Book Review: Voigtländer 3 Prochnow.

[Steven Tribe]

This may be well known by Voigtländer experts. It is new to me and was recommended as a source by Tim Deming.
The series deals with everything Voigtländer - so is a bit uninteresting apart from the Bergheil and early large camera stuff.

Eventually, at the start of the 3rd Volume(!) Brigitte and Claus Prochnow get around to Voigtländer Objectives. Chapter 23 (pages 617 - 644) covers lens development. The basic structure of the chapter is simplifed/standardised entries from yearly Voigtländer catalogues with illustrations taken from these catalogues. There is a linking text but the information is quite "dry" with very little modern photo illustration (unlike our own CCHarrison). The nature of the illustrations means that the real appearance of the engravings is not that easy to figure out.

I have no relation to the authors/publishers - other than I have sent them a thanks!
This is from 2007 - isbn 978-3-89506-274-2 - printed in Braunschweig!
I dare not take a closer photo of a page because of respect for their copyright.
I thought it would better placed here - rather than under "Resources".

[onnect17]

Got my copy via Amazon's book resellers (one located in UK, called "the_book_depository_") for $30. The book arrived in Boston in about a week.
Worth every penny. Thanks to Steven and Tim for the recommendation.
Here's the link --> http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/389506274X/ref=dp_olp_all_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=all

[Steven Tribe]

I never got a reply from either of the Prochnows as both of them were deceased by 2011!

Apart from the Voigtländer chapters, there is a very extensive section on other makes of German travel (tailboard) cameras and Salon (Studio) cameras. I reproduce a view of a well equiped studio from 1904. Quite a selection of sizes - note the large lens near the seated photographer!

[Tim Deming]

I got my copies direct from Claus, who used to sell on ebay-de. Probably the best compilation of Voigtlander data out there. The are a few typos, but far fewer than other Voigtlander books. Claus Prochnow is also well known for his excellent series of books on Rollei cameras. I believe he had worked for both companies

Cheers

Tim