Goerz-Berlin never made "gold" lenses, did they?

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Originally Posted by Louis Pacilla

I'll be honest goes. I would NOT trust columbuscameragroup with much bought on their word.This is from personal experience with this used camera shop in Columbus Ohio.

Not to be confused with the wonderful Dealings I have had with MPX Mid-West photo Exchange. They are tops.

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I bought my first 4x5 from CCG on an IU field trip to Columbus about fifteen years ago. I was warned away from the shop by professors, but Mpex didn't have any really cheap 4x5s that day. CCG did, they had a lot of cheap junk and a few decent cameras at poor prices. I did ok on an old grey Calumet user, got what I needed. I also paid a low price on some holders that were junk but which they insisted should be good. I've done worse over the years from others, but they reminded me of sleazy used car salesmen. I would consider buying from them again, maybe, if they were the only shop with what I wanted and it was cheap.

Mpex is one of the best, but they don't have much used LF gear on their website anymore.

I'll add a good word for CCG - I bought 10 used 5x7 holders off eBay from them, late holders with plastic pulls, for about $22 each delivered. They're great low-mileage holders, clean and a very good buy.

Cheers, Steve

It would seem the folks at CCG have reacted to this thread.
They have reduced the price to $399.00, and re-listed the lens as a 'possible fake.'

http://www.ebay.com/itm/220953604824...84.m1423.l2649

David, I seem to remember that Kollmorgen was the last owner of Goerz USA in the mid 60's (for me that was 45 or 46 years ago when I was in my mid 30's) . Since I was at Calumet from Jan 1964and we were heavily involved in LF, in 1964 we discontinued the purchase of American Goerz lenses due to serious quality control problems, 1 out of 2 or 3 would be returned in warranty and they complained bitterly. In that time frame we also had problems with Symmars. 1 out of 5 or 6 would be returned due to lens separation or Compur failure (although we kept Schneider because they always replaced defective stock, regardless). We had no trouble with Kodak LF lenses even though the the Ilex shutters were pretty klunky, they always worked and we virtually never had returns. Our problem with Kodak was the letter that told us they were discontinuing "professional lenses" in late 1965 (although there was a pretty considerable stock in their warehouses which would last for two or three years. For these reasons, we contacted the new ownership of Ilex, the president of whom I had known personally for several years as had the head of our sales and marketing department. The Ilex/Caltar manufacturing and sales relationship worked well for us for several years until the Ilex president was so severely injured in an accident that he couldn't work again. We used the same Ilex lenses when I was with B&J and BBOI, very successfully.

Now the story that we all knew in the 60's. A very wealthy gentleman had a daughter who was married to a recently graduated physicist, he bought Goerz (USA) for the daughter and son-in-law. The management was not successful and the company crashed. Later Schneider bought the corporate shell.

Lynn

David, I seem to remember that Kollmorgen was the last owner of Goerz USA in the mid 60's (for me that was 45 or 46 years ago when I was in my mid 30's) . Since I was at Calumet from Jan 1964and we were heavily involved in LF, in 1964 we discontinued the purchase of American Goerz lenses due to serious quality control problems, 1 out of 2 or 3 would be returned in warranty and they complained bitterly. In that time frame we also had problems with Symmars. 1 out of 5 or 6 would be returned due to lens separation or Compur failure (although we kept Schneider because they always replaced defective stock, regardless). We had no trouble with Kodak LF lenses even though the the Ilex shutters were pretty klunky, they always worked and we virtually never had returns. Our problem with Kodak was the letter that told us they were discontinuing "professional lenses" in late 1965 (although there was a pretty considerable stock in their warehouses which would last for two or three years. For these reasons, we contacted the new ownership of Ilex, the president of whom I had known personally for several years as had the head of our sales and marketing department. The Ilex/Caltar manufacturing and sales relationship worked well for us for several years until the Ilex president was so severely injured in an accident that he couldn't work again. We used the same Ilex lenses when I was with B&J and BBOI, very successfully.

Now the story that we all knew in the 60's. A very wealthy gentleman had a daughter who was married to a recently graduated physicist, he bought Goerz (USA) for the daughter and son-in-law. The management was not successful and the company crashed after a few years. Later Schneider bought the corporate shell.

Lynn

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Originally Posted by Lynn Jones

David, I seem to remember that Kollmorgen was the last owner of Goerz USA in the mid 60's (for me that was 45 or 46 years ago when I was in my mid 30's) . Since I was at Calumet from Jan 1964and we were heavily involved in LF, in 1964 we discontinued the purchase of American Goerz lenses due to serious quality control problems, 1 out of 2 or 3 would be returned in warranty and they complained bitterly. In that time frame we also had problems with Symmars. 1 out of 5 or 6 would be returned due to lens separation or Compur failure (although we kept Schneider because they always replaced defective stock, regardless). We had no trouble with Kodak LF lenses even though the the Ilex shutters were pretty klunky, they always worked and we virtually never had returns. Our problem with Kodak was the letter that told us they were discontinuing "professional lenses" in late 1965 (although there was a pretty considerable stock in their warehouses which would last for two or three years. For these reasons, we contacted the new ownership of Ilex, the president of whom I had known personally for several years as had the head of our sales and marketing department. The Ilex/Caltar manufacturing and sales relationship worked well for us for several years until the Ilex president was so severely injured in an accident that he couldn't work again. We used the same Ilex lenses when I was with B&J and BBOI, very successfully.

Now the story that we all knew in the 60's. A very wealthy gentleman had a daughter who was married to a recently graduated physicist, he bought Goerz (USA) for the daughter and son-in-law. The management was not successful and the company crashed after a few years. Later Schneider bought the corporate shell.

Lynn

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Thank you for this Lynn. here's a bit I might add from what written documents I have.

1. I have a Goerz price list dated 10/10/67 which is titled simply "Goerz Optical Co., Inc."; the next newest one I have is dated 8/1/70 and is labeled "Photographic Products Div. Goerz Optical Co., Inc. A Subsidiary of Kollmorgen" This would indicate Kollmorgen acquired the company between October 1967 and August 1970. (Anyone out there have any Goerz literature within this time frame that could narrow down the date of Kollmorgen's acquiring G.O.C.?)

2. I have a Schneider Corporation of America informational pamphlet that says that Schneider Corporation of America was established January 1, 1972 as a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Schneider. Further it says that S.C.A. will handle all sales of "the former Goerz lines of lenses." In addition they will handle the ISCO line in the U.S. And while S.C.A will handle sales of Schneider lenses to U.S. industrial customers, consumer sales will continue to be handled by Burleigh Brooks. Arguably this shows that Goerz became part of Schneider via, Schneider Corporation of America, in 1972.

3. Also I have a letter on Schneider Corporation of America dated September 18, 1973 regarding the availability of of the 8 1/4 inch Gold Dot Dagor.

David Lindquist

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Originally Posted by David Lindquist

Also I have a letter on Schneider Corporation of America dated September 18, 1973 regarding the availability of of the 8 1/4 inch Gold Dot Dagor.

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Hi David,

I have that lens, probably of that vintage.

What does the letter say?

TIA

- Leigh

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Originally Posted by Leigh

Hi David,

I have that lens, probably of that vintage.

What does the letter say?

TIA

- Leigh

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Condensing and paraphrasing to some extent, Mr. Sidney Falek (Administrative Vice President of S.C.A.) said that the 8 1/4 inch Dagor had been unavailable for the last 6 months as they had "acquired from Goerz a somewhat depleted stock of these lenses" during the period of taking over the business. Also "detailed technical and engineering work had to be done before we could provide new production." Mr. Falek went on to say "...at this very time 8 1/4" Gold Dot Dagors are in production, and we expect our initial deliveries around January 1974."

I didn't pursue getting one of these. Not sure why now.
David

Thanks, David.

Very interesting. Mine was made in Switzerland, and is mounted in a Copal #1 shutter that could be of that era.

- Leigh

wrong thread