John Shelton related his purchase of Steinheil binoculars and asked if
anybody has heard of this brand.

Steinheil is one of the old, great, optical houses of Germany, starting in
the late 19th century. I don't know if they still exist, although I seem
to recall the purchase of them by British Aerospace in the 80's.

More completely: "Optischen Werke C. A. Steinheil Sohne GmbH, Munchen"
(Imagine the umlaut <G>)

I was in the camera business in the 50's and have a lot of memories of
Steinheil products, best known by the "Steinheil Munchen" imprint on their
products. They produced lenses of moderate price for such venerable cameras
as Leica (screw mount), Exakta, Praktica (Pentacon/ContaxD), Argus (C33,
C44) and Stereo Realist, as well as projection lenses (including
Panavision), and lenses for movie cameras, view cameras, and enlargers.
They also produced a wide variety of other optical instruments. They even
made a few cameras, including a couple rather peculiar ones.

Steinheil lens model names: Tele- and Macro-Quinar, Cassar, Cassaron
(spread those out to suppress weeds), Culminar (used to take photos of bird
bills).

I don't think there is a connection with Steiner, as suggested. I think
Steiner is the old "Steiner Optik," Bayreuth.

(Not to be confused with "Steineck Kamerawerk," Tutzing, who made a
wristwatch camera, in 1949, which used a Steinheil lens.)<G>

Now, if that isn't more than you ever wanted to know . . .

Jerry Blinn
Silverdale
<jerry at avisys.net>
Web site: <www.avisys.net>