Zunow

Zunow Optical Industry (originally Teikoku Kogaku) is the ultimate "unicorn" of the Japanese camera world. In the entire history of the LTM (Leica Thread Mount) ecosystem, no brand commands as much mystique, fear, and financial premium as Zunow.

For the collector, Zunow represents the absolute peak of the 1950s "Lens Speed Race." While Nikon and Canon were pushing boundaries with mass production, Zunow was a small boutique outfit that beat everyone to the punch—releasing the world's first f/1.1 lens in 1953. Their lenses are famously fragile, astronomically expensive, and offer a "dreamy" rendering that is practically impossible to replicate with modern glass.

History

The company’s history is short, brilliant, and tragic—a perfect recipe for collector cult status.

The Speed Race Pioneers (1950 to 1961)

Founded as Teikoku Kogaku ("Imperial Optical") in Tokyo, the company began as a military supplier during WWII. In the post-war era, led by founder Sakuta Suzuki and optical designer Michisaburo Hamano, they obsessed over one goal: speed.

• The 1953 Shock: In 1953, they released the Zunow 5cm f/1.1. This was a technical bombshell. It beat the Nikkor 5cm f/1.1 to market by several years and the Canon 50mm f/0.95 by nearly a decade.
• The Bankruptcy: The company was innovative but financially unstable. They attempted to launch their own SLR system (the Zunow SLR) in 1958, which was an engineering marvel but a commercial disaster. By 1961, Zunow went bankrupt, ending all production. This roughly 8-year window of consumer lens production makes their glass exceptionally rare [[1]].

Product Lines (LTM Native)

Zunow lenses are almost exclusively found in LTM (Leica Thread Mount) or Contax/Nikon rangefinder mounts.

The 5cm f/1.1 (The Legend)

This is the lens that defines the brand.

• The "Ping Pong" Version: The very earliest serial numbers (often marked Teikoku Kogaku) feature a rear element that is vividly spherical and bulbous, protruding deep into the camera body. Collectors call this the "Ping Pong" version. It is one of the rarest lenses in existence.
• Rendering: It is the antithesis of modern optics. Wide open, it is soft, low contrast, and incredibly prone to flare ("rainbows"). However, it produces a unique "swirling" bokeh and a center glow that gives portraits an ethereal, painted look.
• Fragility: The aperture blades are notoriously weak and often break or fall out. Finding a copy with a functioning aperture is a major challenge [[3]].

The 3.5cm f/1.7

A fast wide-angle that is arguably rarer than the 50mm.

• Design: An f/1.7 wide-angle was unheard of in the mid-1950s (Leica's Summilux 35mm f/1.4 didn't arrive until 1961). Zunow pushed the limits of Double-Gauss design to achieve this speed.
• Performance: Like the 50mm, it is a "mood" lens—soft corners, vignette, and lower contrast, but with high center resolution when stopped down.

The "Zunow-matic" Anomaly

• Zunow 58mm f/1.2: Originally designed for their failed SLR, some of these have been converted to Leica M-mount by specialist shops (like Miyazaki/MS-Optics). They are valued for their exotic glass types and unique f/1.2 signature.

Technical Specifications

Feature	Specification Details
Native Mount	LTM (Leica Thread Mount)
Focus Coupling	Coupled. (Standard rangefinder coupling).
Build Materials	Brass and Chrome (Early) or Black Paint/Anodized (Late). Known for being surprisingly lightweight for their size due to delicate internals.
Glass Issues	Soft Coatings. Zunow glass is extremely soft and prone to "cleaning marks." Never clean a Zunow lens with a dry cloth.
Common Defects	Separation (Lens groups ungluing) and Broken Aperture Blades are standard features of "Mint" listings.
Filter Thread	54.5mm (Proprietary on early 5cm f/1.1) or 55mm (Late versions). Finding original caps/filters is nearly impossible.

Why Photographers Choose Zunow

• The Ultimate Flex: Pulling out a Zunow 5cm f/1.1 at a camera meet is the rangefinder equivalent of driving a vintage Ferrari 250 GTO. It instantly signals that you are a serious historian (and likely wealthy).
• The "Dream" Aesthetic: Cinematic photographers and portrait artists chase Zunow lenses for their flaws, not their perfection. The way the lens flares and wraps light around a subject creates a natural "diffusion filter" look that digital sensors love.
• Investment Grade: Because Zunow existed for such a short time and produced so few units (estimates suggest fewer than 3,000 lenses total across all mounts), prices have only gone up. A clean 5cm f/1.1 can trade for $8,000 to $15,000 depending on the variation [[4]].

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Sources

• [1] CameraQuest (Zunow History & 50mm f/1.1): https://cameraquest.com/zunow.htm
• [2] Japan Camera Hunter (Zunow Profile): https://www.japancamerahunter.com/2012/03/lens-porn-zunow-50mm-f1-1/
• [3] 35mmc (Zunow Rendering Analysis): https://www.35mmc.com
• [4] Leitz Auction (Zunow Auction Results): https://www.leitz-auction.com