Leica
Encyclopedia
Leica Camera AG, a German
optics
company, produces Leica camera
s. The predecessor of the company, formerly known as Ernst Leitz GmbH
, is now three companies: Leica Camera AG, Leica Geosystems
AG, and Leica Microsystems
AG, producing cameras, geosurvey equipment, and microscopes, respectively. Leica Microsystems AG is the owner of the Leica brand, and grants licences to Leica Camera AG and Leica Geosystems.
The first 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 trips, the Leica was the first practical 35 mm
camera, using standard cinema 35 mm film
. The Leica transports the film horizontally, extending the frame size to 24×36 mm, with a 2:3 aspect ratio
, instead of the 18×24 mm used by cinema cameras which transported the film vertically.
The Leica went through several iterations, and in 1923 Barnack convinced his boss, Ernst Leitz II, to make a pre-production series of 31 cameras for testing in the factory and by outside photographers. Although the prototypes received a mixed reception, Ernst Leitz took the decision in 1924 that the camera would be manufactured for sale. The camera 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.
Because Barnack's concept for the Leica was to use a small camera, producing a small negative, to make a big picture by enlargement, ("small negative, large picture" concept) the camera needed high quality lenses to create sharp negatives. Barnack tried a Zeiss Tessar on his early protoype camera, but because the Tessar was designed for the 18x24mm cine format its coverage of the Leica's 24x36mm negative was inadequate. Barnack resorted to a Leitz Summar lens for his protoype, but to achieve the resolution Barnack knew was necessary to allow satisfactory enlargement, the 24x36mm format really needed a lens designed specially for it. The first Leica lens
was a 50 mm f/3.5 design based on the Cooke triplet
of 1893 adapted by Professor Max Berek at Leitz. The lens had five elements in three groups, the third group being three cemented elements, and was initially called the Leitz Anastigmat. Unlike other triplets, the Leitz Anastigmat had the diaphragm placed between the first and second elements. When the Leica was launched this lens was renamed the ELMAX, for E Leitz and MAX Berek. By 1925 the Leitz laboratories had produced glasses with improved optical properties and Professor Berek designed an improved version of the ELMAX called the ELMAR with four elements in three groups, the third group being simplified to two cemented elements, which was easier and cheaper to make. Professor Berek had two dogs, Hektor and Rex. The first of these, Hektor, gave his name to a series of Leica lenses, and the name of the second appeared in the SummaREX.
In 1930 came the Leica I Schraubgewinde with an exchangeable lens system based on a 39mm
diameter screw thread, often referred to as " Leica Thread Mount" or LTM. In addition to the 50mm normal lens
, a 35mm wide angle
and a 135 mm telephoto lens
were initially available. In the mid-1930s, a legendary soft-focus lens, the Thambar 90mm f2.2 was designed, and made in small numbers between 1935 and 1949, no more than 3000 units. It is a rare collector's item today.
The Leica II
came in 1932, with a built in rangefinder
coupled to the lens focusing mechanism. This model had a separate viewfinder (showing a reduced image) and rangefinder
. In 1932 the flange to filmplane was standarised to 28.8mm, first implemented on Leica model C, and the Leica Standard
the following year.
The Leica III
added slow shutter speeds down to 1 second, and the model IIIa added the 1/1000 second shutter speed. The IIIa was the last model made before Barnack’s death, and therefore the last model for which he was wholly responsible. Leitz continued to refine the original design through to 1957. The final version, the IIIg, included a large viewfinder with several framelines. These models all had a functional combination of circular dials and square windows.
Early Leica cameras bear the initials D.R.P., which stands for Deutsches Reichspatent, the name for German patents before May 1945. This is probably a reference to German patent No. 384071 "Rollfilmkamera" granted to Ernst Leitz, Optische Werke in Wetzlar, on 3 November 1923.
introducing the new Leica M mount
, a bayonet type lens mount
. The new camera also combined the rangefinder and viewfinder into one large, bright viewfinder with a brighter double image in the center. This system also introduced a system of parallax
compensation. In addition, it had a new rubberized, reliable, focal-plane shutter. This model has continued to be refined (the latest versions being the M7 and MP, both of which have frames for 28, 35, 50, 75, 90, and 135 mm lenses which show automatically upon mounting the different lenses).
Post-war models bear the initials DBP, standing for Deutsches Bundespatent (Federal German Patent), instead of the DRP found on pre-war models.
A number of camera companies built models based on the Leica rangefinder design. These include the Leotax, Nicca
and early Canon models in Japan
, the Kardon in USA
, the Reid in England and the FED
and Zorki
in the USSR
.
From 1964, Leica produced a series of single-lens reflex
cameras, beginning with the Leicaflex
, followed by the Leicaflex SL, the Leicaflex SL2
, and then the R series from R3 to R7, made in collaboration with the Minolta Corporation. The Leica R8
was entirely designed and manufactured by Leica. The current model is the Leica R9
, which can be fitted with the Digital Module back. Leica was slow to produce an auto-exposure model, and never made a Leica R model that supported auto-focusing. Leica's U.S. official website announced (25 March 2009) that the R-series has been discontinued. The reason given was that "new camera developments have significantly affected the sales of Leica R cameras and lenses resulting in a dramatic decrease in the number sold. Sadly, therefore, there is no longer an economic basis on which to keep the Leica R-System in the Leica production programme."http://us.leica-camera.com/news/news/1/6379.html
Conceptually bridging the Rangefinder Leicas and the SLR Leicas was the Leica Visoflex System, a mirror reflex box which attached to the lens mount of Leica rangefinders (separate versions were made for the screwmount and M series bodies) and accepted lenses made especially for the Visoflex System. Rather than using the camera’s rangefinder, focusing was accomplished via a groundglass screen. A coupling released both mirror and shutter to make the exposure. Camera rangefinders are inherently limited in their ability to accurately focus long focal-length lenses and the mirror reflex box permitted much longer length lenses.
In the course of its history, Leitz was responsible for numerous optical innovations, such as aspherical production lenses, multicoated lenses, and rare earth lenses. Leica optics are advertised as offering superior performance at maximum aperture, making them well-suited for natural-light photography.
The earliest Leica reflex housing was the PLOOT (Leitz's five letter code for its products), announced in 1935, along with the 200mm f/4.5 Telyt Lens. This date is significant because that it places Leica among the 35mm SLR pioneers. Moreover, until the 1964 introduction of the Leicaflex, the PLOOT and Visoflex were Leica’s only SLR offerings. A redesigned PLOOT was introduced by Leica in 1951 as the Visoflex I. This was followed by a much more compact Visoflex II in 1960 (which was the only Visoflex version available in both LTM (screwmount) and M-bayonet) and the Visoflex III with instant-return mirror in 1964. Leica lenses for the Visoflex system included focal lengths of 65, 180 (rare), 200, 280, 400, 560, and 800mm. In addition, the optical groups of many rangefinder lenses could be removed, and attached to the Visoflex via a system of adapters. The Visoflex system was discontinued in 1984.
Leica offered a wide range of accessories: for instance, LTM (screwmount) lenses were easily usable on M cameras via an adapter. Similarly Visoflex lenses could be used on the Leicaflex and R cameras with an adapter. Furthermore, certain LTM and M rangefinder lenses featured removable optical groups which could be mounted via adapters on the Visoflex system, thus making them usable as rangefinder or SLR lenses for Visoflex-equipped Screwmount and M rangefinder cameras, as well as being usable on Leicaflex and R cameras. Leica also carried in their catalogues focusing systems such as the Focorapid and Televit which could replace certain lenses’ helicoid mounts for sports and natural-life telephotography.
to the nearby town of Solms
. In 1996 Leica Camera separated from the Leica Group and became a publicly held company. In 1998 the Leica group split into 2 independent units: Leica Microsystems and Leica Geosystems
.
The Leica is particularly associated with street photography
, especially in the mid-to-late 20th century, being used by such noted photographers as Henri Cartier-Bresson
.
Leica cameras, lenses, accessories and sales literature are collectibles. There are dozens of Leica books and collector’s guides, notably the 3-volume Leica, an Illustrated History by James L. Lager. Early or rare cameras and accessories can reach very high prices on the market. Notably, Leica cameras sporting military markings carry very high premiums; this started a market for refurbished Soviet copies with fake markings.
) and video recorders. These lenses are manufactured by Panasonic to Leitz quality standards. Collaboration between the two firms extends at all levels, with engineering teams contributing in areas of respective expertise. Panasonic/Leica models were the first to incorporate optical image stabilization
in their digital cameras.
Leica 35mm series with interchangeable lens screw mount style Leica bodies:
Note: Noctilux means f/0.95-f/1.2, Summilux means f/1.4, Summicron means f/2, Summarit means f/2.5 in the current lineup, Elmarit means f/2.8, and Elmar means f/3.5-f/4. Noct, Lux and Cron are commonly used as short forms for Noctilux, Summilux and Summicron, respectively. For example, 50 Cron uniquely identifies the Summicron-M 50mm f/2 construction, although the exact version is not specified. Many Leica M lenses went through several revisions through the years.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
optics
Optics
Optics is the branch of physics which involves the behavior and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it. Optics usually describes the behavior of visible, ultraviolet, and infrared light...
company, produces Leica camera
Camera
A camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
s. The predecessor of the company, formerly known as Ernst Leitz GmbH
Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung
Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung is a type of legal entityvery common in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and other Central European countries...
, is now three companies: Leica Camera AG, Leica Geosystems
Leica Geosystems
Leica Geosystems based in eastern Switzerland produces products and systems for surveying and geographical measurement...
AG, and Leica Microsystems
Leica Microsystems
Leica Microsystems GmbH is a leading global manufacturer of optical microscopes, equipment for the preparation of microscopic specimens and related products. There are ten plants in eight countries with distribution partners in over 100 countries...
AG, producing cameras, geosurvey equipment, and microscopes, respectively. Leica Microsystems AG is the owner of the Leica brand, and grants licences to Leica Camera AG and Leica Geosystems.
Before WWII
Oskar Barnack
Oskar Barnack was a German optical engineer, precision mechanic, industrial designer and the father of 35mm photography....
at Ernst Leitz Optische Werke, Wetzlar
Wetzlar
Wetzlar is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany. Located at 8° 30′ E, 50° 34′ N, Wetzlar straddles the river Lahn and is on the German Timber-Framework Road which passes mile upon mile of half-timbered houses. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Lahn-Dill-Kreis on the north edge of...
, in 1913. Intended as a compact camera for landscape photography, particularly during mountain trips, the Leica was the first practical 35 mm
135 film
The term 135 was introduced by Kodak in 1934 as a designation for cartridge film wide, specifically for still photography. It quickly grew in popularity, surpassing 120 film by the late 1960s to become the most popular photographic film format...
camera, using standard cinema 35 mm film
35 mm film
35 mm film is the film gauge most commonly used for chemical still photography and motion pictures. The name of the gauge refers to the width of the photographic film, which consists of strips 35 millimeters in width...
. The Leica transports the film horizontally, extending the frame size to 24×36 mm, with a 2:3 aspect ratio
Aspect ratio (image)
The aspect ratio of an image is the ratio of the width of the image to its height, expressed as two numbers separated by a colon. That is, for an x:y aspect ratio, no matter how big or small the image is, if the width is divided into x units of equal length and the height is measured using this...
, instead of the 18×24 mm used by cinema cameras which transported the film vertically.
The Leica went through several iterations, and in 1923 Barnack convinced his boss, Ernst Leitz II, to make a pre-production series of 31 cameras for testing in the factory and by outside photographers. Although the prototypes received a mixed reception, Ernst Leitz took the decision in 1924 that the camera would be manufactured for sale. The camera was an immediate success when introduced at the 1925 Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
Spring Fair as the Leica I (for Leitz camera). The focal plane shutter
Shutter (photography)
In photography, a shutter is a device that allows light to pass for a determined period of time, for the purpose of exposing photographic film or a light-sensitive electronic sensor to light to capture a permanent image of a scene...
had a range from 1/20 to 1/500 second, in addition to a Z for Zeit (time) position.
Because Barnack's concept for the Leica was to use a small camera, producing a small negative, to make a big picture by enlargement, ("small negative, large picture" concept) the camera needed high quality lenses to create sharp negatives. Barnack tried a Zeiss Tessar on his early protoype camera, but because the Tessar was designed for the 18x24mm cine format its coverage of the Leica's 24x36mm negative was inadequate. Barnack resorted to a Leitz Summar lens for his protoype, but to achieve the resolution Barnack knew was necessary to allow satisfactory enlargement, the 24x36mm format really needed a lens designed specially for it. The first Leica lens
Photographic lens
A camera lens is an optical lens or assembly of lenses used in conjunction with a camera body and mechanism to make images of objects either on photographic film or on other media capable of storing an image chemically or electronically.While in principle a simple convex lens will suffice, in...
was a 50 mm f/3.5 design based on the Cooke triplet
Cooke triplet
The Cooke triplet is a photographic lens designed and patented in 1893 by Dennis Taylor who was employed as chief engineer by T. Cooke & Sons of York...
of 1893 adapted by Professor Max Berek at Leitz. The lens had five elements in three groups, the third group being three cemented elements, and was initially called the Leitz Anastigmat. Unlike other triplets, the Leitz Anastigmat had the diaphragm placed between the first and second elements. When the Leica was launched this lens was renamed the ELMAX, for E Leitz and MAX Berek. By 1925 the Leitz laboratories had produced glasses with improved optical properties and Professor Berek designed an improved version of the ELMAX called the ELMAR with four elements in three groups, the third group being simplified to two cemented elements, which was easier and cheaper to make. Professor Berek had two dogs, Hektor and Rex. The first of these, Hektor, gave his name to a series of Leica lenses, and the name of the second appeared in the SummaREX.
In 1930 came the Leica I Schraubgewinde with an exchangeable lens system based on a 39mm
M39 lens mount
The M39 lens mount is a screw thread mounting system for attaching lenses to 35 mm cameras, primarily rangefinder Leicas. It is also the most common mount for Photographic enlarger lenses....
diameter screw thread, often referred to as " Leica Thread Mount" or LTM. In addition to the 50mm normal lens
Normal lens
In photography and cinematography a normal lens, also called a standard lens, is a lens that reproduces perspective that generally looks "natural" to a human observer under normal viewing conditions, as compared with lenses with longer or shorter focal lengths which produce an expanded or...
, a 35mm wide angle
Wide-angle lens
From a design perspective, a wide angle lens is one that projects a substantially larger image circle than would be typical for a standard design lens of the same focal length; this enables either large tilt & shift movements with a view camera, or lenses with wide fields of view.More informally,...
and a 135 mm telephoto lens
Telephoto lens
In photography and cinematography, a telephoto lens is a specific type of a long-focus lens in which the physical length of the lens is shorter than the focal length. This is achieved by incorporating a special lens group known as a telephoto group that extends the light path to create a long-focus...
were initially available. In the mid-1930s, a legendary soft-focus lens, the Thambar 90mm f2.2 was designed, and made in small numbers between 1935 and 1949, no more than 3000 units. It is a rare collector's item today.
The Leica II
Leica II
The Leica II is a rangefinder camera introduced by Leica in 1932. They were the first Leica cameras with an integrated rangefinder. Several models were produced over the years, in parallel with the Leica III series from 1933....
came in 1932, with a built in rangefinder
Rangefinder
A rangefinder is a device that measures distance from the observer to a target, for the purposes of surveying, determining focus in photography, or accurately aiming a weapon. Some devices use active methods to measure ; others measure distance using trigonometry...
coupled to the lens focusing mechanism. This model had a separate viewfinder (showing a reduced image) and rangefinder
Rangefinder
A rangefinder is a device that measures distance from the observer to a target, for the purposes of surveying, determining focus in photography, or accurately aiming a weapon. Some devices use active methods to measure ; others measure distance using trigonometry...
. In 1932 the flange to filmplane was standarised to 28.8mm, first implemented on Leica model C, and the Leica Standard
Leica Standard
The Leica Standard, Model E was the fourth version to be launched from Ernst Leitz in Wetzlar, Germany. The concept was conceived by their employee Oscar Barnack in 1913 at which time two prototypes were built. However, it was not until 1924 that Leitz decided to go ahead with the concept and...
the following year.
The Leica III
Leica III
The Leica III is a rangefinder camera introduced by Leica in 1933, and produced in parallel with the Leica II series. Several models were produced over the years, with significant improvements....
added slow shutter speeds down to 1 second, and the model IIIa added the 1/1000 second shutter speed. The IIIa was the last model made before Barnack’s death, and therefore the last model for which he was wholly responsible. Leitz continued to refine the original design through to 1957. The final version, the IIIg, included a large viewfinder with several framelines. These models all had a functional combination of circular dials and square windows.
Early Leica cameras bear the initials D.R.P., which stands for Deutsches Reichspatent, the name for German patents before May 1945. This is probably a reference to German patent No. 384071 "Rollfilmkamera" granted to Ernst Leitz, Optische Werke in Wetzlar, on 3 November 1923.
After WWII
After the war, Leitz continued to produce the late versions of the Leica II and the Leica III through the 1950s. However, in 1954, Leitz unveiled the Leica M3Leica M3
The Leica M3 is a 35 mm rangefinder camera by Leica AG, introduced in 1954. It was a new starting point for Leitz, which until then had only produced screw-mount Leica cameras that were incremental improvements to its original Leica...
introducing the new Leica M mount
Leica M mount
The Leica M mount is a camera lens mount introduced in 1954 with the Leica M3, and a range of lenses. It has been on all the Leica M series up to the current film Leica M7 and digital Leica M9....
, a bayonet type lens mount
Lens mount
A lens mount is an interface — mechanical and often also electrical — between a photographic camera body and a lens. It is confined to cameras where the body allows interchangeable lenses, most usually the single lens reflex type or any movie camera of 16 mm or higher gauge...
. The new camera also combined the rangefinder and viewfinder into one large, bright viewfinder with a brighter double image in the center. This system also introduced a system of parallax
Parallax
Parallax is a displacement or difference in the apparent position of an object viewed along two different lines of sight, and is measured by the angle or semi-angle of inclination between those two lines. The term is derived from the Greek παράλλαξις , meaning "alteration"...
compensation. In addition, it had a new rubberized, reliable, focal-plane shutter. This model has continued to be refined (the latest versions being the M7 and MP, both of which have frames for 28, 35, 50, 75, 90, and 135 mm lenses which show automatically upon mounting the different lenses).
Post-war models bear the initials DBP, standing for Deutsches Bundespatent (Federal German Patent), instead of the DRP found on pre-war models.
A number of camera companies built models based on the Leica rangefinder design. These include the Leotax, Nicca
Nicca
The Nicca Camera Co. Ltd. started as the optical workshop Kōgaku Seiki Co. in 1940, founded by former employees of Canon. Its first camera, the Nippon, a close copy of the Leica rangefinder camera, was produced in 1942....
and early Canon models in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, the Kardon in USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the Reid in England and the FED
FED (camera)
The FED is a Soviet rangefinder camera, mass produced from 1934 until around 1990, and also the name of the factory that made it.FED is indirectly named after Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky, founder of the Cheka...
and Zorki
Zorki
Zorki is the name of a series of 35mm rangefinder cameras manufactured in the Soviet Union between 1948 and 1978.The Zorki was a product of the Krasnogorsk Mechanical Factory , which also produced the Zenit single lens reflex camera...
in the USSR
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
Factory Upgrade
Leitz offered factory upgrades for earlier model cameras until at least the middle of the 1950s. Many cameras were sent back to the factory and upgraded to the latest model's specification. The converted camera kept the original camera's serial number.Single-lens reflex cameras
Single-lens reflex camera
A single-lens reflex camera is a camera that typically uses a semi-automatic moving mirror system that permits the photographer to see exactly what will be captured by the film or digital imaging system, as opposed to pre-SLR cameras where the view through the viewfinder could be significantly...
cameras, beginning with the Leicaflex
Leicaflex
The Leicaflex was the first series of 35mm single-lens reflex cameras manufactured by Leitz. The Leicaflexes were fully mechanical cameras marketed between 1964 and 1976, in response to the rapid increase in popularity and usability of SLRs during this period...
, followed by the Leicaflex SL, the Leicaflex SL2
Leicaflex SL2
The Leicaflex SL2 was a SLR made by Leitz from 1974 as the third iteration of the Leicaflex series.The modifications from the Leicaflex SL were relatively minor:* addition of an aperture read-out in the finder...
, and then the R series from R3 to R7, made in collaboration with the Minolta Corporation. The Leica R8
Leica R8
The Leica R8 is a manual focus 35 mm single-lens reflex camera produced by the German firm of Leica as part of their R series of cameras. Development began in 1990:...
was entirely designed and manufactured by Leica. The current model is the Leica R9
Leica R9
The Leica R9 is a manual focus 35 mm single-lens reflex camera produced by the German firm of Leica as part of their R series of cameras. It was released in 2002, replacing the very similar Leica R8, upon which it improved in several aspects...
, which can be fitted with the Digital Module back. Leica was slow to produce an auto-exposure model, and never made a Leica R model that supported auto-focusing. Leica's U.S. official website announced (25 March 2009) that the R-series has been discontinued. The reason given was that "new camera developments have significantly affected the sales of Leica R cameras and lenses resulting in a dramatic decrease in the number sold. Sadly, therefore, there is no longer an economic basis on which to keep the Leica R-System in the Leica production programme."http://us.leica-camera.com/news/news/1/6379.html
In the course of its history, Leitz was responsible for numerous optical innovations, such as aspherical production lenses, multicoated lenses, and rare earth lenses. Leica optics are advertised as offering superior performance at maximum aperture, making them well-suited for natural-light photography.
Leica offered a wide range of accessories: for instance, LTM (screwmount) lenses were easily usable on M cameras via an adapter. Similarly Visoflex lenses could be used on the Leicaflex and R cameras with an adapter. Furthermore, certain LTM and M rangefinder lenses featured removable optical groups which could be mounted via adapters on the Visoflex system, thus making them usable as rangefinder or SLR lenses for Visoflex-equipped Screwmount and M rangefinder cameras, as well as being usable on Leicaflex and R cameras. Leica also carried in their catalogues focusing systems such as the Focorapid and Televit which could replace certain lenses’ helicoid mounts for sports and natural-life telephotography.
Company changes
In 1986, the Leitz company changed its name to Leica (LEItz CAmera), due to the strength of the Leica brand. At this time, Leica moved its factory from WetzlarWetzlar
Wetzlar is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany. Located at 8° 30′ E, 50° 34′ N, Wetzlar straddles the river Lahn and is on the German Timber-Framework Road which passes mile upon mile of half-timbered houses. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Lahn-Dill-Kreis on the north edge of...
to the nearby town of Solms
Solms
Solms is a town west of Wetzlar in the Lahn-Dill-Kreis, Hesse, Germany.In the constituent community of Burgsolms once stood the ancestral castle of the Counts and Princes of Solms, whose main lines were Solms-Braunfels, with their seat in Braunfels, and Solms-Hohensolms-Lich, with their seat in...
. In 1996 Leica Camera separated from the Leica Group and became a publicly held company. In 1998 the Leica group split into 2 independent units: Leica Microsystems and Leica Geosystems
Leica Geosystems
Leica Geosystems based in eastern Switzerland produces products and systems for surveying and geographical measurement...
.
Use
Street photography
Street photography is a type of documentary photography that features subjects in candid situations within public places such as streets, parks, beaches, malls, political conventions and other settings....
, especially in the mid-to-late 20th century, being used by such noted photographers as Henri Cartier-Bresson
Henri Cartier-Bresson
Henri Cartier-Bresson was a French photographer considered to be the father of modern photojournalism. He was an early adopter of 35 mm format, and the master of candid photography...
.
Leica cameras, lenses, accessories and sales literature are collectibles. There are dozens of Leica books and collector’s guides, notably the 3-volume Leica, an Illustrated History by James L. Lager. Early or rare cameras and accessories can reach very high prices on the market. Notably, Leica cameras sporting military markings carry very high premiums; this started a market for refurbished Soviet copies with fake markings.
Leica and Panasonic
Leica-branded lenses are used on many Panasonic digital cameras (LumixLumix
Lumix is Panasonic's brand of digital cameras, ranging from pocket point-and-shoot models to digital SLRs.Compact digital camera DMC-LC5 and DMC-F7 were the first products of the Lumix series released in 2001. They are equipped with Leica lenses....
) and video recorders. These lenses are manufactured by Panasonic to Leitz quality standards. Collaboration between the two firms extends at all levels, with engineering teams contributing in areas of respective expertise. Panasonic/Leica models were the first to incorporate optical image stabilization
Image stabilization
Image stabilization is a family of techniques used to reduce blurring associated with the motion of a camera during exposure. Specifically, it compensates for pan and tilt of a camera or other imaging device. It is used in image-stabilized binoculars, still and video cameras, and astronomical...
in their digital cameras.
Early models
- Leica I — was first introduced to the market at the 1925 spring fair in Leipzig, based on the Ur-Leica prototype developed by Barnack in 1913 and the Prototyp 1 developed in 1923. Followed by Leica Luxur and Leica Compur (a total of 60,586 of the Leica I, Luxur and Compur models were made). Interchangeable lenses for these were introduced in 1930.
Leica 35mm series with interchangeable lens screw mount style Leica bodies:
- Leica StandardLeica StandardThe Leica Standard, Model E was the fourth version to be launched from Ernst Leitz in Wetzlar, Germany. The concept was conceived by their employee Oscar Barnack in 1913 at which time two prototypes were built. However, it was not until 1924 that Leitz decided to go ahead with the concept and...
— 1932. The first Leica camera designed with a film-to-lensflange distance of 28.8 millimeters. - Leica IILeica IIThe Leica II is a rangefinder camera introduced by Leica in 1932. They were the first Leica cameras with an integrated rangefinder. Several models were produced over the years, in parallel with the Leica III series from 1933....
— 1932. The first Leica camera with a rangefinder. - Leica IIILeica IIIThe Leica III is a rangefinder camera introduced by Leica in 1933, and produced in parallel with the Leica II series. Several models were produced over the years, with significant improvements....
— 1933. Leica incorporates slow shutter speeds on this model.
C (point and shoot) series
- Z2X
- C1
- C2
- C3
- Leica Minilux 40mm
- Leica Minilux Zoom
- Leica CM 40mm
- Leica CM Zoom
M (rangefinder) series
- M3Leica M3The Leica M3 is a 35 mm rangefinder camera by Leica AG, introduced in 1954. It was a new starting point for Leitz, which until then had only produced screw-mount Leica cameras that were incremental improvements to its original Leica...
— 1954–66 (Total 200,000 units manufactured) Introduced at the German PhotokinaPhotokinaThe photokina is the world's largest trade fair for the photographic and imaging industries. The first photokina was held in Cologne, Germany, in 1950, and it is now held biannually in September at the koelnmesse Trade Fair and Exhibition Centre...
exhibition in 1954, the M3 was the first of the M series Leicas, a line that is still manufactured today, and featured the first Leica body with a bayonet-style mount for interchangeable lenses. In an advertisement from 1956, it was regarded as a "lifetime investment in perfect photography". The M3 has a .92 magnification finder, the highest of any M camera made. The price of this high magnification was that a 35mm lens required "goggles" which fit in front of the view/rangefinder windows to facilitate a wider view. The M3 advanced film via a lever rather than knob, the first M3s required two strokes to advance the film, after 1958 M3's were single-stroke. Early M3s lacked a frame preview selector lever to switch between framelines. - MP — 1956–57 (Total 402 sets were manufactured). The original MP was based on the M3 and could be fitted with a Leicavit trigger winding device. MP originally stood for "M Professional"; the camera was intended to be a photojournalist's camera. The "M" within the nomenclature of this series Leica is from "Meßsucher," German for a combined rangefinder and viewfinder.
- M2Leica M2The Leica M2 is a 35 mm rangefinder camera by Ernst Leitz GmbH of Wetzlar, Germany, introduced in 1957. Around 82,000 M2s were produced between 1957 and 1968...
— 1958–67 (88,000 sets were manufactured). A scaled-down and lower-cost version of the M3, the M2 had a simplified rangefinder of 0.72 magnification, allowing easier use of 35mm lenses. The 0.72 magnification became the standard viewfinder magnification for future M cameras. The M2 lacked the self-resetting film frame counter of its predecessor. - M1Leica M1The Leica M1 is a 35 mm camera by Leica Camera AG, introduced in 1959. The M1 has no rangefinder, but a parallax-corrected viewfinder with frames for 35 and 50mm permanently displayed. 9431 were made.The M1 was the cheapest and simplest Leica M body...
— 1959–64 (9,392 sets were manufactured). A stripped-down version of the M2 for scientific/technical use, the M1 was a viewfinder camera with no built-in rangefinder. Replaced in 1965 by the MD (with no viewfinder at all), and the MDa (based on the M4) (1967), and finally the MD-2 (based on the M4-2) (1980). - M4Leica M4- Leica M4 :The M4, introduced in 1967, is the direct successor of the M3 and M2, featuring framelines for 35mm, 50mm, 90mm and 135mm lenses in a 0.72 magnification viewfinder...
— 1967–75 (50,000 sets were manufactured); 1974–75 (6,500 sets were manufactured). With added rangefinder framelines for 35mm and 135mm lenses. Introduced the canted rewind crank (the previous Ms had rewind knobs). With the M5, was the last M camera to have a self-timer. - M5Leica M5The Leica M5 is a 35 mm camera by Leica Camera AG, introduced in 1971. It was the first Leica rangefinder camera to feature through-the-lens metering...
— 1971–75 (31,400 sets were manufactured). With added integral TTL lightmeter. First Leica with a light meter, a mechanical swinging-arm CDS cell positioned behind the lens. The added functionality required a redesigned, larger body compared with the traditional M3 dimensions. Certain wide angle lenses (early 21mm f4.0 and f3.4) could not be used in the camera without modification because of the possibility of damage to the rear element of the lens or the meter arm. For similar reasons, collapsible lenses could not be collapsed on the M5. These restrictions also held true for the Leica CL (below). With the M4, last M camera to have a self-timer. - CLLeica CLThe Leica CL is a 35 mm compact rangefinder camera made by Leica with interchangeable lenses in the Leica M mount. It was developed in collaboration with Minolta and appeared in April 1973. It was released in the Japanese market in November 1973 as the Leitz Minolta CL...
— 1973–76 (the compact Leica). Leitz-Minolta CL, introduced with 2 lenses special to that model: the 40mm Summicron-C f2 and 90mm Elmar-C f4. Internal metering similar to the M5 — CDS cell on a swinging stalk. The CL is also notable for being the only M-bayonet camera to have a vertically-travelling shutter. Minolta later manufactured and sold an improved electronic version, the Minolta CLE with Auto Exposure, Off-The-Film TTL metering and TTL Flash metering, together with three M-Rokkor lenses, the 40mm/f2, 28mm/f2.8 and 90mm/f4. - M4-2 — 1977–80 (17,000 sets were manufactured). First M to be manufactured since 1975. With stronger gears for the adaptation of a motor drive. First M with hotshoe for electronic flash. No self-timer. Made in Canada.
- M4-P — 1980–86. Added rangefinder framelines for the 28mm and 75mm lenses.
- M6Leica M6The Leica M6 is a rangefinder camera manufactured by Leica from 1984 to 1998.The M6 combines the silhouette of the Leica M3 with a modern, off-the-shutter light meter with no moving parts and LED arrows in the viewfinder. Informally referred to as the M6 "Classic" to distinguish it from the "M6...
— 1984–98. A camera that first combined the M3 form factor with a modern, off-the-shutter light meter with no moving parts and LED arrows in the viewfinder. Informally referred to as the M6 "Classic" to distinguish it from the "M6 TTL" models, and to indicate its "Classic" M3 dimensions. - M6J — 1994. A collector's edition of 1,640 cameras to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Leica M System. Notable for its introduction of the 0.85 magnification finder, the first high-magnification finder since 1966, and the basis for the 0.85 cameras to follow starting in 1998.
- M6 0.85 — 1998. The M6 could be optionally ordered with a .85 magnification viewfinder for easier focusing with long lenses and more accurate focusing with fast lenses, such as the 50mm/f1.0 Noctilux and 75mm/f1.4 Summilux. The 28mm framelines are dropped in this model. 3,130 of these cameras were made (all black chrome), so they are among the rarer non-commemorative M6's.
- M6 TTL — 1998–2002. With .72 and .85 viewfinder versions. From 2000 the .58 viewfinder camera for eyeglass wearers are added to the line. Supported TTL flash. The added electronics added 2mm of height to the top plate, and the shutter dial was reversed from previous models (traditionally, turning clockwise increased shutter speed).
- M7Leica M7The Leica M7 is a 35 mm camera by Leica AG introduced in 2002. It is the direct successor to the M6. The Leica M7 is a departure from previous mechanical designs for the M series....
2002. Has TTL exposure, aperture priority and manual exposure, electronic shutter and two mechanical speeds of 1/60 and 1/125. Comes in .58, .72, and .85 viewfinder formats, each with different brightline framelines. Same taller top plate and counter-clockwise shutter dial as the M6 TTL. Leica even produced an M7 made of solid titanium, and offered it in a kit with 1 or several like titanium colored lenses. - MPLeica MPThe Leica MP is a 35 mm film camera manufactured by Leica Camera AG and was introduced in 2003. It is an all-mechanical rangefinder focusing camera that follows in a long line of cameras since the Leica M3 was introduced in 1954. The camera uses the Leica M Bayonet Mount which accepts all Leica...
— 2003 — current model (as of 2008). A homage to the original MP, the new MP (this time standing for "Mechanical Perfection") cosmetically resembles the original (even down to changing the rewind crank back to a knob) but is functionally closer to the M6 Classic. A notable improvement over the M6 was the modification of the rangefinder to eliminate flare. The Leicavit M is an accessory introduced with the new MP, allowing trigger wind with the right hand at speeds up to 2–2.5 frame/s. The new MP is available in chrome and black paint and with viewfinders of .58, .72 and .85 magnification. - A La Carte Program 2004 — present. Program to facilitate custom-built combinations of metal finish, leather type, viewfinder magnification, and custom engraving.
- M8Leica M8The Leica M8 is the first digital camera in the rangefinder M series introduced by Leica Camera AG on 14 September 2006. It uses a 10.3-megapixel Kodak KAF-10500 CCD image sensor.As of 15/07/2011, the most recent firmware version is 2.014.-Features:...
— 2006–09. The M8 was the first digital M introduced, featuring a 10.3 megapixel sensor. The sensor is a 1.3 crop of standard 35 mm film, which gives the M8 an enlarged perspective in comparison to its predecessors. - M8.2 — 2008–09. A slightly updated edition of the Leica M8, featuring a quieter shutter, sapphire glass LCD screen cover, new leather coatings, etc.
- M9Leica M9The Leica M9 is the second digital camera in Leica Camera AG's rangefinder M series. It was introduced on 9 September 2009 and uses an 18.5-megapixel Kodak KAF-18500 Full Frame CCD image sensor....
— 2009 — . The first full frame digital camera in the series, introduced on September 9, 2009. - M9-P — 2011 — current model. The full frame digital camera with a classic look, introduced in June/July 2011.
R (35mm film SLR and dSLR) series
- LeicaflexLeicaflexThe Leicaflex was the first series of 35mm single-lens reflex cameras manufactured by Leitz. The Leicaflexes were fully mechanical cameras marketed between 1964 and 1976, in response to the rapid increase in popularity and usability of SLRs during this period...
— 1964/5 — sometimes called the Standard — built-in external light meter, clear focusing screen with centre microprism spot. There was a great deal of pressure to introduce a Leica SLR because of the phenomenal success of the Nikon F (1959). - Leicaflex SL and SL MOT — 1968 — TTL selective-area metering, slightly taller body than its predecessor, long-lived and lovely to use. MOT model took a large and heavy motor drive. Only about 1,000 SL MOTs were made.
- Leicaflex SL2Leicaflex SL2The Leicaflex SL2 was a SLR made by Leitz from 1974 as the third iteration of the Leicaflex series.The modifications from the Leicaflex SL were relatively minor:* addition of an aperture read-out in the finder...
/SL2 MOT — 1974 — refinement of the SL with more sensitive light meter and improved body shape. Thought by some to be the toughest 35mm SLR ever built. The Leica Solms museum has on display an SL2 MOT with Motor and 35mm Summicron which survived a 25000 feet (7,620 m) fall from a Phantom II fighter jet: battered but in one piece, and deemed repairable by Leica. Only about 1,000 SL2 MOTs were made. The SL2 was the swan-song of the Leicaflexes; the SL2 reportedly cost Leitz more to manufacture than it recouped in sales, and motivated the company to collaborate with Minolta for their next series of electronic cameras. The SL2 would also be the last mechanical Leica SLR for 14 years. - Leica R3Leica R3The Leica R3 was a 35mm SLR camera by Leica.Leica launched the Leica R3 in 1976. It was the successor of the Leicaflex SL2, and was developed in cooperation with Minolta, together with the Minolta XE bodies....
— the first electronic Leitz SLR — 1976 to 1980, based upon the Minolta XE1/7. The first few were built in Germany and then production was transferred to the Leitz Portugal factory. - R4MOT/R4/R4S/R4S Mod2 — 1980–87 a new compact model based upon the Minolta XD11. The R4 set the design for all cameras up to and including the R7. The R4 offered Program mode, Aperture and Shutter Priority, and Manual, with Spot and Centerweighted metering. The R4MOT differed in designation only; all R4s and up accepted motors and winders. The R4 offered The R4S and R4S Mod2 were simplified models at slightly lower prices.
- Leica R4.
- Leica R5 and R-E — 1987 — revised electronics (R5 had TTL flash capability), the RE was a simplified model.
- Leica R6 — 1988–92 mechanical shutter, relied on battery power only for the built-in light meter.
- R6.2 — 1992 — as R6 but with refinements, including a 1/2000th shutter speed.
- Leica R7 — 1992 — yet more advanced electronics.
- Leica R8Leica R8The Leica R8 is a manual focus 35 mm single-lens reflex camera produced by the German firm of Leica as part of their R series of cameras. Development began in 1990:...
— complete redesign, this time in-house with production moved back to Germany. All traces of Minolta gone. - Leica R9Leica R9The Leica R9 is a manual focus 35 mm single-lens reflex camera produced by the German firm of Leica as part of their R series of cameras. It was released in 2002, replacing the very similar Leica R8, upon which it improved in several aspects...
— refinement of the R8 with 100g less weight and a new anthracite body finish. This model and its range of lenses was discontinued in 2009. - R8/R9 DMR Digital Module-R — 10 megapixel digital back for the R8/R9, making them the first 35mm SLR cameras able to capture to film or digitally. This unit was discontinued in 2008.
- Leica R10 — Leica announced in July 2009 that no R10 will be forthcoming.
S (medium format dSLR) series
- Leica S1 — The Leica S1 Pro is a scanner camera with a very high resolution (26 megapixels) for stationary use introduced in 1996. On a 36×36 mm2 sensor 5140×5140 pixels get scanned and optically transferred to a connected computer. The object lens adapter system was exchangeable, thus object lenses of the systems Leica R, Leica M, Hasselblad, Mamiya 4, 5×6, and all mechanic object lenses from Canon (FD), Nikon, etc. can be used with the S1. The software for the S1 is a special SilverFastSilverFastSilverFast is software for scanning and image processing, including photos, documents and slides, developed by LaserSoft Imaging.- History :...
version, originally developed by LaserSoft ImagingLaserSoft ImagingLaserSoft Imaging AG is a software developer designing software such as SilverFast for scanners and digital cameras. The company's headquarters are located in Kiel, Germany, north of Hamburg, and another office in Sarasota, Florida, United States....
for high-end scannersImage scannerIn computing, an image scanner—often abbreviated to just scanner—is a device that optically scans images, printed text, handwriting, or an object, and converts it to a digital image. Common examples found in offices are variations of the desktop scanner where the document is placed on a glass...
. Approximately 160 cameras were built and mostly sold to museums, archives and research institutes. Later on Leica introduced the S1 Highspeed with very quick scanning and the S1 Alpha with half the resolution to the market.
- Leica S2 — In 2008, Leica announced plans to offer an "S-System" DSLRDigital single-lens reflex cameraMost digital single-lens reflex cameras are digital cameras that use a mechanical mirror system and pentaprism to direct light from the lens to an optical viewfinder on the back of the camera....
with a Kodak-made bespoke CCD sensor measuring 30×45 mm and containing 37 million pixels. This sensor has a 26% longer diagonal and 56% larger area than a "full-frame″ 24×36 mm DSLR sensor and will output an approximately 5000x7500 pixel image. The S2 will thus essentially be a medium format camera in a "35 mm135 filmThe term 135 was introduced by Kodak in 1934 as a designation for cartridge film wide, specifically for still photography. It quickly grew in popularity, surpassing 120 film by the late 1960s to become the most popular photographic film format...
SLRSingle-lens reflex cameraA single-lens reflex camera is a camera that typically uses a semi-automatic moving mirror system that permits the photographer to see exactly what will be captured by the film or digital imaging system, as opposed to pre-SLR cameras where the view through the viewfinder could be significantly...
"-sized body. The new "Maestro" imaging processor used in the S2 was developed by FujitsuFujitsuis a Japanese multinational information technology equipment and services company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is the world's third-largest IT services provider measured by revenues....
and the autofocus system (Leica's first to see production) was developed in house. The S2 series body, lenses and accessories will be available as of October 2009, and retail prices have been announced. A series of new Leica lenses is manufactured specifically for the S2 and Leica claims they will offer unsurpassed resolution and contrast at all apertures and focusing distances, even exceeding the sensor's capabilities. Lenses offered for the S2 will include Summarit-S's in normal (70 mm), wideangle (35 mm), and macro (120 mm) varieties, and Tele-Elmar (180 mm) portrait-length telephotos; these will also be available in versions featuring integrated multi-leaf blade shutters ("Central Shutter", or CS), in addition to the focal-plane shutter in the camera body, to enable higher flash sync speeds.
Digilux (digital) series
- Digilux
- Digilux Zoom
- Digilux 4.3
- Digilux 1Leica Digilux 1The Leica Digilux 1 was released in 2002, roughly the same time as the Canon G2 and the Nikon 2000. It is the second of Leica's digital offerings...
- Digilux 2Leica Digilux 2The Digilux 2 is a digital camera model sold by Leica Camera AG supplies, with the body manufactured in Japan by Matsushita, which sells a variant as the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LC1. Its image sensor is a CCD with 5.24 million total pixels. It has a color, transreflective thin-film transistor liquid...
- Digilux 3Leica Digilux 3The Digilux 3 is a digital single-lens reflex camera introduced by Leica on 14 September 2006. The Digilux 3 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 are identical cameras, using the Four Thirds standard lens mount and featuring a 7.5 Megapixels live view N-MOS sensor, but the Digilux 3 has improved firmware...
- R8/R9 DMR Digital Module R (DSLR)
Digital compact camera series
- C-Lux series.
- D-Lux series
- V-Lux bridge camera series
- X series. Introduced with the Leica X1Leica X1[File:Leica X1 is a compact fixed-lens, large-sensor digital camera by Leica. The pre-production model was released to reviewers in September 2009....
on September 9, 2009. APS-CAPS-CAdvanced Photo System type-C is an image sensor format approximately equivalent in size to the Advanced Photo System "classic" size negatives...
size sensor in a compact body. No viewfinder (hotshoe finder optional), fixed prime lens.
Leica M lenses
- Tri-Elmar-M 16-18-21mm f/4 ASPH.
- Tri-Elmar-M 28–35–50mm f/4 ASPH.
- Summilux-M 21mm f/1.4 ASPH.
- Elmarit-M 21mm f/2.8
- Elmarit-M 21mm f/2.8 ASPH.
- Super-Angulon-M f/3.4
- Super-Angulon-M f/4.0
- Summilux-M 24mm f/1.4 ASPH.
- Elmarit-M 24mm f/2.8 ASPH.
- Elmar-M 24mm f/3.8 ASPH.
- Summicron-M 28mm f/2 ASPH.
- Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8
- Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPH.
- Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH.
- Summicron-M 35mm f/2
- Summicron-M 35mm f/2 ASPH.
- Summarit-M 35mm f/2.5
- Noctilux-M 50mm f/1.2
- Noctilux-M 50mm f/1
- Noctilux-M 50mm f/0.95 ASPH.
- Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4
- Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH.
- Summicron-M 50mm f/2
- Summarit-M 50mm f/2.5
- Elmar-M 50mm f/2.8
- Summilux-M 75mm f/1.4
- Apo-Summicron-M 75mm f/2 ASPH.
- Summarit-M 75mm f/2.5
- Elmarit-M 90mm f/2.8
- Apo-Summicron-M 90mm f/2 ASPH.
- Summarit-M 90mm f/2.5
- Macro-Elmar-M 90mm f/4
- Apo-Telyt-M 135mm f/3.4
Note: Noctilux means f/0.95-f/1.2, Summilux means f/1.4, Summicron means f/2, Summarit means f/2.5 in the current lineup, Elmarit means f/2.8, and Elmar means f/3.5-f/4. Noct, Lux and Cron are commonly used as short forms for Noctilux, Summilux and Summicron, respectively. For example, 50 Cron uniquely identifies the Summicron-M 50mm f/2 construction, although the exact version is not specified. Many Leica M lenses went through several revisions through the years.
Leica R lenses
- Leica 15mm f/3.5 Super-Elmar-R — 1980 (Carl Zeiss design)
- Leica 15mm f/2.8 Super-Elmarit-R ASPH — 2001
- Leica 16mm f/2.8 Fisheye-Elmarit-R — 1970
- Leica 19mm f/2.8 Elmarit-R 1st version
- Leica 19mm f/2.8 Elmarit-R 2nd version — 1990
- Leica 21mm f/4.0 Super-Angulon-R — 1968–92 (Schneider-Kreuznach design)
- Leica 21mm f/3.4 Super-Angulon-R — 1968 (Schneider-Kreuznach design)
- Leica 24mm f/2.8 Elmarit-R — 1970 (Minolta design and glass production)
- Leica 28mm PC-Super-Angulon-R (Schneider-Kreuznach design)
- Leica 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit-R 1st version — 1970
- Leica 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit-R 2nd version — 1994
- Leica 35mm f/4.0 PA-Curtagon-R (Schneider-Kreuznach design)
- Leica 35mm f/2.8 Elmarit-R 1st version — 1964
- Leica 35mm f/2.8 Elmarit-R 2nd version
- Leica 35mm f/2.8 Elmarit-R 3rd version
- Leica 35mm f/2.8 Elmarit-R 4th version (Built-in lens hood; 55mm filter)
- Leica 35mm f/2.0 Summicron-R 1st version — 1970
- Leica 35mm f/2.0 Summicron-R 2nd version — 1976
- Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-R
- Leica 50mm f/2.0 Summicron-R 1st version — 1964
- Leica 50mm f/2.0 Summicron-R 2nd version — 1977 (Built-in lens hood, 3-cam and R-cam only version)
- Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux-R 1st version
- Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux-R 2nd version
- Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux-R 3rd version — 1997 (ROM contacts)
- Leica 60mm Macro-Elmarit-R 1st version — 1972 — outside bayonet lens hood fitting
- Leica 60mm Macro-Elmarit-R dn2 version
- Leica 75mm f/2.0 Elcan-R code C-341 — Extremely rare
- Leica 80mm f/1.4 Summilux-R
- Leica 90mm f/2.8 Elmarit-R 1st version — 1964–96
- Leica 90mm f/2.8 Elmarit-R 2nd version — 1983
- Leica 90mm Summicron-R 1st version — 1969
- Leica 90mm Summicron-R 2nd version -
- Leica 90mm APO-Summicron-R ASPH — 2002
- Leica 90mm f/1.0 Elcan-R — Extremely rare
- Leica 100mm f/4.0 Macro-Elmar-R bellows version
- Leica 100mm f/4.0 Macro-Elmar-R helical version
- Leica 100mm f/2.8 APO-Macro-Elmarit-R
- Leica 135mm Elmarit-R 1st version — 1965
- Leica 135mm Elmarit-R 2nd version
- Leica 180mm Elmar-R — 1976
- Leica 180mm f/2.8 Elmarit-R 1st version
- Leica 180mm f/2.8 Elmarit-R 2nd version
- Leica 180mm f/3.4 APO-Telyt-R — 1975–98
- Leica 180mm f/2.8 APO-Elmarit-R — 1998
- Leica 180mm f/2.0 APO-Summicron-R
- Leica 180mm f/3.4 Elcan-R code C-303 — Extremely rare
- Leica 250mm f/4.0 Telyt-R 1st version —
- Leica 250mm f/4.0 Telyt-R 2nd version
- Leica 280mm f/4.8 Telyt-V
- Leica 280mm f/4.0 APO-Telyt-R
- Leica 280mm f/2.8 APO-Telyt-R — 1984–97
- Leica 350mm f/4.8 Telyt-R
- Leica 400mm f/6.8 Telyt-R — 1968–94
- Leica 400mm f/5.6 Telyt-R
- Leica 400mm f/2.8 APO-Telyt-R — 1992–96
- Leica 450mm f/5.6 Elcan-R, code C-329 — Extremely rare
- Leica 500mm f/8 MR-Telyt-R
- Leica 560mm f/6.8 Telyt-R — 1971–95
- Leica 560mm f/5.6 Telyt-R — 1966–73
- Leica 800mm f/6.3 Telyt-S — 1972–95 (sold, during a promotional campaign, with a "free tripod"—a VW Fox)
- Leica modular APO-Telyt-R 260/400/560 head
- Leica modular APO-Telyt-R 400/560/800 head
- Leica 21mm–35mm f/3.5–f/4.0 Vario-Elmar-R zoom — 2002
- Leica 28mm–70mm f/3.5–4.5 Vario-Elmar-R zoom
- Leica 70–180mm f/2.8 Vario-APO-Elmarit-R zoom
- Leica 35–70 f/4.0 Vario-Elmar-R zoom
- Leica 35–70mm f/3.5 Vario-Elmar-R zoom
- Leica 35–70mm f/2.8 Vario-Elmarit-R ASPH zoom — 2000 (only 200 was made)
- Leica 70–210mm f/4.0 Vario-Elmar-R zoom
- Leica 75–200mm f/4.5 Vario-Elmar-R — 1976–84
- Leica 80–200mm f/4.5 Vario-Elmar-R zoom
- Leica 80–200mm f/4.0 Vario-Elmar-R zoom
- Leica 105–280mm f/4.2 Vario-Elmar-R zoom
Leica S lenses
- Summarit-S 1:2.5/70 mm Aspherical
- Summarit-S 1:2.5/70 mm Aspherical CS
- Apo-Tele-Elmar-S 1:3.5/180 mm
- Apo-Tele-Elmar-S 1:3.5/180 mm CS
- Apo-Macro-Summarit-S 1:2.5/120 mm
- Apo-Macro-Summarit-S 1:2.5/120 mm CS
- Summarit-S 1:2.5/35 mm Aspherical
- Summarit-S 1:2.5/35 mm Aspherical CS
Leica / Leitz enlargers
- Leitz Valoy and Valoy II — manual focus, later versions of the Valoy II were grey in colour. Valoy II normally equipped with Focotar 50mm f1:4.5 code name DOOCQ, and used with extension ring DOORX.
- Leitz Focomat Ia — Same as Focomat 1C, that is with autofocus, but the head does not tilt back to allow for easy insertion of negative.
- Leitz Focomat Ib
- Leitz Focomat Ic — sometimes fitted with Kienzle colour head. Produced first with varob 5 cm f1:3.5 lenses, later with elmar 5 cm f1:3.5, focotar 5 cm f1:4.5, focotar 50mm f1:4.5, focotar 50mm 2nd version f1:4.5, focotar-2 f1:4.5. Changes in focotar name or focal length designation do not necessarily coincide with the optical formula. The focotar-2 is always the same formula, and so is the 5 cm version. The 50mm exists in two versions. The 1C helical will accommodate lenses of various makes. Available in "color" version with filter drawer and lighted enlargement factor scale. Many small design variations exist.
- Leitz Focomat IIa — 35mm–6×9 format, dual lens turret on later versions that fitted a 5 cm elmar f1:3.5 or focotar 1:4.5, and a 9.5 cm f1:4.5 focotar, autofocus. The early version has a single helical that will accommodate lenses of any make. Available in "color" version with filter drawer and lighted enlargement factor scale.
- Leitz Focomat IIc — 35mm–6×9 formats, dual lens stage rather than turret, autofocus. First produced with focotar 6 cm f1:4.5 and focotar 9.5 cm f1:4.5, later with focotar 60mm and V-Elmar 100mm f1:4.5, still later with focotar 60mm and focotar II 100mm f1:5.6. All the 6 cm and 60mm focotars appear to be the same optical design. Kienzle or other colour heads sometime fitted. Only very slender enlarging lenses will fit the IIc helicals. Available in "color" version with filter drawer and lighted enlargement factor scale.
- Leitz Focomat II (modified for American military), code EN-121A — Extremely rare
- Vincent electrical shutter (for enlarger) — Extremely rare
- ELCAN 52mm enlarger lens (20×–25× enlargements) — Extremely rare
- ELCAN 20mm enlarger lens (40×–75× enlargements) — Extremely rare
- Leitz/Leica Focomat V35 — autofocus — 40mm f/2.8 Focotar lens — colour or Multigrade (variable contrast) heads. 1978–95.
See also
- List of digital camera brands
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- Leica GeosystemsLeica GeosystemsLeica Geosystems based in eastern Switzerland produces products and systems for surveying and geographical measurement...
- The Leica Historical Society of AmericaLHSALeica Historical Society of America is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to everything regarding the Leica camera.Leica created in coorporation with LHSA some special editions of its cameras. For example the Leica MP 3 0.72 LHSA Special Edition. They also publish the "Viewfinder", an...
- Leica Freedom TrainLeica Freedom TrainThe Leica Freedom Train was a rescue effort in which hundreds of Jews were smuggled out of Nazi Germany before the Holocaust by Ernst Leitz of the Leica camera company, and his daughter Elsie Kuehn-Leitz.-Background:...
- Walter MandlerWalter MandlerWalter Mandler was a famous lens designer of Ernst Leitz Canada in Midland, Ontario.Mandler was born into a German farmer's family. In 1947 he joined Ernst Leitz at Wetzlar as a lens designer, working with Max Berek. At the same time he studied in Giessen University...
- LumixLumixLumix is Panasonic's brand of digital cameras, ranging from pocket point-and-shoot models to digital SLRs.Compact digital camera DMC-LC5 and DMC-F7 were the first products of the Lumix series released in 2001. They are equipped with Leica lenses....
External links
- Leica
- Leica Geosystems AG
- Leica Microsystems GmbH
- Leica History by Thorsten Overgaard
- Leica M9 tested by Thorsten Overgaard
- La Vida Leica - Leica M System Information, reviews and articles