Pentacon Taxona

Photos by Sylvain Halgand text by Sylvain Halgand. From the collection of Sylvain Halgand. Last update 2022-10-07 par Sylvain Halgand.

Manufactured or assembled in Germany (Former GDR) from (Circa) 1950 to (After) 1950.
Index of rarity in France: Infrequent (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 32

See the complete technical specifications

Chronology of cameras Pentacon

Traduction de Sylvain Halgand

Lately, by seeking Taxona in my preferred Mc Keown' s, I badly read the index. Instead of arrive page 359, I arrived on page 459… in the heading devoted to the mark Zeiss Ikon.

My error is all with the image of this almost banal camera from a point of view technical, but in charge of history. This page of history is registered besides behind of the camera. If we correctly direct it compared to the light, we see appearing in leatherette, almost in filigree, the Pentacon logo… but especially the name “Zeiss Ikon”. Astonishing since the camera is of Pentacon mark. It dates from the beginning of the Fifties and was manufactured in GDR. Why?

To simplify the history of the WWII end , Russian when they advanced to Elba, recovered (copiously) the industry of the bank east of demolished Germany. It was a Zeiss factory there (in Dresden). A small camera, Tenax, dating from the 30's, was there still (or at least moulds). To go up an industry quickly in what was going to become from 49, GDR, Russian quickly changed the blah of the front face of the camera and of Tenax made Taxona. The back face accepted the logo, but the name Zeiss was not to erase. In short, Taxona, in front of it is pure Communism juice with blow of cosmetics, behind it is a little Communism with marketing, because the name of Zeiss Ikon was then certainly a more selling that that of Pentacon (before lawsuits for the use of the name Zeiss Ikon do not begin). But the honor was safe because the camera could be armed only with the left hand; -)

To become again a little serious, the camera uses a film 35 mm and makes it possible to take 50 sights on a film of 36 exposures.

Interesting links or bibliography :

Sur mes-appareils-photos.fr, suggested by Eric Carlhan

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