Walter Mandler

Walter Mandler ( May 10, 1922 *, † 21 April 2005 in Midland ) was a leading optical designer of the Leica brand and later Director of Development and Vice President of Ernst Leitz Canada ( ELCAN Optical Technologies) in Midland, Ontario.

Mandler was born the son of a German family of farmers. During his studies at the University of Giessen, where he graduated with a PhD "summa cum laude", he joined in 1947 as a lens designer in the company Leitz in Wetzlar, a.

In 1952 he was one of a team of employees who have been engaged in Midland, Ontario with the establishment of Ernst Leitz Canada ( ELCAN ). After initially only a shorter stay was planned on site, Mandler decided to stay in Canada. Later he also became a Canadian citizen.

As its main contribution to the optical technology Mandlers his pioneering work to apply in the application of computer- aided design of lenses, which finished with the previous method of the design of optical lenses with slide rule and Logarithmentabelle and ushered in a new era in the lens design technology. From him comes the design of more than 45 high-performance lenses of the Leica brand, the combined outstanding optical properties with manageable cost. Among the models

  • Noctilux 50/1,
  • Summilux 35/1.4,
  • Summilux 50/1.4,
  • Summilux 75/1, 4,
  • Summicron 50/2,
  • Summicron 90/2,
  • Elmarit -R 19/2.8,
  • Elmarit 90/2.8,
  • APO Telyt - Telyt 180/3.4.

Leica Summicron R 50/2

Leica Summicron R 90/2

Leica Elmarit -R 60/2.8

Apo Telyt R 180/3.4

April 21 Midland (Ontario) Name Authority File
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