1946 British Intelligence Report of Ernst Lietz

[Brian Atherton]

I found the following report on the website of CRR, Luton:

http://www.angelfire.com/biz/Leica/page26.html

It gives a fascinating insight into the production methods of the Leica camera just after WWII.

 

[Richard G]

Fantastic. Read the whole thing immediately. Always wondered about the chrome finish. Complex. Three minutes exactly.

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

Those old BIOS reports are fascinating, especially some of them, f'instance the one about rotary wing aircraft. I was doing some research once into something and met a member of the BIOS group that went to Germany to look at something else and heard what actually happened. It was a farce, apparently.

Regards, David

 

[Richard G]

Hi,

Those old BIOS reports are fascinating, especially some of them, f'instance the one about rotary wing aircraft. I was doing some research once into something and met a member of the BIOS group that went to Germany to look at something else and heard what actually happened. It was a farce, apparently.

Regards, David

Jacob Bronowski wrote about a bit of German foreign fact-finding in the War. They sent a spy to Denmark to find out how the Vikings knitted. Bronowski was amused that her name was Miss Piffl.

 

[hendriphile]

In light of oft-posted comments about the incremental growth of the digital 'M's", and the outsourcing of certain parts, it's interesting to note the 1/8" growth of the III-C over earlier Barnacks, and that outsourcing was in place at least as early as 1946.

 

[codester80]

I found it interesting that Leitz admitted the slower speeds did not match the actual speeds indicated but were "good enough".

The various speeds of the shutter were not accurate to the measurements on the shutter control knob and this fact was acknowledged by the Leitz executives. who pointed out, however, that the results obtained were quite
good enough for all general requirements.

Just goes to show some people worry too much about the technical aspects of photography when even Leica isn't too worried about precision (at least when it comes to shutter speeds).

 

[citizen99]

I found it interesting that Leitz admitted the slower speeds did not match the actual speeds indicated but were "good enough".



Just goes to show some people worry too much about the technical aspects of photography when even Leica isn't too worried about precision (at least when it comes to shutter speeds).

Absolutely 🙂.

 

[Wulfthari]

I found it interesting that Leitz admitted the slower speeds did not match the actual speeds indicated but were "good enough".



Just goes to show some people worry too much about the technical aspects of photography when even Leica isn't too worried about precision (at least when it comes to shutter speeds).

IMO it just proves that Leitz's supposed "perfect mechanical precision" didn't exist even then and they were trying to do the best with the means they had.

 

[jcrutcher]

Very cool!!!!

 

[dave lackey]

The highest wage category was 122 pfennings for the exceptional category for men. How much then with a 48 hr work week were the best workers paid?

 

[dave lackey]

The highest wage category was 122 pfennings for the exceptional category for men. How much then with a 48 hr work week were the best workers paid?

I think post war, the dollar was equivalent to 400 pfennings.
???😕

 

[David Hughes]

I found it interesting that Leitz admitted the slower speeds did not match the actual speeds indicated but were "good enough".

Just goes to show some people worry too much about the technical aspects of photography when even Leica isn't too worried about precision (at least when it comes to shutter speeds).

Hi,

Mostly people would have been using B&W film in those days (on those wages too) and the latitude was very wide for over or under exposure.

The Selo book of photography (1940?) includes examples of good prints from a negative exposed for two seconds when it should have had 100th of a second and similar for gross over exposure. Also in those days each neg would have been assessed and printed individually. That also explains how box camera users with one speed at f/12 got away with it so often...

BTW, I reckon that for a Leica, being assembled from dozens of parts, accuracy in making was important to save time assembling and repairing. So tighter tolerances for the machinists and more than enough for the photographers.

Regards, David

 

[Paul Jenkin]

The following really surprised me:

"After WWII the Americans & British sent a team into the Leitz factory in Wetzlar to examine construction techniques of the Leica camera. The British party took away the Leica IIIb drawings & then produced the Reid camera to that design. Taylor Hobson manufactured the lenses and Sigrist & Reid the body."

It's amazing to think that a bunch of British and American scientists / engineers pitch up, have a good old nosy around, take away the drawings / specifications for one of the latest Leica (IIIb) and, hey-presto, launch a series of clones. Priceless....

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

It happened in almost every field. And the French did it as well. It wasn't only the USSR that demanded compensation.

Some of the stuff taken was so big that roads had to be built or enlarged in the UK so that the stuff could be moved from the airfields where the planes carrying it landed.

And a lot of Germans ended up here working for (f'instance) Farnborough. I met a man once who had worked there on something during the war and long afterwards found a neighbour who now worked at the same establishment and had worked on the German device that countered his gadget during the war.

Regards, David

 

[citizen99]

The following really surprised me:

"After WWII the Americans & British sent a team into the Leitz factory in Wetzlar to examine construction techniques of the Leica camera. The British party took away the Leica IIIb drawings & then produced the Reid camera to that design. Taylor Hobson manufactured the lenses and Sigrist & Reid the body."

It's amazing to think that a bunch of British and American scientists / engineers pitch up, have a good old nosy around, take away the drawings / specifications for one of the latest Leica (IIIb) and, hey-presto, launch a series of clones. Priceless....

The Leitz people somehow forgot to mention that they were already planning the next generation, which in the end took the market away from the 'clones' 😀.

 

[citizen99]

Hi,
...
And a lot of Germans ended up here working for (f'instance) Farnborough. I met a man once who had worked there on something during the war and long afterwards found a neighbour who now worked at the same establishment and had worked on the German device that countered his gadget during the war.

Regards, David

In the context of Frazer-Nash and Bristol cars, Fritz Fiedler comes to mind.

 

[David Hughes]

In the context of Frazer-Nash and Bristol cars, Fritz Fiedler comes to mind.

Interesting link, thanks. Now I keep thinking about the Bristol Ace or AC(?); a small and good looking sports car. I remember the looks but not the model name or number...

Regards, David

 

[citizen99]

Interesting link, thanks. Now I keep thinking about the Bristol Ace or AC(?); a small and good looking sports car. I remember the looks but not the model name or number...

Regards, David

AC had their own 2-litre straight 6 in the Ace, but managed to get supplied with the BMW-derived Bristol engine for the more expensive variant, hence the 'Ace-Bristol' which was quite successful in competitions. They also used souped-up versions of the Ford Zephyr 6 engine (the original, straight, not V, 6) of the era.

Then, along came Carroll Shelby with the Cobra.

Regards, John.

 

[Dralowid]

AC had their own 2-litre straight 6 in the Ace, but managed to get supplied with the BMW-derived Bristol engine for the more expensive variant, hence the 'Ace-Bristol' which was quite successful in competitions. They also used souped-up versions of the Ford Zephyr 6 engine (the original, straight, not V, 6) of the era.

Then, along came Carroll Shelby with the Cobra.

Regards, John.

The AC engine was an alloy thing of beauty originally designed in 1919 I think. That Ford engine with modified exhaust was impressive, both AC and Ford engines had triple SUs, in my experience anyway.

The Cobra was what it was, the Ace remains very special indeed.

 

[jarski]

I found it interesting that Leitz admitted the slower speeds did not match the actual speeds indicated but were "good enough".

Its 1946 and whole country is bombed to rubble. The fact that they were already doing precision instruments like cameras deserves a credit IMO.