Supplement to VIDOM Magazine No. 115, June 2018 – Leica Historica E.V
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Supplement to VIDOM magazine No. 115, June 2018 – Leica Historica e.V. Annual Spring Meeting and AGM in Wetzlar (p. 4 f) This year’s spring meeting stood under the Sunday morning auction was executed in a overall theme “Bruno Paul – Haus Friedwart”. confident way by Hans Ploegmakers who took On Saturday evening Oda Paul gave an over from Georg Mann. Leica Historica needs interesting presentation about the architect to thank Georg for being our entertaining and on Sunday it was possible for some chief auctioneer for the last 20 years. During members to have a look at the actual building our AGM the present board was re-elected. guided by Dr Kühn-Leitz. For the first time the Update: Telecron (p. 8 ff) – ref. VIDOM 113, p.12-22 The Telecron 1:6.3/1200 has followed a series had very long focal lengths. In order to reduce of very long lenses which had been developed chromatic aberrations as well, a triplet with as collimator lenses for regular lens testing. special glass elements was necessary. Finally, Those special lenses cover a small image circle the Telyt-S 6.3/800, 5.9/1000 and the Telecron and are calculated for infinity and virtually 6.3/1200 were born. Most lenses of that type without geometrical aberrations. The were calculated by Mr Georg Knetsch. The use extremely long tele construction of collimator of elements with much different expansion lenses are caused by the size of the entrance coefficients within the cemented triplet in pupil and the necessary absence of regularly carried the risk of destruction when aberrations. The longest regular Leica lens of exposed to intense temperature differences. the time was the Telyt 5/400 featuring an Register entries seem to show that there were entrance pupil of 80mm, so the testing lens ten prototypes of the 6.3/800, three of the needed to have one of similar size. Since it 5.9/1000 and three of the 6.3/1200. The was easier to design a virtually error-free 5.9/1000 shown on page 8 is a rather 15/1200 than a 5/400, collimator lenses often sensational find. Update: Leitz Telyt 4.8/280 (p. 12 ff) – ref. VIDOM 114, p.24ff According to several sources (Peter Kosel, peaking at 1,340 DM in 1984. Cheaper Otmar Michaely, Harmut Thiele) the alternatives from the mid-60s to about 1978 production numbers of the Telyt 4.8/280 need was the “Schnellschuss-Objektiv” (rapid fire to be corrected by plus 100. The price of that lens) Noflexar 5.6/280 which came at 621 DM lens was 858 DM (1961 and 1963), 898 DM in 1966/67. (1965 and 1967) and 1018 DM in 1969, Depth-of-Field (Series “Durchblick”, p. 14 f) The German word for Depth-of-Field is analyses the usage of the compound noun and “Schärfentiefe”. Sometimes the word suggests a correct way to employ it. “Tiefenschärfe” is used instead. This article The Telyt 6.3/20cm (p. 16 ff) In 1935 the PLOOT was introduced as the first B229 was sold from 1935 on (230.001). Early version of the Visoflex series which allowed prototypes had a direct mount but without for the use of longer tele lenses on a Leica coupling. The back focus distance was already camera. Focussing was done via the ground suitable for SLR systems with a tube, screen so there was no rangefinder coupling. lengthening the rear part of the lens mount. The Telyt 4.5/20cm with the optical formula The 20cm lens with the speed of f/4.5 was 1 sold until 1959. There still is a specimen of the 4.5/20 cm just with a smaller diameter. The direct mount lens including the matching LEITZ lens delivery book referring to these viewfinder in the Leica museum. Here a lens lenses is interesting but hardly revealing. One with the parameters 6.3/20cm (B230) is entry for a 4.5/20cm lens is existent at No. presented. Lens hood and front cap are similar 156.443. There might be more specimens of to the ones for the Hektor 1.9/73. Weight and Telyt prototype lenses numbered between size were considered to be important, 156.441 and 156.450. comparable to the “Berg-Elmar” 6.3/10.5 cm. We would be grateful for additional The internal elements were the same as in the information. Barnack’s First Leica (p. 21) The book “Barnack’s First Leica: The Second further information see: Life of a Forgotten Historic Camera” now is www.barnacksfirstleica.com also available as an eBook in English. For The Leica M and M1 – cameras without a viewfinder (p. 22ff) The Leica M1 was marketed in 1959 as a mentioned serial numbers. It is, however, cheaper version of the M2 without the possible that those numbers were used for M1 rangefinder and just with the 35 and 50mm and “M cameras without viewfinder” – a term frames. The last ones were produced in 1964. which should be used instead of calling them In 1964 the MD followed even without a “MD-prototypes”. viewfinder to use with Visoflex and Reprovit. Editorial note: There are some technological Already in 1959 there were some serial differences between those cameras and the numbers reserved for cameras without later MD (no film gate cut-out for registration viewfinder that were very similar to the later strip, no flash contacts). And other similar MD. Recently such a camera surfaced without cameras are known with higher serial any model labelling but an engraving similar to numbers that show a model label at different the M1 and the frame counter similar to the places. We would be grateful for additional M1 and M2. This specimen fits to the above information. The Leitz Hektor 1.9/5cm (p. 26ff) In the 1930s some manufacturers already returned back to Wetzlar where it stayed in used Leitz lenses for their own cameras. Some the design department. It was then converted of those lenses were not available for Leica to a Leica RF-coupled version. Although the cameras, such as the Elmar 4.5/75 for the brochure defines it as usable for 18x24 mm, “Korelle”. Another very rare model is the LEITZ tests on the M10 confirm that it completely Hektor 1.9/5cm which was listed in different covers 24x36 mm. According to the factory versions in 1933. Its price was stated at 130 records we can presume that there were only Reichsmark or 47 grams of gold. The specimen built 4 specimens. shown here was shipped to Paris and later Leica’s digital “prosumer” cameras (p. 30ff) Leica has not only sold small digital compact 2001, followed by the Digilux 2 in 2004 and cameras (cf. cooperation with Fujifilm, VIDOM the Digilux 3 in 2006, the latter model being a 114), it has also marketed high-end digital camera with 4/3 sensor and interchangeable compact cameras, this time in cooperation lenses. This way, Leica R-lenses could (and still with Panasonic. Starting with the Digilux 1 in can) be used on this digital camera. 2 Collecting – an intense passion (p. 34ff) 2018 – a record year for Leica history: a 0- historical importance of Leica cameras was Series camera (122) was sold for 2.4 Mio €. If appreciated and fuelled by German LEICA we ask why someone spends so much money HISTORCA, initiated by Georg Mann und Klaus on a camera, we directly come to the topic Grohte and founded on September 20, 1975. “collecting” – a hobby which not only has a The VIDOM magazine became a medium of psychological but also a historical element. By information for the members similar to following the path of the “122” through newsletters in English-speaking associations. history, we try to analyse this phenomenon. In consequence, books for collectors were When this camera didn’t even have a name, published and “Historica” sections were George Sauppe became the first owner. Born included in magazines. “Photographica” in Germany and working for LEITZ New York, became a serious field of collecting and more he travelled to Wetzlar in 1923 and bought and more books about the history of the Leica this new camera he was so fascinated of. became available. Because of that, also Sauppe is the prototype of the ambitious and auctions became more important. Christie’s passionate Leica user of today and was and Sotheby’s as well as Petzold supported perhaps the first Leica collector ever. At the the booming development which became a same time the number of publications about world-wide phenomenon. photography increased, but merely focused on The “122” was still property of the Sauppe how to use the cameras and not collecting. family and was borrowed by the California This had changed in the 1960s when Robert Museum of Photography until 1994. Then is Bingham assembled a huge camera collection. was bought by Jim Jannard who called the He also had the chance to shoot with the 122. camera “one of the most important inventions Georg Mann was one of the first ones to sense ever”. Since then the collector’s market has the importance of the Leica cameras in changed considerably especially by the Germany. Rolf Fricke and Theo Kisselbach internet. But still committed collector’s were two other important early collectors. associations have a huge significance for When Leica wanted to promote the sales of conserving cultural traditions. the new Leicaflex cameras, customers were The record sale of the “122” shows that there able to trade in old screwmount models.