When the leading German optical manufacturer, Carl Zeiss of Oberkochen, formed a partnership with one of the leading optical firms of Japan, Yashica Kyocera, to release a completely newly designed line of electronic cameras, it was Zeiss' part to contribute their knowledge of special glass sorts and lens construction. As their patent on the classical Planar design had run out of legal production and could
therefore be replicated easily by their competitors, the people at Zeiss decided to computate a new Planar design on new principles -- the Zeiss Planar 1.7 / 50mm with 7 elements in 6 groups was born.