Researching 'Reid' (LeicaIIIf)

[Azinko]

I am trying to find info on the Reid camera and its makers, the Uk aeronautics firm 'Reid and Sigrist'

The Reid was/is not just another leica copy but an actual facsimile made using the captured leica tooling and parts removed from Germany under the 'Reparations Scheme' negotiated By the allies at the end of WWII. Many authorities and individuals do not know this as the story is now almost forgotten/lost/hidden now.

The best known of the 'reparations cameras' is the Kiev(Contax) but most of the German photo optical industry was carted off to the allied countries.

I am hoping that the Leica devotees on this site may be able to suggest titles (aand page no.s) in the literature which mention this sad and ignominious episode of Leica (and British) history.

 

[pshinkaw]

Bob:

Are you familiar with this website on Leica copies?

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/iannorris/home.htm

There is not much history there, but it may be a good cataloging source for Reid models. Jason Schneider also did a "Camera Collector" column in Modern Photography on the Reid. Again, the history was a little sparse and it dealt mostly with functionality.

-Paul

 

[Azinko]

Paul,....Thank you for your reply,...yes, I have seen that site,..did'nt know of the 'Mod Phtg' article.

I know a little bit more about Reid and Sigrist than abouit the 'Reid' itself;.....Fred Sigrist was a joint managing director with the Hawker Co. and was instrumental in developement of the Hawker 'Hurricane',...he set up 'R&S' to supply precision parts to Hawkers. In WWI he had been Tommy Sopwiths right hand man in the designing of the famous scouts,..Sopwith 'pup', 'Camel' and 'Triplane'. Died Bahamas multi-millionare.

R&S repaired Hurricanes damaged over British Isles during Battle of Britain, using their plant at Desford, Leics. Built and flew at least two prototype aircraft including very special 'Desford' with two cockpits for researching prone pilot flying.

The Reid 1 was used by RAF as cathode ray camera. This is probably the link. Did R&S just assemble from Leica parts?...Did they make Reid at Desford?...Who removed the tooling from Wetzlar?........

 

[jlw]

I'll have to check when I get home, but I believe the Schneider article said that Reid was set up during the WWII era to produce Leica-type cameras because Leicas were not available because of the hostilities (similar to the U.S. Army Signal Corps' Kardon project.)

If true, that kind of blows the 'reparations' angle, since it would have been hard to remove tooling from Wetzlar while the shooting was still going on!

 

[pshinkaw]

Bob:

There is a fair amount of info on the Reid retreivable thru a simple Google search. You have probably seen most of it, but many of us haven't, so here is my short list of references.


http://www.pacificrimcamera.com/pp/reid/reid.htm

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00AecW

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

http://www.angelfire.com/biz/Leica/page27.html

http://mejac2.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/v20/msg15577.html


I will take a look at the Jason Schneider article tonite. If you want a scanned copy, PM me with an e-mail address. Jason's articles sometimes have factual inaccuracies. I think he was just using the best information he had at the time.

There is no shortage of opinions on Photo-Net, but it is also difficult to separate objectivity from subjectivity there. technology transfer is frequently a touchy subject even when Leicas are not involved.

-Paul

 

[Azinko]

Hi Paul,

thanks agin for your help,....I am aware of most of this but there were two little snippets of info in the photonet item re Dr. Bell formerly of 'AP' magazine,.....unfortunately he died recently, but useful.

For many years these cameras were disparaged and sneered at in the Uk as being merely Leica 'lookalikes' , about as good as a FED!!....you could buy them for about £25 although they were well made and the Taylor-Hobson lens superior to Leitz product. I see a London dealer is currently listing Reid 1 at £2295,.....about $US 4000!!