Re: zeiss apq production quantities

Hi David,

that is somehow difficult to estimate: there are some APQ's which are newer (after 1995; lenses still from Zeiss) and the APQ from the original production line by Zeiss. My numbers are rough, so please do not stick me to much to them:

APQ 80/500 (only "Funktionsmuster"; functional samples): I know 2 of them
APQ 100/640: around 150
APQ 100/1000: around 250
APQ 130/1000: around 250
APQ 150/1200: around 100

I owned 2x100/640, 2x100/1000 and 2x130/1000. All of them were great. I sticked to an "older" (around 1992) 100/1000 (uncoated lens!).

Best regards and a happy new year!
Michael

David, Michael

I once asked and received an answer from A Dr Wimmer a Zeiss employee on this exact question. I have long since lost his reply.

The answer I recall was about 500 APQ's in total

140 were APQ 130/1000, 80 were APQ 100/640, I am sure he quoted these numbers.

The number of APQ 150/1500 was either 40 or 80 ?? Most likely 40.

The number of APQ 100/1000 was either 200 or 250?? most probably the 200 number.

One or two other APQ's were also fabricated from memory although I cannot recall if they were 110/750, 110/840 but he did not mention 80/500 size. He mentioned a APQ 200/1600 designed

He also mentioned one or two prototypes 100/1000 that were AQ and AP designs were made possibly when the APQ's were being designed. Triplet AQ had ZK2, KzF2 and Bak2 glass, and doublet AP semi apo with KzF2 and BK7 glass and an apo with CaF2 and BaK2 glass.

APQ's were designed with two variants BaK2/CaF2/K11 and ZK2/CaF2/ZK2. I believe the first is the only one fabricated. ??Who knows, perhaps some of the early APQ's were the other design.

I also had an APQ 100/1000 which was uncoated and truly wonderful. A perfect telescope. I sold it to fund it's big brother 130/1000 which is also a GEM.

best wishes

Kevin Barker
Auckland, New Zealand