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.

Leica 250 GG Reporter 1942

4 frames per second: WWII MOOEV motor magic

Thomas Haug

19 Apr 2019

Leica 250 GG Reporter Leica-Motor MOOEV

Leica M6 chrome “Cutaway” 1995

Kenneth Crow

30 Oct 2018

Leica M6 chrome Cutaway 1995

Leica IIIf Red Dial “Cutaway” 1951

Torsten Andersson

29 Oct 2018

Leica IIIf Red Dial Cutaway shutter 1951

Leica M3 Prototype “Cutaway” 1955

Max Bergman

28 Oct 2018

Leica M3 Prototype Cutaway 1955

Leicaflex 18x24 Half-Frame Prototype 1965

Torsten Andersson

20 Oct 2018

Leica 250 GG Reporter 1941

Steve Huffington

22 May 2018

Leica 250GG Reporter camera 1941 front

Leica M6 Platinum 150 Years Photography 1988

Torsten Andersson

8 May 2018

Leica M6 Platin 150 Years Photography, 1988

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

Torsten Andersson

8 May 2018

Ernst Leitz Wetzlar Stemar 3.5/3.3cm oufit, 1953

Leica Prototype Halfframe Camera 1948

Torsten Andersson

8 May 2018

Leica Prototype Halfframe Camera, 1948

Leica Summilux M39 LTM lens 1.4/50mm 1999

Oscar Fisher

8 May 2018

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