Goerz Cine Lenses

The Goerz Kino-Hypar was an air-spaced, three element motion picture lens used by both professional and amateur cinematographers.

C.P. Goerz Optical Company was founded in 1886 by Carl Paul Goerz in Berlin, Germany. The company was well known for the production of the Goerz-Anschütz folding press camera. Designed by Ottomar Anschütz, it was the first camera equipped with a focal plane shutter and was capable of 1/1000 second exposures.

The C.P. Goerz American Optical Company was established in 1899, in New York City, as a U.S. subsidiary of the German Goerz company (Optische Anstalt C.P. Goerz). In 1926, the German firm merged with Contessa-Nettel, Ernemann and ICA to form Zeiss-Ikon. However, the New York division remained an independent company and continued to manufacture Kino Hypar cine lenses and the famous Dagor portrait lenses.

Goerz Kino Hypar

In 1939, the American Bolex Company chose to supply Goerz Kino-Hypar lenses for their high quality and lower price when compared to other optics manufacturers. However, during 1942, the majority of production was shifted to defense work for the U.S. war effort; availability of lenses was limited or non-existant for civilian use. Goerz American Optical Company merged in 1972 with Schneider Optics.

Listed below are C-mount Goerz lenses that I know to have been produced during the 1930s. The original Kino Hypar was introduced, I believe, in 1911. Please correct me if I'm wrong about that date.

C Mount Lenses for H-16 Cameras

Kino-Hypar Anastigmat .6" f/2.7 (15mm)

Kino-Hypar Anastigmat 1" f/2.7 (25mm)

Kino-Hypar Anastigmat 1 5/8" f/2.7 (40mm)

Kino-Hypar Anastigmat 2" f/2.7 (50mm)

Kino-Hypar Anastigmat 3" f/2.7 (75mm)

Kino-Hypar Anastigmat 4" f/2.7 (100mm)

Kino-Hypar Anastigmat 1 5/8" f/3 (40mm)

Kino-Hypar Anastigmat 2" f/3 (50mm)

Kino-Hypar Anastigmat 3" f/3 (75mm)

Kino-Hypar Anastigmat 4" f/3 (100mm)