Get the best deals on Carl Zeiss Binoculars when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com. Free shipping on many items. Make Offer - CARL ZEISS - 8 X 30 B - MADE IN GERMANY serial #595106. Carl Zeiss compact binocular 8 X 20B made In West Germany. $189.95 6d 5h +$9.95 shipping. Carl zeiss jena – silvamar (6x30) binoculars marked left face plate: carl zeiss jena right face plate: silvamar 1,295,399 – serial number 6x30. the carl zeiss jena model production & serial number data-base provides all models produced thru 1950 with serial no. Silvamar model production dates. From now on these binoculars were no longer fakes, but Zeiss Jena glasses which were out-sourced to a Japanese factory. Consequently, they did not carry the 'DDR' imprint. Unfortunately, these binoculars were altogether of inferior mechanical quality than the originals. They are nowadays frequently found on e-bay, mostly offered by British sellers.

Long time before, almost a century ago, 8x30 binoculars of Porro prismdesign had already reached quite a reasonable performance level. Thiswas so because 8x30 was about to establish itself as one of thestandard sizes in military applications, at least in Europe, and there has always been plenty of money available for war toys at any times.

8x30 binoculars are compact, lightweight and fairly powerful.No surprise that these devices had quickly been accepted on thecivilian market as well in rather peaceful times. In this review, I will present a small, and in no way exhaustive,selection of these classic binoculars, covering both military and civilian samples. Despite of being made afterWWII, some of them carry a heritage which reaches back wellbefore the 1950s. For comparison, I refer to earlier reviews ofGerman military 8x30 binoculars,European military 8x30 binoculars, andhigh performance 8x30 Porro binoculars.

Fig. 1: The Carl Zeiss Jena Deltrentis (MDI issued, serial no. 4177769, 1973)

The Zeiss Jena Deltrentis was no doubt the mother of most classic 8x30Porro binoculars. On the list of Zeiss binoculars,this item is first showing up in 1920, along with the centerfocus version called Deltrintem. At that time, the body was made of magnesium and of featherlight 390 g. The wideangle eyepieces were designed by Albert Koenig, were free of distortion and contained 4 lens-elements. A single layer anti-reflection coating with a bluish color was first added during WWII. According to Albrecht Koehler, this ocularwas replaced in 1947 by an Erfle design with 5 lens-elements and a certain amount of pincushion distortion in order to eliminatethe globe effect. In 1978, the amber colored multilayer coating was introduced, and around 1990, when Docter tookover the old Zeiss plant in Eisfeld, another improved coatingof greenish color was used. The production ofthis binocular was halted around 1995. The civilian, center focus versionwas also called Jenoptem during the 1980s. The sample on Fig. 1was not made for the regular army 'NVA', but forthe ministry for internal affairs, which covered paramilitary law enforcement units - hence the imprint 'MdI' (Ministerium des Innern).Perhaps no other binocular in history has been cloned as oftenas the Deltrentis or the Deltrintem. Millions of original Zeiss Jena 8x30 were made,and even more copies have been produced in various countries,for their military, but also for the civilian market where they weresold under countless brand names. Two of those clones are also subject of the present review.

Fig. 2: The Bulgarian military B8x30 (serial no. 220064,probably made around 1980). Right: The list of items insidethe case.

In 1945 the Soviets disassembled the Zeiss Jena plant and transferred machines and also selected engineers to theEast as a part of their war time reparations. It is generallybelieved that the blueprints of many Zeiss Jena productswere taken over without any major modifications, yieldingquite a decent lot of optical products made in USSR,including binoculars and camera lenses, among others. This B8x30 was sold to me as a 'Soviet military binocular', butin fact the factory logo has been identified by Per Beckmanas belonging to the Bulgarian factory OMZ (OPTICAL AND MECHANICAL WORKS - Sofia). Most likely, it is a Zeiss Deltrentis clone as well and it may also be based on the same blueprints as the Soviet made clones.

Zeiss Lens Serial Number

Fig. 3: The Chinese 8x30 military 62-8WYJ (serial no. 638089, current production). Right: Silica gel cartridges for drying

Before the mid 1930s, the Chinese army imported theiroptics mostly from Germany and also from US, but by 1940,China had already established their own optical industry.This military 62-8WYJ is often called 'type-62', since it was first designed in 1962 as a clone of the Soviet8x30 binocular. It was actually in service from the 1960s until the end of the1990s, when it got replaced with the 7x40 GG95 which is currently the standard binocular ofthe PLA (Peoples Liberation Army). Last true military models were made in mid 1980s, but thisbinocular is still in production at several factories (the factory code is the encircled number, here '98'), like thecurrent model in Fig. 3, and samples from different factories may vary in certain details. This binocular is also employed in several thirdworld countries. As an interesting gadget, it has gotexchangeable silica gel cartridges built into either tube to keep them dry inside - a very useful feature when in excessive use under humid weather conditions. Theprism house covers extend about 1cm down the body which mayhave a favorable impact on water resistance.The body is a little bit higher when compared with the Deltrentisor the Bulgarian B8x30. Therefore, this currently made sample may be a copy, but surely not any more an exact clone.

Fig. 4: The Zeiss Oberkochen 8x30 (serial no. 634497, about 1960s)

After WWII, a part of the former Zeiss Jena staff moved from theSoviet occupied East Germany to the West, where shortly thereafter the 'Zeiss-Opton Optische Werkstaette Oberkochen GmbH' (in short: 'Zeiss, West' or 'Zeiss Oberkochen') was inaugurated.Binocular construction began from scratch, and thefirst output was this 8x30 which was ready by 1954. Thecivilian version of Fig. 4 was with center focus,as usual, and the military version was with individual focuser for its superior water sealing (the military version,available from 1957 to 1964, was reviewed here). This binocular came with an air spaced (tele-) objective which allowed for a short and very compact body, and a high performance wide angle eyepiece with no less than six lens elements, designed by Horst Koehler. No doubt theZeiss engineers were eager to set new standards of modernPorro binocular design, and when presenting this new line(which also included an 8x50and 10x50 model), theydid not only send a message to Jena but also to its arch rival, Ernst Leitz. Leitz did not attempt to answer withanother improved line of Porro binoculars, but exclusively focused on the development of their roof-prism line. Withthe Porro design gradually running out of fashion, neither of the both Zeiss factories did ever design any new 8x30 Porro after 1960, but instead introduced their 8x32 Dialyt (Oberkochen) and later on the Notarem (Jena) roof prism binoculars. Since the eye relief of their binocular was very short,Zeiss offered, starting from 1958, a 8x30B version withlong 19mm eye relief but narrow apparent field of view around 50 degs., which was in 1968 extended to 60 degs. The 8x30 remained in production until 1971, and the 8x30Bstayed around until 1978.

Fig. 5: The Leitz 8x30 Binuxit (serial no. 617222, about 1950s)

The Leitz Binuxit was introduced as early as 1927 and remainedin production until 1962, when it was replaced with the8x32 Trinovid roof prism. During war times, light weight versionswere available for the military. War production stoppedaround serial no. 477.. so that the sample on the picturewas probably made sometimes during the 1950s. Its external appearance definitely resembles the Zeiss Deltrintem, but it is of entirely independent optical design. The lenses have got the typical single layer coating of that generation, but it appears that the prisms remained uncoated. This binocular isthe oldest among the seven competitors, but despite of itsage it is still in excellentcondition, both mechanically and optically - surely a demonstrationof Leitz's high quality production standards.

Fig. 6: The Hensoldt DF, here with partial armor (serial no. 61714, about 1960s)

The Hensoldt Diagon was introduced in 1948, it was the centerfocusing civilian version of the 8x30 binocular which would later become the standard binocular of the German army (Bundeswehr).The military version, the 8x30 DF with individual eyepiece focuser and a partial rubber armor, was introduced in 1955, and by 1960 thefull rubber armor was available. The device in this picture belongs to the latter series, I have removed parts of therubber so that the imprints on the prism house become readable.It is not immediately clear why this binocular had been chosenfor the army, since alternatives were available in 1955. First of all,Hensoldt had already collected much experience with their Dialytroof-prism series, during and even before the war times. Then,Zeiss had just finished the construction of its superb Porrobinocular (Fig. 4) which had got the advantage of being morecompact and of superior optical design. I presume it wasa matter of cost saving, since Zeiss had surely charged a bundle of money for their glass, more than Hensoldt did for its Diagon. Additionally, by 1955 Hensoldt couldalready offer 7x50 and 10x50 versions of its Diagon, which werealso adopted by the Bundeswehr, while the corresponding Zeiss binoculars were still under construction.The 8x30 DF remained in service until the 1970s whenthey were gradually supplemented (though not completely replaced)with the cheaper but also inferiorSteiner models. Since 1986, Hensoldt is again supplyingbinoculars to the armed forces.

Fig. 7: The Hensoldt Fero-D 16 (serial no. 204338, about 1990s)

The Fero-D 16 is currently issued to the Bundeswehr, alongwith the 7x50 Fero-D 18 and the 10x50 Fero-D 19.Though not being a classic binocular, it is an interestingaddition to the lot of glasses compared here, because it demonstratesthe progress that has been achieved in optical engineering during recent decades. Among new features, not offered by any of theother contenders, are (almost) eye-glass friendlyoculars with 14.5mm eye-relief, an improved multilayer coating, and a dry nitrogen filling which prevents internal corrosion and condensation. On the down side, its field of view is comparably small, and the Fero-D 16 is theonly non-wideangle binocular in this review. Most likely thiscompromise was necessary in order to increase eye-relief, butcost saving may have been an additional factor whenthis device was designed. In most cases, the Fero-D 16 comeswith built in laser protection filters. As I have already mentionedin another review of this binocular,this filter has got a negative impact on image brightness andcolor rendition. The sample on Fig. 7 has got its laser filtersand rangefinder reticle removed, with positive effects on image quality.

Fig. 8: In front: Hensoldt Fero-D 16, Zeiss Oberkochen, Leitz Binuxit.Behind: Hensoldt DF, Zeiss Deltrentis, 62-8WYJ, B8x30

The following table is summarizing the specifications of the contenders.

Zeiss Scope Identification Serial Number

Real angle (a)	Apparent angle	Eye relief	Exit pupil	Weight
of view (deg)	of view (deg)	(mm)	diam. (mm)	(g)
Zeiss Jena Deltrentis	8.3	66	12	3.75	490
Bulgarian OMZ B8x30	8.3	66	12(b)	3.75	590
Chinese 62-8WYJ	8.3	66	11.2	3.75	580
Zeiss Oberkochen	8.5	68	9	3.75	540
Leitz Binuxit	8.3	66	12(b)	3.75	520
Hensoldt DF	8.0	64	12	3.75	650(c)
Hensoldt Fero-D 16	7.0	56	14.5	3.75	620

(a): Measured field of view(b): Estimate (official spec. unknown) (c): Weight with complete rubber armor, 580g with partial armor

Optical performance

Angle of view: Officially, all binoculars except the Fero-D 16are specified with a large 8.5 deg. field, but in real life there are differences, which might arise due to their short eye-relief andthe particular eye-cup design. A good test isthe Big Dipper, because the two stars at the bottom of theconstellation are 7.9 degs. apart. Those do not fit into the fieldof the Fero-D 16, as expected. Using the Hensoldt DF, they justbarely fit inside, with a minimum space left over - the field cannotbe larger than about 8 (or at most 8.1) degs. The Deltrentis,8WYJ, B8x30 and Leitz show a little more field, I would estimate8.3 degs. Only the Zeiss Oberkochen is wider, and it seems herethe 8.5 degs. are actually reached. It is interesting tonote that the Zeiss 8x30 military which I had tested earlier did only have around 8.0 degs., and this impliesthat Zeiss must have implemented some modifications in between(the Zeiss shown in Fig. 4 is of later production).

Image sharpness: At the center, all of the contendershave got an excellent resolution. They essentially differ as soon as the edge of the field is approached. The Deltrentisand its derivates, i.e. the OMZ B8x30 and the Chinese 8WYJ,show point-like stars within about 50-60% of the field (measuredradially from the center). After that, the star image is graduallydegrading and becoming very poor while approaching the edge. Since thisbehavior is quite similar among these three binoculars, it ispossible that they in fact share the same ocular design. TheLeitz Binuxit displays nice point-like stars in the center,and the image is visibly degrading beyond 70% of the field.Both Hensoldt behave almost the same, but one has to consider that the Fero-D 16 has got the smallest field of view so that,in absolute numbers, its field performance is not so good.The best overall image is offered by the Zeiss Oberkochen:Beyond 70%, the stars are not point-like any more, but theimage quality is degrading slowly so that near the edge theZeiss has got the best imaging among all contenders. This isa remarkable result, considering the fact that this binocular is offering the widest field of view.

Image color: Both Hensoldt glasses appear neutral, and the LeitzBinuxit comes next with a slight yellowish tint. The Deltrentis,8WYJ and Zeiss Oberkochen have already got a somewhat yellowimage, but not yet strong enough to disturb color fidelityon a significant level. Only the Bulgarian B8x30 has got a strong yellow color, just like most of the Soviet binoculars which I have seen.

Rectilinear distortion: Before 1945, binoculars were constructedalmost free of distortion, but later it became clear that acertain amount of pincushion distortion would be useful to compensatefor the globe effect which has a negative impact on the image of the panning binocular.In fact, all of the contenders in this review display such a pincushion distortion.

Stray light: A good suppression of stray light is an importantfeature of binoculars which are used in difficult light conditions.Stray light baffles behind the objective are useful as well asaperture stops near the prism entrance, an anti reflection painting of the inner tube walls, well covered prism bodies and lens edges which are sealed with black paint. Inside an8x30 binocular, however, there is not too much space availablefor all these installations, and therefore it is often the case that 8x30 binoculars are more prone to stray light than,for example, the larger 7x40 binoculars. The B8x30 is sufferinga lot of stray light and this is affecting the image contrasteven under rather normal light conditions. The Deltrentis isnot much better: It has got an additional baffled tube behindthe objective, but one with a rather glossy surfaceso that stray light is abundant. The 8WYJ is already somewhatbetter. Compared with the Deltrentis, the optical tubes reach a little longer beyond the objective lenses to form a 1cm deep lens hood.This simple modification improves the stray light resistance at the cost of longer tubes. But under really difficult light conditions, especially aftersunset, the 8WYJ is suffering as well. Next comes the Binuxit whichhas already got a reasonably good over all stray light resistance.The Hensoldt DF is even better and here it becomes difficultto generate any significant loss of contrast, because whateverstray light is produced, it remains located near the edge of thefield and does usually not affect the central regions.Almost perfect are the Fero-D 16 and the Zeiss Oberkochen,both having a most effective stray light protection. These binocularscan be used under any light conditions without significant lossof contrast.

Ghost images: If, at night, a bright object (street lantern, moon) ispositioned into the field, reflections on the air-to-glass surfacestake place, which can lead to multiple 'ghost' images of thelight source. A good anti reflective coating on lensesand prisms is the most effective way to prevent theseghost images. No surprise, the Fero-D 16, being amongthe younger generation of binoculars considered here,delivers the best results. Its coating is of decent quality,though not perfect, of the performance level of the early 1990sas expected. The Zeiss comes in second, followed by the Hensoldt DF. It seems thatthis Zeiss model is of somewhat later production date andequipped with the most efficient single layer coating of thattime. The Chinese 8WJY, the Leitz Binuxit and the B8x30 come next, they already produce a significant amount and intensity of ghost images whenever a bright light source is observed inthe night. This indicates that the 8WJY has got a single layer and not a multi layer coating (the multi-coating was firstapplied to binoculars by Zeiss in 1978). Finally, theDeltrentis comes last, its ghost images display the highest intensity among all competitors. This is a little surprisingto me, because it was made in 1973, much later than the ZeissOberkochen or the Leitz Binuxit. By 1973, superior coatingswere available, but the Deltrentis does not perform accordingly.Upon closer inspection I am convinced that the prisms ofthis binocular are without any coating, and this could explainits rather poor performance in this test.

Low light performance: Obviously, 8x30 binoculars can neverbe specialists for low light application, but in militaryservice the situation may well arise that observations haveto be carried out under dim light. Here, the Fero-D 16 clearly displays the brightest image. All other binocularsare rather close. First of all, their exit pupils havebeen verified to be of correct size, which is specifiedas 3.75mm as it should be with any 8x30. All of themhave got a single layer coating which should, give or takea few %, deliver a similar rate of light transmission. The Hensoldt DF and the Zeiss Oberkochen deliver a similarly bright image during the twilight after sunset.Just a little bit dimmer are the Leitz Binuxit and the8WYJ, and the Deltrentis is again a tiny amount darker.Last comes the B8x30, but, once again, the differences between all binoculars, except the Fero-D 16, are subtle andnot easily visible on the first sight.

Mechanical construction

As a matter of fact, none of these binoculars is of poor mechanicalconstruction. The Leitz and the Zeiss do already exist since several decades but they are still perfectly functioning. All other binoculars were made for military use and naturally ofvery solid construction. The individually focusing modelsare water resistant, which concerns all samples except the Zeiss Oberkochen and the Leitz Binuxit. Both Hensoldts have gotthe rubber armor which can serve as an additional protectionagainst impact. The 8WYJ has got silica gel cartridges whichfurther improve the water resistance and life time of thisdevice. Probably, the best set of features comes along with theFero-D 16, which in addition to its rubber armor is filled with nitrogen and which can fairly comfortably be used with eye-glasses on, features which make this glass uniqueamong the seven competitors.

Summary

The following table is supposed to summarize the above observations.The points are distributed according to their relative rankings,so that the best binocular gets 7 points, the second one 6 pointsand so on. In case two or more items occupy the same rank,their scores are averaged so that each discipline retains atotal weight of 7+6+5+4+3+2+1=28.

Angle of	Image	Stray	Ghost	Low	Image	Mechanical	Final
field	sharpness	light	image	light	color	construction	score
Zeiss Jena Deltrentis	4.5	2	2	1	2	3	3.5	18
Bulgarian OMZ B8x30	4.5	2	1	3	1	1	3.5	16
Chinese 8WYJ	4.5	2	3	3	3.5	3	5.5	24.5
Zeiss Oberkochen	7	7	6.5	6	5.5	3	1.5	36.5
Leitz Binuxit	4.5	5	4	3	3.5	5	1.5	26.5
Hensoldt DF	2	5	5	5	5.5	6.5	5.5	34.5
Hensoldt Fero-D 16	1	5	6.5	7	7	6.5	7	40

The 'final score' is the sum of the individual scores andis intended to serve as an orientation only.

This field of competitors can clearly be divided into twosubsets: There is a group of high performance binoculars, both Hensoldt among them and the Zeiss Oberkochen, and a second group, separated from the first by a significant margin, which has got certain shortcomings.

The leading position of the Fero-D 16 is no surprise becauseit is a currently issued binocular, designed withstate of the art technology. Therefore, it should be regarded outside competition here, not really beinga classic. The removal of its laserfilters has led to a significant performance boost. Thepresent sample would reach much closer to (although not arriving at) the performance level of the Fujinon FMTR-SX discussed in anearlier review, which also contained the same Fero-D 16, but withlaser filter installed. This binocular is not yet perfect,however: Its field of view is rather narrow and comes with amediocre edge sharpness. This fact can only be explained withthe employment of a set of simple oculars, and in this way Hensoldt has missed an opportunity to create another memorablehigh performance binocular.

The performance of the Zeiss Oberkochen was a positivesurprise. In a couple of disciplines, this sample wassuperior to the military version whichI had tested earlier. To be fair, that military binocularhad been heavily used and plenty of cleaning marks and a slightamount of haze on the prisms may have had some influenceon its performance. But there have also been improvementson the design itself, the field of view of the civilianversion tested here was a little wider than the one ofthe military version. Also, lens coating technique hasimproved continuously, and it is likely that the presentbinocular took profit of a later generation coating.In summary, this is an almost perfect 8x30 binocular,apart from its short eye-relief and its non-waterproofbody. If equipped with a modern multi-coating, this glass could actually compete with my favorite 8x30, theNikon EII.

The Hensoldt DF is on a similar level as the Zeiss. Being somewhatinferior in its optical performance, it has an advantage withits rugged construction. In any way this DF is a very solidand reliable performer, without any significant weakness.I dislike the attached rubber ocular and objective covers which usually come with thefully armored version and I do suggest to cut them off asan act of mercy to the user.

Among a couple of other aspects, this review has proven two points:First, the Leitz Binuxit was superior to its Zeiss competitionfrom 1927 onwards, the year of its introduction, until 1954, the yearwhen Zeiss Oberkochen introduced its new binocular. It also provesthat the engineers of that period were well aware of thecompetition and their performance levels, and always eagerto strive for improvements. This oldBinuxit of the 1950s was beating its competitors of the 1970s(Deltrentis), 1980s (B8x30) and the currently made 8WYJ, not a bad resultfor such a grandpa model. Again, if equipped with a modern multi-coating,this binocular were still able to compete on todays medium range market.

Among the Zeiss Deltrentis and its clones, the Chinese 8WYJ wasthe strongest. It may be of the same heritage as the Bulgarian B8x30, which in turn may be a copy of the Deltrentis, but there are a couple of improvements which make the 8WYJ superior to its ancestors.The stray light protection is somewhat improved, the coatingis probably superior, and a few mechanical refinements have beenimplemented. However, this binocular does not have multi-coating, or, in case it does, then a rather inefficient one which is no better than a good single coating. One might argue that the Chinese engineers should rather havecopied the Hensoldt or the Zeiss Oberkochen instead. In fact, there exists a much superior Chinese 8x30 binocular, theXian Vision Ares, presumably a Fujinon FMTR-SX copy, which would no doubt be able to compete head to head with the Fero-D 16.

The performance of the Deltrentis may appear a little disappointing. I was surprised to experience the mediocrequality of its coating, which seems to be entirely missingon the prisms. Another fundamental flaw of thisdesign, and this includes also the later versions of the8x30 Deltrintem and Jenoptem, is its sensitivity to stray light. I have no clue how the crowd of gifted engineersat Zeiss Jena could tolerate such an amount of straylight even in ordinary day light use. Other binocularsof the same factory, like the 10x50 Dekarem/Jenoptem or the 7x50 Binoctem/Jenoptem, do not display any such problem.In any way, I strongly suggest to everybody who wantsto buy a Deltrintem to go for the later multi-coated version (serial no. beyond about 4.8 Million, after 1978)which is significantly better. If somebody needs a cheapand water resistant 8x30, he shouldnot choose the Deltrentis but instead look out for aHensoldt DF which is available for about the same price.

The Bulgarian B8x30 was lacking behind, mostly because ofits strong yellow image color and a related reductionof light transmission. The present sample is in ratherdecent condition, externally, since it had never been used before. However, it haspast a few decades of storage and was not treated wellduring that time, which led to a slight amount of hazeon its prisms (only visible with a flashlight). I cannot exclude that this circumstancemight have had a certain negative impact on its performance,and a freshly cleaned sample of this binocular would possibly have been competitive with the Deltrentis. Its coating isapparently superior to the Zeiss Jena glass. Since it ischeap, this B8x30 is still offering a reasonable deal.I have also seen very similar Soviet made binoculars, various versions of the BPC 8x30 made at KOMZ and with center focus, which were available for 30 Euro and less, andperhaps of identical optical construction and merits asthe OMZ made Bulgarian glass. But one has to be aware that their performance levels remainlimited, a natural consequence of carrying the heritage of a 90 year old binocular design.

Disclaimer

The information given in this report reflects the personalimpression and opinion of the author only. I cannot guarantee for the accuracy of any given specification. I have neither been payednor have I been supported in any other way to write this review.

Useful links:

OMZ, producer of the BulgarianB8x30. Thanks to Per Backman who found this link!

Back Home

Last updated: December 2008

The following is a collection of serial numbers for large format lens manufacturers. For the most part, the information has been culled from Wilkinson, Glanfield and Wrights' magisterial Lens Collector's Vade Mecum, a data base available on CD-rom. Other sources of information include web-pages and anonymous information passed down to me through others.

There is a real absence of information on large format lenses. Of the contemporary makers, only Schneider has made a great effort to provide information, the other lens makers have been less forthcoming. However Rodenstock serial numbers, the other major European manufacturer, have been posted by Kerry Thalman. There are a few web-pages, both official and unofficial, for other three manufacturers, Congo, Nikon, (Unofficial and Official) and Fuji,(also here). However, serial numbers are, to my knowledge, entirely lacking.

Zeiss Serial Number Lookup

Zeiss no longer makes large format lenses, and consequently has little interest or incentive to provide this information. Goerz, and Ross are long gone, and Voigtländer exists only in name. Taylor, Taylor & Hobson is also gone, although its one time subsidiary, Cooke, has recently returned to the fold, and is now making a 4x5 portrait lens. In any case, none of these companies provides any sort of information regarding the lenses they once made. This page is a modest attempt to provide one form of information, serial number-year correspondences.

Caveat: While I would like to make this collection as accurate as possible, I cannot make any claims as to the accuracy of any of the information. If you find something which you find of questionable validity, please do not hesitate to contact me. Or, if you have any information on large format lens serial numbers, for the manufactures list above, or any other, kindly forward them to me, and I will attempt to incorporate them.

Compur

From: Wilkinson, M, and C Glanfield. 2001. A Lens Collector's Vade Mecum, CD-rom Version 3F. Edited by A. N. Wright. Cornwall, UK: David Matthews Associates. Pages 65-66, Chapter 12

1912	2,700,000
250,000	3,200,000	1935
1920	3,750,000
500,000	4,250,000	1937
1925	4,850,000
750,000	5,400,000	1939
1927	6,000,000
950,000	6,200,000	1948
1929	6,500,000
1,150,000	7,000,000	1950
1931	7,700,000
1,800,000	8,500,000	1952
1933

From: http://www.sci.fi/~animato/lumiere/lumiere.html

450000
500000
600000
750000
850000
950000
1000000
1150000
1500000
1800000
2250000
2700000
3200000
5400000

.

Goerz American Optical Company

From Eddie Bolsetzian (former Goerz Tech.) provided by Michael Buchmeier, on the Large Format Home Page, More on classic lenses.

70001-140935	1902-1903
150000-190170	1903-1905
200941-224267	1906-1908
223775-226630	1908-1909
310001-315734	1911-1914
315735-320000	1914-1918
751240-756909	1927-1937
755300	1934
756910-765730	1937-1945
765730-771199	1945-1948
771200-780169	1948-1954
791500	~1955

.

Ross

From: Wilkinson, M, and C Glanfield. ibid, Pages 87-88, Chapter 11

1840	86,000	1918
1850	95,000	1921
1860	100,000	1924
1870	105,000	1925
1875	110,000	1927
1880	115,000	1930
1885-1890	120,000	1931
1890-1895	125,000	1933
1911	140,000	1939
1918	200,000	1947
1921	213,000	1946-7
1924	250,000	1960
1925

.

Taylor, Taylor & Hobson

From: Wilkinson, M, and C Glanfield. ibid, Page 71, Chapter 13

100	1895
5,000	1900
19,500	1914
71,000	1918
117,xxx	1926-7
250,000	1939
303,xxx	1944
300,xxx	1947
688,03x	1965

Carl Zeiss Jena Binoculars

Voigtländer

Zeiss Opton Serial Number

From: Wilkinson, M, and C Glanfield. ibid, Pages 6-9, Chapter 14
see also: http://members.aol.com/dcolucci/sn.htm

Serial Number Carl Zeiss Binoculars Review

05/1840 First Petzval Portrait produced
1796-184?, Marked 'Voigtländer & Sohn in Wien'

Year	Year
4033	139,108	1917
5000	142,853	1918
10,000	144,419	1919
27,449	154,426	1920
30,000	160,008	1921
31,000	172,136	1922
32,000	194,086	1923
34,000	216,948	1924
36,000	227,929	1925
38,000 - 39496	248,505	1926
40,000	279,710	1927
41,911	365,562	1928
43,685	537,338	1929
45,431	671,174	1933
46,454	803,220	1934
47,771	1,026,690	1935
49,084	2,000,000	1937
54,168	2,718,530	1942
54,896	2,700,000	1945
65,691	3,000,000	1947
68,193	3,220,000	1951
70,682	3,300,500	1952
72,638	3,461,400	1953
75,479	3,600,000	1954
79,288	3,731,000	1955
83,477	4,001,000	1956
88,057	4,303,000	1957
97,999	4,514,000	1958
101,649	4,802,000	1959
105,778	5,033,000	1960
110,347	5,473,000	1961
113,569	5,900,000	1962
118,634 - 125,975	6,219,000	1963
126,001	6,423,000	1964
132,726	6,664,222	1965
137,682	9,999,999-10,000,150	1971

.

From: Wilkinson, M, and C Glanfield. ibid, Pages 99-101, Chapter 17

Carl Zeiss Jena Serial Numbers
See also: http://home.sprynet.com/~stspring/Zeiss%20Ikon.html