which were either ignored or disparaged here in the West. The West German subsidiary suffered one management blunder after another. Voigtländer and Zeiss Ikon were under the same umbrella and played off each other as if they were rivals. Although they did bring out many good models, these were not interchangeable due to their different bayonets. And they were all very, very basic in design. They weren’t state-of-the-art, were too expensive and didn’t appeal to customers’ tastes; they were too basic and too heavy. They were left gathering dust on the shelves of camera shops; the Germans bought Asahi Pentax, Canon, Minolta and Nikon, which offered better value for money.. A Leicaflex SL cost twice as much as a Nikkormat FTN; production was soon discontinued because Leitz was unable to build an SLR without Minolta’s help. I later bought a Nikkormat from a later period; it works perfectly and I can now attach the lens to a digital Nikon Df without an adapter. But I’m pleased to see that older cameras and lenses from my home country are in high demand amongst quite a few community members these days. I’m not necessarily referring to the completely overpriced and overrated products from Leitz. A bit of a bubble has built up there. Thanks, Omar!