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

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SilvergrainClassics Print Journal issue 17 Winter 2022

SilvergrainClassics – issue 17

Winter 2022

Leica M3 “Luxus” 1955 top

Leica M3 “Luxus”

1955, Wetzlar

SilvergrainClassics – issue 15 – Summer-2022

SilvergrainClassics – issue 15

Summer 2022

Leica MP № 55 black paint

1957

Oscar

14 Oct 2021

Leica MP № 55 black paint rangefinder camera made in 1957

Summarit M 1.4/5cm prototype Nr. A

Summilux archetype, 1958

Tom

13 Oct 2021

Summarit M 1.4/5cm First One Leica lens prototype Nr. A 1958 lens front

Leitz Wetzlar SOOPD metal lens hood for Summitar 2/50

folding barndoor lens hood

George

15 Sep 2021

Leitz SOOPD folding barndoor Summitar lens hood on Leica IIIc 1950

Leica M5 “50 Years” black paint

1975

Johanna

13 Sep 2021

Leica M5 “50 years” black paint edition rangefinder camera made in 1975 Wetzlar, Germany front view

Leitz Wetzlar FIKUS lens hood A36

George

12 Sep 2021

Leitz Wetzlar FIKUS rangefinder lens hood on Elmar 3,5/50mm

Leitz Wetzlar BQCOO blue lens filter Bl. A36

1955

George

5 Sep 2021

Leitz BQCOO Bl blue filter A36 on Leica IIIc

Leitz Wetzlar FIPOS green lens filter Gr. A36

1934

George

5 Sep 2021

Leitz Wetzlar FIPOS green lens filter Gr. A36 on Leica IIIc

Leitz Elmar 4/9cm M39

1951

George

5 Sep 2021

Leitz Elmar 4/9cm ltm

Leitz Wetzlar FSEOO orange lens filter Or. A36

1939

George

5 Sep 2021

Leitz Wetzlar FSEOO orange lens filter Or. A36 on Elmar 3,5/50 Leica IIIc

Leitz Wetzlar FEOOG dark infrared lens filter A36

1939

George

3 Sep 2021

Leitz FEOOG dark infrared filter No. 3 slip-on type A36 with case