Leica MC prototype

Leica MC represents the further camera development leading to the final Leica CL 35mm film camera. It already has the dimensions of the production camera but shows many interesting features unseen in the standard CL. All the controls are of a different shape, there is a small window for the meter on the top plate, the rangefinder window (and the rangefinder patch in the viewfinder) is perfectly round. Inside, the chassis and the film pressure plate are different. All these small differences reveal an exciting story of the development of Leica CL.

Leica MC comes with a unique prototype Elmarit-C 2.8/40mm (note the aperture numbers from the depth-of-field scale engraved directly on the mount) and a design drawing of the lens.

The Leica MC camera was shown in Vidom no.118 on pages 56-57 and 60-61, and in Lager I “Cameras” on page 248.

Photo credit: © Leitz Photographica Auction