Adolf Miethe

After studying physics, chemistry and astronomy in Berlin, he moved to Göttingen, where in 1889 he received his doctorate for a thesis on the actinometry of photographic astronomic fixed star exposures.

In 1891, after the death of Hartnack, he moved to Rathenow and took a job with the optical company Schulze & Barthels, where he developed telescopes, binoculars, and one of the first tele lenses for cameras.

There were a number of technical issues with the system, including the relatively long time required to make each sequence of three exposures and the difficulty of correctly balancing them to obtain accurate color values under different lighting conditions.

[5] Miethe served with Heinrich Ernemann, C. P. Goerz, Hugo Erfurth, Dr. Richard Neuhauss, and others on the board of the 1907 first International Photographic Exhibition, held in Dresden, 'a collective representation of Photography in all its branches and in all civilised countries.

In 1910 he took part in a shipborne expedition to Spitsbergen led by Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin that focused primarily on meteorological issues but also considered the viability of exploring the polar regions by airship.

Adolf Miethe around 1905, photographed by Nicola Perscheid .
A 1902 color photograph by Miethe, as reproduced photomechanically in Photographische Rundschau in 1903