Supplement to VIDOM magazine No. 116, December 2018 – Leica Historica e.V. Autumn Meeting (p. 4 ff) Golden Autumn, just different. This time, for had decided to donate his comprehensive the first time, the LH members met at the photography book collection. Our auction Arcona Living Ernst Leitz Hotel, directly team Hans Ploegmakers and Lars Netopil, opposite the Leica Headquarters. After settling supported by Ursula Rosswog and Claus in, we had a fantastic dinner in a festive Walther, confidently worked through the 5m atmosphere and later that night, our member long row of books and several other items, Dr. Wolfgang Vollrath, former head of optical before our photo competition started. The design at Leitz Wetzlar and responsible for winners were Dr. Christoph Wahl (1st) and some famous Leica lenses, presented on the Johannes Schuh (2nd and 3rd). beginning of aspherical lens design. The The official part ended with a guided tour following day started with an exceptional through the archives. auction: Dott. Luigi Carne, long time member, Update: Tele-Elmar (p. 8ff) – ref. VIDOM 112, p. 66ff Two other specimens of the Hektor 4/135 lenses, just an indication for the optical prototype were found. This time with the design. According to the records, five samples “goggles” that we know from the Tele-Elmarit- of this type of lens head were made in M 2.8/135. There is no type name on the November and December 1959. Update: Telyt 20cm (p. 11) – ref. VIDOM 115, p. 16ff The Telyt 4.5/20cm, serial number 156.444, is could be acquired by the Leica Museum now complete, after the matching lens head collection. Is the Equipment Important? (Series “Durchblick”, p. 12f) This essay discusses the question if camera that are not possible without the appropriate and lenses are important for the photographic equipment, the text concludes that gear is of results. Quoting a widely known story of a course important but not exclusively. The cook who is asked if he has excellent kitchen photographer also needs to know how to use utensils because his meals are so delicious and it properly. listing examples of certain photo scenarios The Viewfinder Mask of the IIIa (p. 14 ff) In VIDOM 59, we showed a pivot mask for autofocus but to the coupled rangefinder. We 135mm on the Leica IIIa. Now, another Leica can be certain that those masks are very rare IIIa with a viewfinder swing mask for 90mm and were only included on special order. The has been found which motivated further disadvantage was that only one tele lens could research. Ottmar Michaely has found out that be reasonably used. From 1931 on universal the drawing set Nr. 4276 (Leica II, model D) viewfinders were offered which can be used shows four different types of those pivot for different focal lengths. Leica has a tradition bezels constructed by Wilhelm Albert: 7.3, 9, of taking customer demands seriously, so 10.5 and 13.5 cm. The (in this document probably those masks were a consequence of used) term “for cameras with automatic direct requests by long-term customers. focussing” of course does not refer to 1 Leica IIIa Sample Black (p. 18ff) Starting with the pre-war Leica II, Leica offered elements but with a totally uncommon speed black as well as silver-chrome models. The entry for 1/1000s and the camera sports a shown specimen is somewhat of an oddity. In crème-coloured shutter cloth equally the estate of Leitz designer Hugo unknown from serial products. As far as the Wehrenfennig such a black paint camera was engraved date is concerned, we remember found. Originally engraved with 90.254 which that the date of construction of the Leica IIIa matches a black paint Leica II from 1932, the with 1/1000s according to Wilhelm Albert is number has been struck through and manually Oct 30, 1934, indicating the completion of the engraved with 129.673 which is the number of first sample. So, we might conclude that the a black paint Leica III from 1934. An additional shown camera is the real first sample of this engraving reads “Muster 20.09.1934” type, probably even the only real black paint (“sample” Sep 20, 1934). The reason for the Leica IIIa. Of course, there are black Leica IIIa new engravings remains unclear. Several and IIIa syn based on earlier black Leicas that aspects are interesting: it is in fact a black were converted. paint Leica IIIa with nickel-plated control First Head Chauffeurs of the Leitz Family (p. 22ff) In 1907 Ernst Leitz hired Wilhelm Willer as and forced labourers. Wilhelm Willer has head chauffeur for the Leitz family car. His always been integrated into the Leitz family grand-daughter Ingrid Willer-Uwira tells us on their trips, typical for their caring and about her grandfather: Originally a brewers attentive approach towards their employees. drayman, he understood the change of times, When the first car was bought, a place for it learned how to drive a car and became the needed to be found. So, they used the horse private driver for the Leitz family. Leitz built a stables at the Kalsmuntstraße and later built a semi-detached house for the Willers which car park at another place for the lorries, but was very well equipped for the times with two the cars still were parked next doors. After bathrooms and a telephone. When during the Willer had retired, his son-in-law Willi Voss war, trips abroad were not possible, Wilhelm became head of the “Autogarage” Willer drove his boss to hunting tours, but he department. was also important fetching Leitz daughter The included photos show involved persons Elsie from the train station after she had been and cars on different trips. Photos 23 and 24 imprisoned by the Gestapo (Nazi secret show the camera that was given by Leitz to intelligence) due to the commitment of the Willi Voss for his 65th birthday. Leitz family for the rights of pursued persons MOOEV Update (p. 41) – ref. VIDOM 85, p. 3ff The combination of a motorized Leica 250 and The extensive research of the author has the MOOEV was originally used for aerial unveiled several sources about an interesting reconnaissance in a WWII Ju87, from 1941 on. story of a British Lockheed 12 pilot named The MOOEVs of this series bear a serial Sydney Cotton who seems to have used a number starting with 10001. The camera is motorized Leica 250 when flying over triggered via an internal coupler between Germany to protocol German war camera and motor. preparations. These sources reveal that such a “Popular Photography” (May 1975) shows a camera had already been used as early as photo of a MOOEV that seems to be a 1939 as a secret spying device in a civilian prototype. One specimen could be found in airplane. the Leica factory museum in 1988. This The photos show different versions of this set. version sports an external trigger coupler. 2 Digital Compact Cameras (p. 47ff) Part 4 of our series about the digital cameras up until Type 109 and all the aspects that by Leica deals with the compact models (and evolved from generation to generation, to the their twin sisters by Panasonic): from the first very compact C-Lux models and the V-Lux D-Lux in 2003, which was named “Die Digitale “bridge” cameras. The included tables show Damenbox” (“The Digital Ladybox”) by a and compare the parameters of the cameras. German newspaper, the different successors The Very First “Moment” (p. 54ff) Long before Ernst Leitz decided to produce genuine Summar. The camera is based on a the Leica I, the interest in using the fabulous Ernemann Röntgen model. This is probably Leitz lenses for photographic purposes was the first general purpose camera ever to be huge. The market for amateur photographers sold by Leitz. became more and more relevant, so Leitz The second camera depicted is the Leitz decided to acquire photographic cameras in Moment Kamera (1904/05), 9x12cm with a order to combine them with Summar and Summar 1:4.5/120, probably based on an Periplan lenses that came with different Ernemann HEAG IV. The emblem on top bears parameters (see included material). Two of the name “Fritz Lehr Wetzlar”. Lehr was a those cameras are shown here. photographer from Wetzlar. We know of five One is the Leitz Moment camera (1901/02), Leitz Moment cameras, but we have never 13x18cm with a Summar 1:6/180 lens. The before seen another one with 13x18cm optical design leaves it uncertain if it is a format. Pradolux-S 24 (p. 61ff) This projector can use 5x5cm slides in and mounting, similar to the PARVO and later magazine feed as well as filmstrips. The projectors, chassis and lightning unit are photos show different configurations. The similar to the regular Pradolux-24. individual inserts make use of a u-shaped duct The Leitz Hektor 2.5/8.5cm for Arriflex (p. 64ff) In our 1990 book »Wilhelm Albert – 8.5 cm, Wochenschau ›Welt im Film‹ Geburtstage der LEITZ Fotokonstruktionen seit Frankfurt, 2.3.49” for this series and seem to 1927« are shown two photographs with the indicate a total number of 12 specimens. The caption: „Arriflex Kinokamera 18x24 mit drawing for the Kino-Hektor 2.5/95 also dates Objektiv 8,5 cm 1:1,5 (...) 4.8.1947“. At closer back to 1949. The aperture ring of the shown look we see, however, that it is a 2.5/85mm lens has been turned and covered with a new lens.