Zeiss Ikon Ikonta 522/24
After World War II, camera makers in Germany faced several hurdles as they tried to return to producing commercially viable cameras. Not only had the war stalled innovation, many of the factories and production centers had been destroyed by Allied bombing. When camera makers returned to start up their assembly lines, several new models of cameras that had been designed during and just after the war were brought to market. Zeiss Ikon began its post-war production with the Ikonta series of cameras, which were the company's top-of-the-line offerings. For their 35mm camera, Zeiss released the Zeiss Ikon Ikonta 522/24, beginning in 1948. These superbly designed folding 35mm cameras are very simple to operate, small, and light.
While the Zeiss Ikon Ikonta 522/24 was meant to be fitted with a Zeiss Tessar lens, the factory that produced the Tessar lenses had still not fully recovered from the damage it suffered during the war. Hence, the first run of these cameras used a Schneider Xenar lens. Once lens production regained its pre-war numbers, the Ikonta 522/24 was upgraded to the 45mm f/2.8 Tessar lens made by Zeiss.
Although the optical quality of the Ikonta cameras was never in doubt, plus the engineering and design were fantastic, the controls of the Ikonta 522/24 were somewhat primitive compared to some of its rival 35mm cameras. The Ikonta 522/24 lacks a coupled focusing system, so users are left with a camera that requires zone focusing, via the depth-of-field scale on the shutter housing. Also, there is no shutter release button on the body of the camera. Photographers must cock and fire the shutter using small mechanisms on the shutter housing. The awkwardness of the system kept the popularity of the camera a bit stifled, but those who mastered the system, were treated to some great images.
Ultimately, the Zeiss Ikon Ikonta 522/24 was replaced by a series of cameras version called Contina. As the designs of the Continas became more modern, the original Ikonta 522/24 fell further out of favor; but now, even in the 21st century, this simple and little folding camera with great optics is a beauty to hold and use.
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