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Leica

Leica Camera logo

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. The LEICA camera premiere at the 1925 Leipzig Spring Fair was an instant success.

Leica III Tessar 8/28mm 1933

Leica Camera logo
Zeiss logo
Leica III Tessar 8/28mm 1933

Leica II 1935

The ultimate 35mm film rangefinder

Leica Camera logo
Leica ll 35mm rangefinder film camera made in 1935 with Elmar 3,5/50 lens

Leica IIIc Sharkskin 1950

Summarit 1,5/50

Leica Camera logo
Leica IIIc 1950 with Summarit 1,5/50mm

Leica IIIc 1941

Wartime “stepper” rangefinder

Leica Camera logo
Leica lllc wartime 35mm rangefinder film camera 1941 — lllf conversion

Leica R7 “Cutaway” 1993

Leica Camera logo
Leica R7 SLR film camera cutaway 1993

Leica Tri-Elmar-M 4/28-35-50mm Asph. “Cutaway” 1997

Leica Camera logo
Leica Tri-Elmar-M 4/28-35-50mm Asph. “Cutaway” 1997

Leica 0-Series prototype 1921

Leica Camera logo
Leica 0-Series transitional prototype, 1921

Color landscapes: FujiFilm C200, Russar MR-2

Leica l rangefinder camera

FujiFilm logo
KMZ logo - Mechanical Factory of Krasnogorsk
Leica Camera logo
FujiFilm Fujicolor C200 Landscape with Russar MR-2

Leica MP John Botte 1997

Leica Camera logo
Leica MP John Botte, 1997

Schneider Xenon 2/5cm M39 1946

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Schneider Kreuznach logo
Schneider Xenon 2/5cm M39, 1946

Pagination

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