History of Rochester NY Camera and Lens Companies

Here is a very interesting historical account of camera and lens companies that were born and thrived in Rochester NY from around 1890 through the mid-20th century. It's an amazing mix of personalities with scientific, creative and business skills competing, thriving and prospering (sometimes only briefly) in a single city. Rochester was clearly the precursor of "silicon valley". Sadly it's time of thriving has long since passed. Link here.

Always enjoyed that, as I live nearby. It's sad so much of the city was destroyed by urban renewal and many/most of the camera-related buildings are gone.

Here is a very interesting historical account of camera and lens companies that were born and thrived in Rochester NY from around 1890 through the mid-20th century. It's an amazing mix of personalities with scientific, creative and business skills competing, thriving and prospering (sometimes only briefly) in a single city. Rochester was clearly the precursor of "silicon valley". Sadly it's time of thriving has long since passed. Link here.

 

The presence of Eastman Kodak was an added bonus. As an aside, Rochester is also known for its lilacs. PS - I'm a native of Buffalo.

Rochester is also known for its lilacs

And it's lake effect snow!!!

George Eastman Museum is a fascinating place to spend a few hours. There are all kinds of cameras (not only Kodaks0 there. And f you"re a canal buff , the Erie Canal runs through Rochester. And the Eastman School of Music is in town.

Hey, and it's time for the Erie Canalway Photo Contest- Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor :: Photo Contest and Calendar

And it's lake effect snow!!!

 

Actually, unless new records have been established, Oswego is NY State's snow capital.

The author of the article, Rudolf Kingslake, was the head of the optical design department at Eastman Kodak as well as a teacher of lens design at the University of Rochester. He was the author of the book “A History of the Photographic Lens” as well as several widely used, to this day, books on lens design. He died in 2003 at the age of 99.

Thank you.

I had bought a reprint of Kingslake's book on optics, but I had missed this.

 

Because of the tendency for these links to go dead as the posters tire or pass on, I usually print a pdf copy of such for my own files.