Erich Kaestner, design engineer of Arriflex cameras, served as chief design engineer at Arnold & Richter GmbH from 1932 to 1980, overseeing all Arriflex camera and optical development. His design of the spinning mirror reflex shutter, a design incorporated in all modern motion picture cameras, won him an Oscar in 1982 along with Auguste Arnold, also of Arnold & Richter.

In 1937, Kaestner designed the Arriflex 35 Series cameras which became and remain one of the industry's most used series of cameras. The development and engineering of this camera series was recognized by the Academy with a Scientific or Technical award in 1973. Kaestner also was instrumental in the development of the Techniscope 2-perf format, designed the first professional in-camera exposure meter and worked on optical concepts used in new lenses by such manufacturers as Schneider Rodenstock and Zeiss.