Zeiss Ikon in its heyday was a huge conglomerate of German camera manufacturers. Founded in Jena, in 1846,  Carl Zeiss was a manufacturer of microscopes, telescopes and other scientific instruments. In 1902 with the acquisition of Palmos A.G. the long association of Zeiss with camera manufacturing began. In 1926, Zeiss Ikon was born with the merger of Carl Zeiss in Jena with Ica, Ernemann, Goerz and several other camera manufacturers. Several of the companies who were part of the marger had factories in Dresden so the headquarters for the new conglomerate was set up in that city. Zeiss continued to manufacture both cameras as well as other optical products up through 1942 when the scarcity of materials put a temporary halt to production.
 
After World War II the Soviet Occupied territory included both Jena and Dresden. For awhile there were two entities called Zeiss Ikon: One in USSR Occupied Germany with lens manufacturing in Jena and cameras made in both Dresden and Jena; and a second Zeiss Ikon based in Stuttgart in the western part, or US Occupied part of Germany, at the old Contessa Nettel factory. During the decade of the 1950's much legal wrangling ensued over the Zeiss Ikon trademark with the Stuttgart Zeiss Ikon prevailing. After 1959, The state owned camera manufacturing in Dresden and Jena evolved into Pentacon VEB with lens manufacturing at Jena still called Carl Zeiss Jena after the original pre-merger company of the early 1900's. Camera manufacturing (Stuttgart) ceased in 1971, however, the Zeiss name continues on with the manufacturing of microscopes and other optical products in a reunified Germany (and Zeiss).
 
 
2843 to 2847
 
1936 Zeiss Ikon Ikonta (520) is sometimes known as the Baby Ikonta. It is a self-erecting 4.5 X 6cm rollfilm camera in 120 film. This example has a Nover-Anastigmat f3.5 / 7cm lens in a Compur-Rapid shutter.
 
 
2848 to 2858
 
1959 - 66 Zeiss Ikon Contarex "Bullseye" SLR  was the first camera with a coupled exposure meter. The round meter window over the lens gave it the name "Bullseye". This is an early version without the data slot in the rear. This example comes with a standard Planar f2 / 50mm lens as well as an f5.6 / 135mm lens.
 
 
2859 to 2864
 
1966 - 71 Zeiss Ikon Icarex 35 CS was designed by Voigtlander (incorporated into Zeiss in 1956). It has a pentaprism viewfinder with a built-in TTL (Through The Lens) CdS exposure meter. It has a Carl Zeiss (not Jena) Tessar f2.8 / 50mm lens.
 
 
2881 to 2887
 
1950 - 55 Zeiss Ikon Contessa is a full framed 35mm folding camera with a non interchangeable Tessar f2.8 /  45mm lens in a Synchro-Compur shutter which makes this a later version (1953 to 55). Similar in size and shape to a Kodak Retina II, it is a well made camera designed for the medium priced 35mm market. The Contessa features both a rangefinder and a dual range uncoupled exposure meter.
 
 
2888 to 2894
 
1939 - 41 Zeiss Ikon Tenax I was designed to compete against the Robot II camera.  The small body and 50 exposures in a  24 x 24mm format with a wide angle zone focus lens.( Novar Anastigmat f3.5 / 35mm) were all the same features found on the Robot. Unlike the Robot's spring motor advance system the Tenax has a left hand rapid advance lever with a claimed 4 frames per second with some practice.....
 
 
2895 to 2900
 
1934 - 37 Zeiss Ikon Super Nettel is a 35mm folding bellows focal plane shuttered camera designed to be a less expensive alternative to the Contax I.  Folded it is similar in size to the Contax I.  This early example has a non interchangeable Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar f3.5 / 50mm lens.
 
 
 
 
 
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