C.P. Goerz

Est. 1886

C.P. Goerz

C.P. Goerz, formally known as Optische Anstalt C. P. Goerz, was a German optical and camera manufacturer founded in Berlin by Carl Paul Goerz. The company became one of the major names in early photographic optics, precision instruments, binoculars, cameras, and large-format lenses. Goerz is best known for historically important lens designs such as the Dagor, Double Anastigmat, Hypergon, Dogmar, Celor, and Artar, as well as for early cameras including the Anschütz and Tenax series.

For LeicaLensList, C.P. Goerz is relevant in two ways. Historically, it represents one of the most important pre-war German optical manufacturers, with lens designs that influenced photographic optics before the Leica system became dominant. In the modern Leica M context, the revived C.P. Goerz name appeared on the Citograph 35mm f/8 Hyperfocal, a compact fixed-focus lens offered in Leica M mount and other camera mounts. The original C.P. Goerz company should be understood separately from the modern Citograph project, which used the historic name rather than continuing the original Berlin manufacturer.

History

Founding / Early Years

C.P. Goerz was founded in 1886 by Carl Paul Goerz in Berlin, Germany. The company initially traded in mathematical and geometrical instruments before moving into photographic equipment. It began selling cameras in the late 1880s and started producing cameras soon afterward. By 1890, the business was operating as Optische Anstalt C. P. Goerz.

During its early period, Goerz expanded quickly from a specialist instrument maker into a serious photographic manufacturer. Its product range included cameras, lenses, binoculars, scientific instruments, and later military optical equipment. This combination of photographic and technical optics helped the company build a strong reputation in both civilian and industrial markets.

Dagor and Optical Expansion

One of the most important developments in Goerz history was the introduction of the Goerz Double Anastigmat, later known as the Dagor. Designed by Emil von Höegh in the early 1890s, the Dagor used a symmetrical six-element construction in two cemented groups. It became one of the most respected early anastigmat lens designs and was widely used in large-format photography.

The Dagor lens gave Goerz international recognition. It was valued for its sharpness, coverage, compact construction, and practical versatility. The design was successful enough to be licensed outside Germany and remained important in large-format photography for decades. The Dagor name later became one of the strongest collector keywords associated with C.P. Goerz lenses.

Goerz also produced other notable lens families, including Hypergon, Dogmar, Celor, Artar, Kalostigmat, Frontar, Pantar, and Tenaxiar. These lenses served different photographic uses, from wide-angle architecture and landscape work to process photography, portraiture, and general camera use.

International Growth and American Branch

Goerz expanded internationally at the turn of the twentieth century. A New York operation was established as the C.P. Goerz American Optical Company, which became important because it continued separately from the German company. The American branch produced Goerz lenses for the United States market and remained active long after the original German company had disappeared into Zeiss Ikon.

The American operation is especially important for collectors because many Goerz lenses found today, particularly later Dagor and Artar lenses, were produced or distributed through the American company. This creates a distinction between C.P. Goerz Berlin lenses and C.P. Goerz American Optical Company lenses.

Military Optics and First World War

Before and during the First World War, Goerz became a major supplier of military optical equipment. Its production included binoculars, gun sights, telescopic sights, and other precision optical instruments. This military work helped the company grow, but it also made the business vulnerable after the war, when Germany’s military production was restricted and the optical industry changed significantly.

After the war, the German camera and optical industry faced financial pressure, consolidation, and changing market conditions. Goerz, like several other major German camera makers, struggled to continue independently.

Zeiss Ikon Merger

In 1926, the German branch of C.P. Goerz merged with ICA, Contessa-Nettel, and Ernemann to form Zeiss Ikon AG. This merger brought together several of Germany’s most important camera manufacturers under one corporate structure. After the merger, the independent Goerz camera and lens identity largely disappeared from German production, although some Goerz-related camera lines and lens concepts continued under Zeiss Ikon or Carl Zeiss influence.

The American Goerz company continued separately and remained active until the early 1970s, when it was absorbed into Schneider-related operations in the United States.

Modern Citograph Revival

In the late 2010s, the C.P. Goerz name reappeared through the Citograph 35mm f/8 Hyperfocal project. This was a modern, compact, fixed-focus lens designed for spontaneous street photography. It was offered for several camera systems, including Leica M mount.

The Citograph was not a continuation of the original Berlin optical company. Instead, it was a modern project using the historic Goerz name and referencing the brand’s legacy of German optical innovation. For LeicaLensList, this distinction is important because the Citograph has direct Leica M relevance, while the historic Goerz company is mainly relevant as a foundational optical manufacturer and collector brand.

Product Lines

Photographic Lenses

C.P. Goerz produced a wide range of photographic lenses for plate cameras, folding cameras, large-format cameras, and specialist applications. Important lens names include Dagor, Double Anastigmat, Dogmar, Celor, Artar, Kalostigmat, Hypergon, Frontar, Pantar, and Tenaxiar. These lenses are now collected for their historical importance, optical character, and connection to early photographic lens design.

Dagor Lenses

The Dagor is the most famous Goerz lens family. It evolved from the Goerz Double Anastigmat and became known for its compact symmetrical construction, wide coverage, and strong performance stopped down. Dagor lenses remain important in the large-format photography community and are frequently associated with classic landscape, architecture, and general field photography.

Hypergon Wide-Angle Lenses

The Hypergon was an extreme wide-angle lens design used for large-format photography. It is known for its very broad angle of view and its distinctive rotating star-shaped center filter device, which helped compensate for light falloff across the image. Hypergon lenses are rare and highly collectible.

Cameras

Goerz produced several camera lines, including the Anschütz strut-folding cameras and the Tenax series. These cameras represent the company’s broader role as a complete photographic manufacturer, not just a lens maker. Some Goerz camera lines later influenced or continued into Zeiss Ikon production after the 1926 merger.

Binoculars and Scientific Instruments

The company also manufactured binoculars, telescopes, measuring instruments, and other precision optical devices. This technical background contributed to the company’s reputation for high-quality optical and mechanical engineering.

Military and Technical Optics

Goerz produced military optical equipment including sights, periscopes, and field glasses. This part of the business became especially significant before and during the First World War, when demand for military optical instruments increased sharply.

Citograph 35mm f/8 Hyperfocal

The modern C.P. Goerz Citograph 35mm f/8 Hyperfocal was a compact fixed-focus lens offered in several mounts, including Leica M. It used a simple hyperfocal concept, with focus fixed from approximately 3 meters to infinity. The lens was marketed for street photography, travel photography, and quick shooting where manual focusing was intentionally removed from the workflow.

Technical Characteristics

Feature Description
Original Company Type German optical, camera, and precision instrument manufacturer.
Founder Carl Paul Goerz.
Historic Base Berlin, Germany.
Key Historic Products Photographic lenses, folding cameras, binoculars, scientific instruments, military optics.
Important Lens Designs Dagor, Double Anastigmat, Hypergon, Dogmar, Celor, Artar, Kalostigmat, Frontar, Pantar, Tenaxiar.
Most Recognized Lens Family Dagor, a symmetrical anastigmat lens design associated with large-format photography.
Camera Lines Anschütz cameras, Tenax cameras, folding cameras, box cameras, and other early photographic bodies.
LeicaLensList Relevance Historic optical importance, collector relevance, and the modern Citograph 35mm f/8 Hyperfocal in Leica M mount.
Modern Leica M Product C.P. Goerz Citograph 35mm f/8 Hyperfocal.
Corporate Outcome German Goerz merged into Zeiss Ikon in 1926.
Related Companies Zeiss Ikon, C.P. Goerz American Optical Company, Schneider Optics.

Market Reception

C.P. Goerz is regarded as one of the important German optical manufacturers of the early photographic era. Its reputation is strongest among collectors and users of large-format lenses, where the Dagor remains one of the best-known classic lens designs. The company’s lenses are often valued for their historical importance, compact optical formulas, broad coverage, and distinctive rendering.

In the collector market, C.P. Goerz Berlin lenses are generally associated with pre-war German optical craftsmanship, while C.P. Goerz American Optical Company lenses are often discussed separately because of their independent production history. Dagor, Artar, and Hypergon lenses are among the most recognizable Goerz names, especially for photographers interested in large-format, antique, and process optics.

For Leica and rangefinder collectors, Goerz is not a central historical Leica-system manufacturer in the same way as Leitz, Canon, Nikon, or Nicca. However, the name is relevant because of the modern Citograph 35mm f/8 Hyperfocal Leica M lens and because Goerz represents an important part of the broader optical history that shaped twentieth-century camera lens design. The brand’s appearance on a Leica M-mount hyperfocal lens makes it a valid make for a LeicaLensList database, provided the historic Goerz company and the modern revival project are clearly distinguished.

Sources

Lenses (1)

Filters 1 results
Make Model Price Focal Length Aperture Release year Diameter (mm) Length (mm) Weight (g) Min focus distance Elements Groups Filter diameter (mm) MountModel number(s)Actions
C.P. GoerzCitograph 35mm f/8€31535820175823120 g3 m4337M—