While this model made from 1952 had mechanical improvements over the Contax S, the "D" in the name Contax D was at first unofficially referred to a small "D" marked underneath the Zeiss Ikon logo. At the time Zeiss Ikon Dresden was feeling the increasing need to distinguish itself from the new Zeiss Ikon establishment based in Stuttgart, so the "D", for Dresden, was a first attempt at this; gradually the need became greater, and various marking variations were tried, including the marking of "VEB" in place of the "D". Here the camera nameplate also sees several variations, such as the change of the shape of the "a" in "Contax", and sometimes marked as "Contax D" at the front.
In markets where the established trade names and trademarks had been registered by Stuttgart, Dresden had to come up with new ones in order to sell the products. The name "Pentacon" (Pentaprism Contax) was coined and used on cameras for these markets, and the Zeiss Ikon logo was replaced by a stylized tower at the corporate headquarter building (formerly Ernemann). At first the Ernemann tower was above the letter "ZI", but later on this last reference to Zeiss Ikon was abandoned. Lenses for these markets were also marked differently to obscure the Carl Zeiss name, such as "C.Z. Jena" or "Ernst Abbe Jena". |
Thumbnails for the Pentacon brochure pictures: |
 |
|
Pentacon Booklet - English |
