€195
Star lot : A 'Leitz Leica R3 Elektronic 35mm SLR' film camera. Fitted with a 'SUMMICRON R 1:2/50' lens. online RRP:€500
Short History of Leitz / Leica
Leica began as part of Ernst Leitz GmbH, a German optical company founded in Wetzlar in 1869 by Ernst Leitz. The company originally specialised in microscopes and precision optical instruments.
Birth of the Leica Camera (1913–1925)
In 1913, engineer Oskar Barnack, working at Leitz, designed a revolutionary compact 35mm camera prototype called the Ur-Leica.
Barnack’s idea was to use 35mm cinema film, creating a portable, high-quality camera ideal for reportage photography.
After World War I and further refinements, the first commercially available model, the Leica I, was released in 1925 at the Leipzig Fair. It became an instant success.
Rise to Fame (1920s–1950s)
Leica cameras helped define modern photojournalism, used by iconic photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Capa.
The cameras were admired for their durability, precision engineering, and exceptional lenses produced by Leitz.
Brand Evolution
The name Leica comes from Leitz Camera.
In 1986, the company restructured, creating Leica Camera AG, Leica Microsystems, and Leica Geosystems as separate entities.
Modern Era
Leica remains a premium camera manufacturer known for handcrafted build quality, legendary optics, and a strong connection to documentary and artistic photography.
The brand continues to produce both high-end digital and traditional film cameras.
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