Zeiss Ikon Ikophon 16mm sound film camera with turret and accessories, c. 1938
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
c. 1938
The Ikophon is a highly specialized 16mm motion picture camera produced by Zeiss Ikon in Dresden, introduced at the 1938 Leipzig Autumn Trade Fair. It represents a significant advancement in amateur and professional cinematography, featuring the ability to record synchronous optical sound directly onto the film strip alongside images.
The camera is equipped with a battery-operated synchronous motor and an intermittent movement mechanism derived from the Movikon 16. It features a rotating turret holding four Carl Zeiss Jena lenses: Tessar 2.7/15mm, Sonnar 4/25mm, 2.8/50mm, and 4/75mm. Notable features include a Newton-type viewfinder with a coupled rangefinder, parallax compensation, and a masked display for various focal lengths.Production was limited due to its high cost and complexity, and ceased in 1940 due to the war.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Film format
- 16mm
- Spool capacity
- 60 meters
- Tripod material
- wood and aluminum
Technical characteristics
- Motor
- battery-operated synchronous motor
- Lenses
- Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 2.7/15 mm, Sonnar 4/25 mm, 2.8/50 mm, and 4/75 mm
- Viewfinder
- Newton-type with coupled rangefinder and parallax compensation
- Sound system
- Klangfilm optical sound system
Design
- Turret
- four-lens rotating turret
Identification
- Source note
- Described from a single auction-house listing published on Invaluable (reproduced with Invaluable's permission). Details apply to that one example; other examples of the type may differ, and the listing is supplementary evidence, not authentication.
- Maker named in listing
- Zeiss Ikon
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.