The first Pentax was... East German

wings · 10-06-2019, 03:25 PM

Originally posted by Kosmo Foto

Hello all

I knew that Asahi had bought the Pentax name from East Germany's VEB Zeiss Ikon Dresden.... but up until this week I didn't realise the East Germans had actually built a camera under the Pentax name.

The first Pentax camera... was East German - Kosmo Foto

Really interesting camera - a shame it never made it to production, but it seems like it was too innovative ie expensive to produce for what would have been a small market.

Cheers

Stephen

Thanks for that information. Now I know where the name, Pentax, came from.

tokyoscape · 10-06-2019, 04:00 PM

Interesting information and I couldn't help but wonder... can't they level the logo plate?! The lower right side is clearly lower than the left side.

And this sentence is somehow hurt to read for me. my first Pentax was a Pentax and not a subsidiary of anyone.
"Pentax lives on to this day, as a subsidiary of imaging giant Ricoh"

**david94903** · 10-06-2019, 06:43 PM - **1 Like**

Thanks for sharing. That was really interesting.

sp500 · 10-06-2019, 11:40 PM - **1 Like**

Thanks for posting. Very interesting.

vtn · 10-06-2019, 11:46 PM - **1 Like**

Thanks for posting, very interesting article

**Baard-Einar** · 10-07-2019, 02:45 AM - **1 Like**

Hi

Thanks for sharing the article. Note that you have forgotten to complete one of the paragraphs:

"The Pentax’s shape was odd, but it did allow for it to be held in one hand and operated comfortably when held up to the eye. It was however, a deeply unconventional design for the time, especially with removable"

Cheers,
Baard-Einar.

Kosmo Foto · 10-07-2019, 03:55 AM

Originally posted by Baard-Einar

Hi

Thanks for sharing the article. Note that you have forgotten to complete one of the paragraphs:

"The Pentax’s shape was odd, but it did allow for it to be held in one hand and operated comfortably when held up to the eye. It was however, a deeply unconventional design for the time, especially with removable"

Cheers,
Baard-Einar.

D'oh - thanks for that! Changing now.

Cheers

S

**clickclick** · 10-07-2019, 07:06 AM - **1 Like**

Neat article and very nice that the prototype has survived. All too often, it's just a story someone luckily remembers.

veato · 10-07-2019, 07:16 AM - **1 Like**

I had no idea where the name came from. You learn something new every day!

Paul Pheiffer · 10-07-2019, 09:39 AM

Thank you, very interesting article - who would have thought?
There must have been many other similar deals in those days that we will probably never find out about.

PF752 · 10-09-2019, 03:24 PM

Thanks for sharing the history lesson. Most interesting.

**Archimedes the Dog** · 10-11-2019, 06:55 AM

Thanks for the share!

Paul Ewins · 10-15-2019, 03:50 PM - **1 Like**

Although they didn't use the Pentax name on a camera they did use it on photographic equipment, although to be fair this film editor is the only non-Asahi photo item I have ever seen with the Pentax name on it.

Gerbermiester · 10-19-2019, 09:20 PM - **1 Like**

This is the second article you've posted that I've read, and I have to say, they both have blown me away!
I've been browsing the Kosmo Photo website for a while now. How are you affiliated?

Kosmo Foto · 10-29-2019, 08:22 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Gerbermiester

This is the second article you've posted that I've read, and I have to say, they both have blown me away!
I've been browsing the Kosmo Photo website for a while now. How are you affiliated?

Hi there

thanks so much. Kosmo Foto is my blog, I run it in my spare time.

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10-06-2019, 03:25 PM	#16
wings Senior Member Join Date: May 2017 Posts: 209	Originally posted by Kosmo Foto Hello all I knew that Asahi had bought the Pentax name from East Germany's VEB Zeiss Ikon Dresden.... but up until this week I didn't realise the East Germans had actually built a camera under the Pentax name. The first Pentax camera... was East German - Kosmo Foto Really interesting camera - a shame it never made it to production, but it seems like it was too innovative ie expensive to produce for what would have been a small market. Cheers Stephen Thanks for that information. Now I know where the name, Pentax, came from.

10-06-2019, 04:00 PM	#17
tokyoscape Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Tokyo Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,256	Interesting information and I couldn't help but wonder... can't they level the logo plate?! The lower right side is clearly lower than the left side. And this sentence is somehow hurt to read for me. my first Pentax was a Pentax and not a subsidiary of anyone. "Pentax lives on to this day, as a subsidiary of imaging giant Ricoh"

10-06-2019, 06:43 PM - 1 Like	#18
david94903 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: San Rafael, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 806	Thanks for sharing. That was really interesting.

10-06-2019, 11:40 PM - 1 Like	#19
sp500 New Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Utah Posts: 24	Thanks for posting. Very interesting.

10-06-2019, 11:46 PM - 1 Like	#20
vtn Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Vilnius Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 168	Thanks for posting, very interesting article

10-07-2019, 02:45 AM - 1 Like	#21
Baard-Einar Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Oslo Photos: Gallery Posts: 964	Hi Thanks for sharing the article. Note that you have forgotten to complete one of the paragraphs: "The Pentax’s shape was odd, but it did allow for it to be held in one hand and operated comfortably when held up to the eye. It was however, a deeply unconventional design for the time, especially with removable" Cheers, Baard-Einar.

10-07-2019, 03:55 AM	#22
Kosmo Foto New Member Join Date: Sep 2019 Posts: 21 Original Poster	Originally posted by Baard-Einar Hi Thanks for sharing the article. Note that you have forgotten to complete one of the paragraphs: "The Pentax’s shape was odd, but it did allow for it to be held in one hand and operated comfortably when held up to the eye. It was however, a deeply unconventional design for the time, especially with removable" Cheers, Baard-Einar. D'oh - thanks for that! Changing now. Cheers S

10-07-2019, 07:06 AM - 1 Like	#23
clickclick Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: May 2016 Location: East Coast Posts: 2,903	Neat article and very nice that the prototype has survived. All too often, it's just a story someone luckily remembers.

10-07-2019, 07:16 AM - 1 Like	#24
veato Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Nottingham Posts: 543	I had no idea where the name came from. You learn something new every day!

10-07-2019, 09:39 AM	#25
Paul Pheiffer Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Bushveld, Ellisras - South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 202	Thank you, very interesting article - who would have thought? There must have been many other similar deals in those days that we will probably never find out about.

10-09-2019, 03:24 PM	#26
PF752 New Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Posts: 18	Thanks for sharing the history lesson. Most interesting.

10-11-2019, 06:55 AM	#27
Archimedes the Dog Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 1,146	Thanks for the share!

10-19-2019, 09:20 PM - 1 Like	#29
Gerbermiester Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: British Columbia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 377	This is the second article you've posted that I've read, and I have to say, they both have blown me away! I've been browsing the Kosmo Photo website for a while now. How are you affiliated?

10-29-2019, 08:22 AM - 1 Like	#30
Kosmo Foto New Member Join Date: Sep 2019 Posts: 21 Original Poster	Originally posted by Gerbermiester This is the second article you've posted that I've read, and I have to say, they both have blown me away! I've been browsing the Kosmo Photo website for a while now. How are you affiliated? Hi there thanks so much. Kosmo Foto is my blog, I run it in my spare time.