The Japanese and the (Leica) Red "Dot" -- Speculation, Theory, Conjecture

[tunalegs]

Petri, Bolsey, Halina, probably tons of others used a red "dot" before it became a Leica thing.

 

[naruto]

AFAIK, the red accent started entering Nikon design via Giorgetto Giugiaro, with the F3 in 1981. 'twas a red line.

That was one of the reasons for me to buy my current car. The Fiat Grande Punto. 😀

 

[Rayt]

My friend Neeru has a red dot. Maybe it was a spiritual reason to have a splash of color on the camera or so the subject knows where to look when he says cheese!

 

[Doug]

Belomo Elikon, from Belarus... suspiciously similar to something else...

 

[nongfuspring]

In Deyan Sudjic's "The Language of Things" there's a short history of red accented black colour schemes in industrial design. According to him it started with a handgun (I can't remember which) that was all black save for a red dot under the safety switch. When the safety was unlatched it showed the red dot.

Anyway I don't think Sudjic makes the argument that the gun was the origin of the red and black combination (there are almost certainly other examples of it beforehand), but just uses it as an example of how aesthetic "memes" spread and reinforce each other.

In any case it seems a bit absurd to credit Leica with inventing black with red accents!

 

[matic]

interesting observation. but red accents were pretty common on other JP electronics

 

[pete hogan]

I had a 1953 Zorki 1c with red-filled engraving on the top plate, but I suppose that maybe wasn't commercial intent!

 

[farlymac]

Belomo Elikon, from Belarus... suspiciously similar to something else...

Ooh, an XA with a hot-shoe!

PF

 

[Doug]

Ooh, an XA with a hot-shoe!

PF

It fastens to the side like the XA's flash unit. 🙂