Tag Archives: Leica

down to the life size

Posted on January 9, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. Most 35mm film cameras limited close up subjects to a metre. The Leica M series with a Summicron could focus down to 20 inches. Most cameras used extension tubes or auxiliary lenses to capture subjects closer than a metre. … Continue reading →

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brave new camera

Posted on January 2, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. In the 1920s after losing the great war (WW1), Germany suffered a massive bout of inflation and depression. The Ernst Leitz optical house in Wetzlar had mainly made microscopes, objectives, eye pieces, accessories, and the occasional other optical item … Continue reading →

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rapide, Henri le Leica

Posted on November 2, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. My good friend, George Dunbar, discovered a very well illustrated  bio of that famous French street photographer, Henri Cartier-Bresson. George writes, ”  A wonderful bio of Henri Cartier-Bresson’s amazing career was published in 2014 (Henri Cartier-Bresson, Here and Now….by Clément … Continue reading →

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time gentlemen please

Posted on October 18, 2022 by Robert

Toronto.  For decades companies would rebadge fancy watches for sales staff and other folk, As a youth, I bought a Bulova Accutron which is a mechanism driven by a tuning fork in turn driven by a transistor. Companies like Amanda … Continue reading →

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book covers

Posted on October 12, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. There is a saying – you can’t tell a book by its cover. In the early days of miniature cameras, it was the same for model type. For example through-out the screw mount era, Leitz cameras were all ‘Leicas’. … Continue reading →

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the perfect bid

Posted on July 29, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. This post is courtesy of Sonja Pushchak. It involves a bid in an Austrian auction reported in a British society’s newsletter (Tailboard). The post title is a riff on the movie, “The  Perfect Storm” were the forces of mother nature … Continue reading →

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last call

Posted on July 5, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Twenty years ago this month was the last time I ever shot film. I used Kodak colour negative film with a rating of ASA 800 – an amazing speed at the time. The film was used during a trip … Continue reading →

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transitions

Posted on June 25, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. After recovering from WW2, Leitz embarked on their famous M series bayonet mount cameras with the extremely popular M3 camera. Like many leading manufacturers, Leitz was aware of their strong base of owners of the older screw mount cameras. They … Continue reading →

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a heck of a lens

Posted on June 20, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. The 5cm, f/2.5 Hektor was the first ‘fast’ lens produced by Leitz for the Leica. The mount was much like its stable-mate. the 5cm, f/3.5 Elmar. About 10,000 were made, most before 1938. Production records show the beginning year … Continue reading →

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did you hear? the fat’s in the auction!

Posted on June 19, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. The 9cm Elmar was made from 1931 to 1968 – nearly 40 years. It was an early addition to the Leica stable once interchangeable lenses were marketed. The 9cm focal length had a pleasant presentation of head and bust … Continue reading →

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