Leica

Founded by Ernst Leitz in 1924. The name Leica is derived from the first three letters of his surname (Leitz) and the first two of the word camera: lei-ca.

The first 35mm film Leica prototypes were built by Oskar Barnack at Ernst Leitz Optische Werke, Wetzlar, in 1913. Intended as a compact camera for landscape photography, particularly during mountain hikes, the Leica was the first practical 35 mm camera that used standard cinema 35 mm film. The Leica transports the film horizontally, extending the frame size to 24×36mm with a 2:3 aspect ratio, instead of the 18×24 mm with a 3:4 aspect ratio of cinema cameras which transport the film vertically.

The Leica had several model iterations, and in 1923 Barnack convinced his boss, Ernst Leitz II, to make a pre-production series of 31 cameras for the factory and outside photographers to test. Though the prototypes received a mixed reception, Ernst Leitz decided in 1924 to produce the camera. It was an immediate success when introduced at the 1925 Leipzig Spring Fair as the Leica I (for Leitz camera). The focal plane shutter had a range from 1/20 to 1/500 second, in addition to a Z for Zeit (time) position.

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Leica 0-Series transitional prototype, 1921

Leica 0-Series prototype 1921

18 May 2020

Leica Leitz Summar ƒ2/5cm M39, TROPEN Tropical lens, 1939

Leitz Summar 2/5cm M39 TROPEN (tropical lens) 1939

7 May 2018

Leica IIIc Hanna Ulzenheimer, 1946

Leica IIIc Hanna Ulzenheimer 1946

5 May 2014

Leica 250GG Reporter camera 1941 front

Leica 250 GG Reporter 1941

by Steve Huffington on 22 May 2018

Leica M6 Platin 150 Years Photography, 1988

Leica M6 Platinum 150 Years Photography 1988

by Torsten Andersson on 8 May 2018

Ernst Leitz Wetzlar Stemar 3.5/3.3cm oufit, 1953

Ernst Leitz Wetzlar Stemar ƒ3.5/3.3cm oufit 1953

by Torsten Andersson on 8 May 2018

Leica Prototype Halfframe Camera, 1948

Leica Prototype Halfframe Camera 1948

by Torsten Andersson on 8 May 2018

Leitz Summilux M39 LTM lens f1.4/50mm, 1999

Leica Summilux M39 LTM lens 1.4/50mm 1999

by Oscar Fisher on 8 May 2018

Leica Summicron lens M39 ƒ2/50mm, 1999

Leica Summicron lens M39 2/50mm 1999

by Oscar Fisher on 8 May 2018

Leica Leitz Elmar M39 LTM ƒ3,5/5cm prototype lens, 1956

Leitz Elmar 3,5/5cm prototype lens M39 1956

by Oscar Fisher on 8 May 2018

Leica Leitz Summicron lens M39 ƒ2/35mm ASPH.chrome, 1999

Leica Summicron M39 2/35mm chrome ASPH 1999

by Oscar Fisher on 8 May 2018

Leica II Mod. D “Luxus” camera, 1932

Leica II Mod. D “Luxus” camera 1932

by Oscar Fisher on 8 May 2018

Leitz Summicron M39 ƒ2/35mm lens, black paint “Cartier-Bresson” *, 1959

Leitz Summicron 2/35mm black paint “Cartier-Bresson” M39 1959

by Oscar Fisher on 8 May 2018