At last, a Leica 1A .... I finally found one!!

[tonyj]

After many months of browsing, asking lots of annoying and sometimes ridiculous questions, being a total nuisance to prospective sellers and trying my darndest not to spend the $97000 or so currently being asked for a certain low serial number example of this early production Leica ........ (in my dreams, of course 😉 ) ...... I have finally found myself a really nice, clean Leica 1A. One that looks like it was cared for throughout it's eighty years of existence. A Leica 1A camera that I have wanted to own for such a long time ..... and now I do !!!

It doesn't have the very early Leitz Anastigmat lens (that's what the $97000 will buy) or the other early Elmax lens. It has the more common Elmar lens. Neither does it have the mushroom style shutter release button, but as far as I can see, everything including the shutter appears to be working as it should. More importantly everything is there, and from what I can see when I remove the bottom cover, the inside of the camera is absolutely pristeen, with no visible signs of corrosion or neglect.

Like all Leica film cameras, it will probably benefit from a CLA. This I intend to do early in the New Year, however with an old 'test' film I am running through the camera, everything is looking pretty good so far.

Not surprisingly and even though I am fairly familiar with the loading procedure of most Leica TM cameras, this one proved to be quite a handful to load the very first time.

Not the very lowest of serial numbers, but at 21287 it's still a clean 1929 model.

Having 'checked' out a number of 1As recently I am over the moon with this one.

Hopefully after the holiday season is over and I've saved up for a CLA, I will be running a 'real' film through it, at which point and with some good luck I will post the results.

 

[Michael Markey]

At the risk of stating the obvious, that looks very nice indeed. Where on earth do you buy things like that ?

 

[TheHub]

Wow, it's beautiful 🙂 I like the brassing around the sides.

How are you going to use it, with/without RF and/or light meter? Since it doesn't have strap lugs you could use a wrist strap that goes into the tripod mount.

 

[FPjohn]

Er...very nice. Did this come from a certain camera store in Calgary?

yours
FPJ

 

[coelacanth]

beautiful! And I'm so glad that you are actually planning to use it rather than killing it slowly in display cabinet in your guest room. I'd love to see pics from this 80 years young baby.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Is there actually a 1A?

My understanding was that there was a a Leica, later designated A (or disputably I or Standard, though these were also used for non-RF interchangeable-lens Leicas) then B (or Leica Compur) then C (interchangeable lens or I or Standard) then D or II (RF), III (slow speeds), IIIa (1/1000), IIIb (eyepieces close together), IIIc (diecast shutter crate) usw.

An original fixed-lens Leica is a wonderful piece of history to own and try, and a marvellous opportunity to prove that it's the photographer, not the camera, but I have to confess that I used one for a few months in the mid- or late 1970s and then decided that I could see why the RF became so popular.

Not raining on your parade -- as I say, it's fun, and every Leica user should try one -- but I decided I preferred more modern cameras for actually taking pictures.

Cheers,

R.

 

[tonyj]

.... a few answers

.... a few answers

At the risk of stating the obvious, that looks very nice indeed. Where on earth do you buy things like that ?

Only because you are a fellow Lancastrian, and of a similar vintage judging from your avatar - I'm originally from between Bolton and Darwen, I will let you into a little secret. Check this site's classifieds, plus browse all the eBay Leica film camera postings - and not just the UK version, - plus any other classified postings you can find. Be patient, a number of 1As do come up from time to time. The trick is finding one that has at least a chance of working properly. Ask for extra photos and ask to see 'inside the thing' where rust and spiders often lurk. Make sure the take up spool is there, plus anything else you feel you may need.

Wow, it's beautiful 🙂 I like the brassing around the sides.

How are you going to use it, with/without RF and/or light meter? Since it doesn't have strap lugs you could use a wrist strap that goes into the tripod mount.

Thank you.

It will fit in my pocket. These cameras are quite small. The 'rangefinder' is in my head, as is the 'sunny sixteen' method of 'guestimating' exposure settings.

Er...very nice. Did this come from a certain camera store in Calgary?

yours
FPJ

No, not Calgary this time. I bought it from a seller in the United States.

beautiful! And I'm so glad that you are actually planning to use it rather than killing it slowly in display cabinet in your guest room. I'd love to see pics from this 80 years young baby.

Thank you. I hope I will be able to take at least a few rolls of film eventually. As I say, even much newer Leicas usually benefit from a good CLA before being put to work. This camera will be 'fettled' in due course.

 

[tonyj]

Yes, there certainly was a model 1A

Yes, there certainly was a model 1A

Is there actually a 1A?

My understanding was that there was a a Leica, later designated A (or disputably I or Standard, though these were also used for non-RF interchangeable-lens Leicas) then B (or Leica Compur) then C (interchangeable lens or I or Standard) then D or II (RF), III (slow speeds), IIIa (1/1000), IIIb (eyepieces close together), IIIc (diecast shutter crate) usw.

An original fixed-lens Leica is a wonderful piece of history to own and try, and a marvellous opportunity to prove that it's the photographer, not the camera, but I have to confess that I used one for a few months in the mid- or late 1970s and then decided that I could see why the RF became so popular.

Not raining on your parade -- as I say, it's fun, and every Leica user should try one -- but I decided I preferred more modern cameras for actually taking pictures.

Cheers,

R.

After Herr Barnack's prototype built before the first world war, and after a couple of other of his prototypes including the pre- production "Nullserie" (Model 0 ), built after the 1914-18 war, the Leica 1 Model A was the first Leica camera to be put into production by Leitz. Production started in 1924, but it was 1925 before the general public were able to buy one.

The Leica Standard, or 'Model E', was a 'rangefinderless' model, introduced in 1932. The more expensive 'de luxe' Leica II Model D, the first rangefinder model, was also introduced in 1932.

I understand your frustration in older cameras, and your preference for more modern cameras, but why can't we yearn for the latest from Porsche whilst still enjoying a jaunt in Model 'T' Ford ? 😉

I am a photographic hobbyist, with no illusions or pretentions as to my abilities. I run a Canon G10 and Nikon D700 when time is of an essence, but have just as much - if not more fun, when using my old film cameras. There just seems to be more sense of achievement, with less wastage. Needless to say I'm usually out alone with film. No rush, no hurry .....

 

[Roger Hicks]

After Herr Barnack's prototype built before the first world war, and after a couple of other of his prototypes including the pre- production "Nullserie" (Model 0 ), built after the 1914-18 war, the Leica 1 Model A was the first Leica camera to be put into production by Leitz. Production started in 1924, but it was 1925 before the general public were able to buy one.

The Leica Standard, or 'Model E', was a 'rangefinderless' model, introduced in 1932. The more expensive 'de luxe' Leica II Model D, the first rangefinder model, was also introduced in 1932.

I understand your frustration in older cameras, and your preference for more modern cameras, but why can't we yearn for the latest from Porsche whilst still enjoying a jaunt in Model 'T' Ford ? 😉

I am a photographic hobbyist, with no illusions or pretentions as to my abilities. I run a Canon G10 and Nikon D700 when time is of an essence, but have just as much - if not more fun, when using my old film cameras. There just seems to be more sense of achievement, with less wastage. Needless to say I'm usually out alone with film. No rush, no hurry .....

Sorry to get into serious nerd disputes, but my own impression was that LEICA/LEANE was '1' in Europe and 'A' in the United States. In other words, it's I or an A, but not a IA, just as you can have a II or a D but not a IID.

The C (LENEU, from 60,500 to 71,199) was the interchangeable-lens model (B/LECUR being Compur, A-B-C all being sold as Model I in Europe). As you say, the II or D was the RF model (LYKAN/AIROO, February 1932, from 71,200). The Standard (E in the United States, October 1932, LENOT/ALNOO) from 101,000 was rangefinderless but otherwise somewhat similar to a II, with the narrow rewind knob that would appear 6 months later on the III (F in the United States, LYDRO/ACHOO).

I fully take your point about Porsches and Model Ts, but for me, the picture is the thing, and shooting with 'classic' cameras stands too much in the way. One of my favourite pictures was taken with my 1936 IIIa and Elmar (bought in 1969 or so), and it wouldn't have been better shot with an M and Summicron; but a more versatile camera has, for me, had more attraction since I bought my first M in the mid-70s because of its increased versatility and (in some cases) quality. I've owned most screw Leicas, and the ones I haven't owned, I've borrowed including even B and FF (LOOMY). I still love my original IIIa (the only screw Leica I still own) but I pretty much gave up collecting in the 1970s, though my A History of the 35mm Still Camera (Focal Press) came out in 1984, the fruit of many loans from Paul-Henry Van Hasbroeck, Colin Glanfield, Dr. A. Neill Wright, and others.

As I say, I don't want to rain on your parade. It's a really fun camera, and I'm very happy you have it, and that it's being used. I just wish more people could try them today: they were of course a lot cheaper a third of a century ago. But if they could try them, as I'm sure you'd agree, many would see why innovations were introduced.

Cheers,

R.

 

[raid]

I have a black Standard Leica in which the VF has been replaced by a second accessory shoe. I love this camera.

 

[ZeissFan]

This camera appears to have been used gently and well cared for. Congratulations on your excellent find. I hope that you get some great shots with it.

 

[Rob-F]

Different writers use different conventions. G. Rogliatti uses this form: Leica I "Model A"; Leica II "Model D" etc.

Dennis Laney (Hove Collector books) is similar, but with parentheses instead of quotes: Leica I (Model A).

Jim Lager in the Leica Illustrated Guide used simply Leica A, without the roman numeral.

And somewhere else I recall seeing Leica I (A); Leica II (D) etc.

I think it's better not to use the form of Leica IA, IID, etc., because it too closely resembles the later Ic, IIc, IIIc, If, IIf, IIIf where the letters now represent successive later models, rather than an alternate designation for the same model represented by the roman numeral.

 

[Rob-F]

A great find, by the way, Tony! Beautiful example of this early Leica!

 

[Rob-F]

I understand your frustration in older cameras, and your preference for more modern cameras, but why can't we yearn for the latest from Porsche whilst still enjoying a jaunt in Model 'T' Ford ? 😉

.....

Er, shouldn't that be "model A Ford" under the circumstances?

 

[tonyj]

Leica I, "Model A"

Leica I, "Model A"

Sorry to get into serious nerd disputes, but my own impression was that LEICA/LEANE was '1' in Europe and 'A' in the United States. In other words, it's I or an A, but not a IA, just as you can have a II or a D but not a IID.
R.

Not to prolong a discussion for which there is no finite answer, I will quote from Gianni Rogliatti's book "Leica - The first 60 years", which was written by an Italian author living in Europe, who was given access to many of the Leitz company's official records in Wetzlar, and whose book is introducted by Dr. Knut Kuhn-Leitz.

My version of the book was published in the United Kingdom in English, in 1985, and was published in German and Italian the same year for the German and Italian markets.

"The designation of camera models is another puzzling matter. At the beginning there were two such designations; the first camera marketed was known as LEICA I to the public, but as type A in the factory and in some other countries. The second model, with the Compur shutter, was type B. A newer model with a screw lens mount was also called LEICA I and was known inside the factory as type C, (and in some foreign countries). Then the LEICA II rangefinder was known as type D, while the Standard LEICA (without rangefinder) type E."


...and no Roger, you are not raining on any parade of mine. Whatever you wish to call this camera, it is still an example of the very first production model camera sold by the E.Leitz company ..... and I am very pleased to finally own one. 😉

 

[Ducky]

Greetings from a very poor American relative. An Argus AF circa 1937.

 

[easyrider]

Beautiful. Congratulations. A lovely piece of machinery. I bet the photos will be good too.

As for the question about no rangefinder, my own av is a Rollei 35. I have some hand held rangefinders but find they slow things down. It takes great pix with the RF in my head and I am sure it will be the same with this camera.

 

[Roger Hicks]

I think it's better not to use the form of Leica IA, IID, etc., because it too closely resembles the later Ic, IIc, IIIc, If, IIf, IIIf where the letters now represent successive later models, rather than an alternate designation for the same model represented by the roman numeral.

That was my point, really. The number-plus-letter is really only confusing for the III or F (very different from a IIIF) and and possibly the IIIa or G, and as the IIIa had a top speed of 1/1000 a IA might be taken as a (non-existent) Standard with 1/1000. If you want to use both, the bracket -- I(A) or II(D) -- is much better.

I prefer Paul-Henry Van Hasbroeck's books to Rogliatti, and indeed the Collector's Check List of Leica Cameras, Lenses and Accessories, Wright & Glanfield, 3rd ed. 1977. Most of my own research was done using BJP Almanacs and Leitz catalogues from the 1930s.

And I completely agree with Tony: it's a lovely thing to have, and to play with. I don't for one instant regret selling mine to buy more modern cameras, but if I still had it today, I wouldn't sell it, and I would almost certainly use it. Equally, I wouldn't buy another, because I'd merely be repeating an experience from my younger days.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Luddite Frank]

Lovely camera !

I'm quitely jealous !

Enjoy !

I am seeking a "hockey-stick" Leica to round-out my collection of Black Barnacks:

"D" - 1932, s/n 77 xxx, w/ "11 o'clock" nickel Elmar, s/n 99xxx

"F" - 1933, s/n 117xxx ( two of them ! )


For my own purposes, I generally use the letter-based designation for the early (black) cameras, and the numeric designation for the later Chrome cameras...

I generally try to follow Leitz's nomenclature as used in the English catalogues from 1932, 1936, and 1957(?), as reprinted by Hove.

My other "bible" are the Morgan & Lester "Leica Manuals".

My everyday shooter is a 1934 III.

Enjoy your Barnack !

Luddite Frank

( Updated 12-7-09: I dug out the books this morning, and it appears that I was confused when I made this post: all the Leica catalogues refernce the various Barnacks by Roman numeral only. Mssrs. Morgan and Lester are the ones who use the "A, B, C, D, E, F, and G" model designations. Mea culpa ! )

 

[raid]

My three Leica cameras, showing a Standard Leica in the back:

Leica M3 with Summicron 35/2
Leica M6 with Summicron 50/2
Standard Leica with Elmar 5cm 3,5


a crop: