What is the history of the Petzval lens?

The Petzval lens was developed in 1840 by Slovak mathematics professor Joseph Petzval in Vienna, with technical advice from Peter Wilhelm Friedrich von Voigtländer. It holds the distinction of being the first photographic portrait objective lens in the history of photography, featuring a 160 mm focal length. The Voigtländer company built the first version on Petzval's behalf, after which the design spread across Europe and was also produced by optical maker Carl Dietzler.

What we know

• The Petzval lens was developed in Vienna in 1840 by Slovak mathematics professor Joseph Petzval. [2]
• Peter Wilhelm Friedrich von Voigtländer provided technical advice for the lens and his company built the first one. [2]
• It is recognized as the first photographic portrait objective lens in the history of photography. [1, 2]
• Carl Dietzler, an optical instruments maker in Vienna, also produced the Petzval lens later on. [2]

Where to go next

• whoWho was Joseph Petzval?
• the bigger pictureHow did early photographic lens design evolve?
• whereWhere was the Petzval lens manufactured?
• how it workedHow do compound optical lenses work?
• what followedWhat are other notable inventions by Joseph Petzval?
• an unexpected connectionHow is a mathematical transform linked to this optical lens creator?Joseph Petzval, the inventor of the portrait lens, is also credited with the discovery of the Laplace transform.

Sources

• [1]Petzval lens (Wikidata Q251700) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Petzval lens · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Joseph Petzval · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]History of photographic lens design · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Lens · CC BY-SA 4.0