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Leica is the abbreviation for Lei'tz (sche) Ca'mera, the label name for cameras, binoculars, Spektive, measurement instruments (geodesy), microscopes and optical-scientific instruments. Brand name is the red point with the company name on it.
The optics enterprise Leitz from Wetzlar built the first internationally successful mass production 35mm camera of the world for 1924. Basis was a construction of Oskar Barnack, which already developed a handy camera since the time before the First World War, into which it the then usual 35mm-Kinofilm transferred (miniature film). Barnack brought the photography of the Studio with the Leica on the road and became the Wegbereiter Fotoreportage.Der great success of the Leica was however only possible, because also the optics exhibited and exhibit outstanding quality. The prominent heads of the optics development were above all max of Berek, walter Mandler and Lothar Present director/conductor of the department of optics development is Peter Karbe.
The further development of the name Leica was determined by history. 1990 let the fusion the game Leitz getting thing AG (1987 from the assumption Ernst Leitz Wetzlar GmbH of the 1921 created game Heerbrugg AG resulted) with The Cambridge instrument company PLC the new company Leica getting thing B.V. develop. Thus the name Leica stands also for the prominent offerer of microscopes, measurement and photogrammetry systems as well as optical-scientific instruments.
1990 were transferred Zett equipment work (formerly Zeiss Ikon) as Leica projection GmbH Zett of devices to the Leica Camera group, sold 2004 the wurdie Leica projection GmbH Zett of devices to the holding company Allegra Capital GmbH.
The manufacturing of the Leica Kamerasystems takes place in Germany, Portugal and Canada. Some compact cameras (C1-C3) are manufactured in China. Occasionally a co-operation with Minolta, Fuji took place and today with Matsushita/Panasonic.
Since 1997 the brand name Leica of three independent enterprises (Leica Camera AG, Leica Microsystems GmbH and Leica of geo system AG) used. Geodetic instruments (Leica of geo system AG) become in Heerbrugg, which location the original game develops Heerbrugg AG, in Switzerland.
In the spring 2005 Leica Camera AG with uncertain financial situation made international headlines. The months-long rope pulling seems terminated in the autumn 2005, the situation is for the time being secured.
With the Leica cameras it was for the first time possible to always have as a photographer a high-quality relatively small camera since there were otherwise only central format cameras (with roll film) or bulky large size cameras. This preference/advantage was recognized and used first by an artistic and journalistic avant-garde. Thus a new kind of dynamic report photography became only possible. There were Leica cameras in a multiplicity of world-wide reproductions and/or copies. One of the first serious Konkurrenzfirmen was Zeiss Ikon with the Contax.
The first Leica Ia still had a firmly inserted objective. Very soon however the objectives were over a change thread (Schraubleica), the Leica became exchangeable in such a way the system camera. The Leica Sucherkamera with change thread, briefly "Schraubleica", was constantly developed further into the post-war period.
Since 1954 exist the series "M" (Leica M), at which the objectives do not unscrew themselves any longer, but leave over a bayonet very fast to change. In addition the "M" have a Messsucher, with which is placed sharply at the same time and the picture is composed. The newest model of the series "M" has today TTL (lightning) exposure measurement, automatic timer and DX-Filmerkennung. A Leica M is suitable v.a. for wide-angle photographs, photography in the middle in the happening (also by a very quiet trip), as well as photographs with little light without lightning.
1965 appeared the first mirror reflex system camera from the house Leitz Wetzlar. The Leicaflex was at first still purely mechanical. Since beginning of the 70's the Leicaflex was replaced by the series "R". The Leica R is larger and heavier than the classical (measuring) Sucherleica, offers for it however more mechanism functions and comfort, as well as a larger objective pallet within all ranges. With 2004 digital introduced to the Photokina move-hurry ("digital module R") becomes the current Leica R the first small picture hybrid camera, which can be operated alternatively similarly and digitally.
In addition the Leica Camera AG manufactures also simpler Sucherkameras, digital cameras, binoculars, Spektive and still-picture projectors.
Leica is well-known with photographers in particular for the outstanding optical and mechanical quality of the objectives. Characteristic also the "system compatibility" is over decades, i.e. old and new cameras, objectives and accessories can be combined freely. Old, for a long time any longer not manufactured models remain therefore usable for their owners and are also still repaired. This expenditure settles in a very high price for Leica products.
It exists a large world-wide collecting tank scene for Leica cameras, for which exclusive special editions are manufactured.
Central idea behind the Leica was from the outset a compact camera with one to design for conditions at that time, small film format their negatives even for stronger enlargements was suitable. Compared with the large sized box cameras, at the beginning of the last century were usual, work the first Leica indeed quite modern.
After few prototypes (approx. 1913) and about 30 preproduction cameras, from which today still 17 exists, the first Leica (Mod became. Ia) starting from 1925 delivered. Already after approximately 850 copies the Leica was equipped with the well-known Elmar objective 50mm/1:3,5, which remained into the late fifties almost invariably the standard objective of the Schraubleicas. The distance had to be determined either estimated or by means of a plug-on rangefinder. Same applies to the exposure measurement. The Leica Ia was available factory-installed only in black painted execution. By the model Ia were manufactured until 1936 of about 58700 copies.
Early copies were equipped anastigmat and Leitz Elmax objectives, which deviated with Leitz - in the construction some more from the later Elmar. The Leitz anastigmat consisted of 5 lenses. The Elmax counted by max Berek (the designation was selected it in honours and is the abbreviation for Ernst Leitz - max of Berek) is 4 - Linser and was identical nearly to the later various remarks of the Elmar. The objectives were not replaceable. The devices were appropriate for special Leitz Filmkassetten for meter goods. The today commercial small picture cartridges came only at the beginning of the 30's on the market and do not fit usually not into the early devices.
On basis of the Leica Ia the Leica luxury in approximately 95 copies was presented, which differed by a matt gilded housing and a covering with leather with leather in lizard leathers instead of normal rubber covering from the standard model. Also the so-called "Compur Leica" (Mod. Ib) became with only about 1700 copies a commercial miss, however also longer exposure times could be stopped by the central catch, which was not yet possible with at that time still quite new slot catch. Today both luxury Leicas and Compur Leicas are looked for pieces of collecting tank, whereby from first unfortunately emerged in very large number falsifications.
With the successor IC the development carried out itself to the system camera, as a Schraubgewinde for the objective change was introduced for the first time. At first the objectives had to be adapted individually to the camera, but starting from 1931 the version was already standardized. Just as the model Ia was delivered also the IC exclusively with black lacquer finish. Altogether by the model IC about 11000 copies were manufactured.
Starting from 1932 with the new model II the ranging was integrated into the housing, whereby the characteristic form of the Schraubleica developed, which remained up to the model IIIf in substantial. Differently than the Contax, the Leica II is however no Messsucherkamera, since she has separate views for the Sucher and the Enfernungsmesser. To 1948 of the Leica II about 52500 copies were manufactured. Parallel the Leica standard than a riser model was introduced a little later, which essentially corresponds to the model IC with standard version. From the Leica standard exist about 27000 piece. Starting from approximately 1933 both models were available also in brightly chromed execution.
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