look-a-like-a-leica

Leica copy cats

Toronto. After WW2, the world was inundated with Leica lookalikes. Some were  flat out copies like the Russian FED and Zorki models; some were copies of Leica features like Canon; and some were marketed as improvements on Leica like the Kardon, or the very expensive Foton. Others used a similar sounding name like Nicca.

To try counteracting this deluge of cameras, the American subsidiary of Leitz took out ads like this one on page 7 of the April, 1949 issue of Popular Photography. A few years later, Leitz introduced the famous M series and ended this wave of ‘me too’ cameras based on the screw mount series of Leicas.

Over the years, I handled cameras made by Leica, Exakta, Minolta and many others. None seemed as well built or as sturdy as the Leica models, especially the famous M series.

My thanks to good friend and fellow PHSC member, George Dunbar, for suggesting this advertisement. The link also appears elsewhere on this site but is copied here for the convenience of the viewer.

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