xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
I only ever saw one of these in real life, the last Leotax produced.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFGIR5D1xX0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFGIR5D1xX0
The rare Leotax G camera
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David Murphy
Veteran
Very interesting video, thanks for posting. I was vaguely aware this camera existed, but I've never seen one. I can't even recall seeing one for sale on eBay before. I would imagine very few still exist today. The camera looks fantastic BTW - I like the way it loads film.
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
I only ever saw one non-working example, David...around 500 units were ever produced and assembled by several sub-contractors from parts made by Leotax, as the firm was in receivership by 1960 . The consensus was that they were a bit sub-par from the usual Leotax high quality.
David Murphy
Veteran
Here's another one you won't see too often, especially one that is new-old-stock like this one
IMG_3775 by davidociwedu, on Flickr
IMG_3776 by davidociwedu, on Flickr
IMG_3772 by davidociwedu, on Flickr
IMG_3775 by davidociwedu, on FlickrIMG_3776 by davidociwedu, on FlickrIMG_3772 by davidociwedu, on Flickrhap
Well-known
I would know those fingers even if the name was nowhere to be found.
David Murphy
Veteran
The problem with some of these older cameras and lenses is that when they clearly turn into appreciating collectibles, one is reluctant to use them, and reluctant to sell them!
So are they then to be considered shelf queens, appreciating long term assets, or simply objects of obsession? I'm not sure.
So are they then to be considered shelf queens, appreciating long term assets, or simply objects of obsession? I'm not sure.
hilltime
Well-known
I won an auction on EBay for a Leotax G and original box about six months ago and paid immediately, thinking I had scored the coup of my collecting lifetime. I’ve looked for this model ever since I started collecting Leotax, maybe 15yrs ago, never really thinking I’d actually find one. This example looked to be in excellent condition and according to the seller working correctly. I was informed the next day, as this was an auction from Japan, that the camera was unavailable, as it had been sold in another outlet, unknowingly, by the sellers store. He apologized, and promptly refunded my money, and proceeded to say, he’d keep me in mind when another came along! Obviously, I won’t be holding my breath as another turning up in that condition would be a minor miracle to say the least. I’ve saved a picture of that camera and every so often, I’ll think, it should be resting comfortably along side my other Leotax’s but, what is not meant to be is not meant to be. Thus, the joys and the longings of a camera collector.....
Hope all are enjoying a wonderful Holiday Season and an anticipated better New Year.
Hope all are enjoying a wonderful Holiday Season and an anticipated better New Year.
That one is rare- and I've seen it featured on some Websites. I'd never give up hope of finding one- many lenses coming out of Japan are dropping in price, and a few are being driven up unexpectedly. There seems to be a drop in interest in camera collecting in Japan, and interest elsewhere for a few items as they become better known.
The Leotax G is a very interesting advanced design for a LTM rangefinder - one of the very best designs. Unfortunately it has a very unreliable shutter reputation.
Add to that the G is so rare that virtually no repair tech outside Japan has experience working on it and making it right.
Even so, get one if you can.
Add to that the G is so rare that virtually no repair tech outside Japan has experience working on it and making it right.
Even so, get one if you can.
David Murphy
Veteran
Knowing that G's actually exist and occassionaly appear for sale puts them on my list now!
What I find remarkable about Leotax is how rapidly they went out of business. They were churning out fairly good quality Leica copies in relatively high numbers not too long before they went bankrupt. I suppose they just waited too long to make the transition to more advanced rangefinder bodies or even get into the early SLR game. Marketing might have also been part of their downfall. Other firms seem to have handled the export market better, allowing for example their products to be rebranded - and doing whatever it took to sell more units (Nicca for example as well as German companies). I get the impression that Leotax was a bigger success in Japan than abroad.
What I find remarkable about Leotax is how rapidly they went out of business. They were churning out fairly good quality Leica copies in relatively high numbers not too long before they went bankrupt. I suppose they just waited too long to make the transition to more advanced rangefinder bodies or even get into the early SLR game. Marketing might have also been part of their downfall. Other firms seem to have handled the export market better, allowing for example their products to be rebranded - and doing whatever it took to sell more units (Nicca for example as well as German companies). I get the impression that Leotax was a bigger success in Japan than abroad.
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
I think that not gearing up for 35mm SLRs in the late 1950s and not being an in house lens makers doomed them like it did Nicca. The SLR camera by virtue of seeing thru the lens help sell a lot more lenses to a typical amateur photographer even if a firm lost money on each SLR body they sold. These firms were also following Japanese gov't directives as which ones will survive and which other ones will be cannibalised by other firms, the Japanese motorcycle industry went thru a similar phase. EG :Nicca was dismantled and Yashica got their focal plane shutter expertise for the new Yashica SLR cameras.. so popular by 1960.
David Murphy
Veteran
Nicca is the one that really impressed me when it came to quality. Their early Barnack copies were superb. I was shooting with my Nicca/Yashica YF over the Christmas weekend testing out a CV 28mn F1.9 Ultron mounted on it - what a pleasure it was to use. No not quite an M3, but close to it.
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
The YF along the Leotax G were some of the few RF cameras with focal plane shutters and interchangeable lenses that had projected VF framelines...they joined the ranks of the illustrious pro models of the Leica M series, the Nikon SP and the new Canon 7....not bad for 2nd tier camera makers.
hilltime
Well-known
Quest complete, although body only without the much rarer 5CM/F1.8 Topcor, but I've got many LTM lenses to mount. It looks like the G is starting to shake loose from
the Japanese collector's market as I've seen a couple lately, whereas never did for many, many years.
the Japanese collector's market as I've seen a couple lately, whereas never did for many, many years.
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
Congratulations ! A very nice prize indeed....that is a real find and a fantastic beauty.
One of these turned up in a Tasmania camera store a few years ago, I remember handling it briefly. Not brand new, of course. I believe it was sold on consignment for its owner (or their relatives, more likely).Here's another one you won't see too often, especially one that is new-old-stock like this one
bluesun267
Well-known
I'm very jealous indeed! I've seen a couple of these Leo Gs on Yahoo Japan over the past year. I'm curious to hear your impressions of the build quality and feel. I think Leotax was among the top 2 Japanese Leica screw mount camera makers. Neck in neck with the mid 50s Canons (IVSB2, IID2 and L1).
I am currently awaiting delivery on a Minolta 35 IIB w/ Super Rokkor 50/1.8 lens (Minoltas final* foray into LTM cameras). Have never handled/ or even seen one in person but I am absolutely smitten by the simultaneously modern yet baroque styling:
On the theme of Japanese LTM "Swansong" cameras, has anyone ever owned or used a Tanack V3? A contemporary to the Leotax G (and looks quite similar but without the projected brightline window). The V3 has its own proprietary M-like bayonet mount (and accompanying LTM adapter since they went out of business before they could produce any lenses natively in that mount). Those do also come up periodically for sale in Japan.
*Actually Minolta had plans to produce their own modernized RF camera after the IIb but apparently it never made it beyond the prototype stage. Perhaps not un-coincidentally it looked very similar to the Leotax G and shared many of the same features with it. It was called the Minolta SKY (initials stand for "prototype" in Japanese). There may only be one actual copy in existence.
Coldkennels
Barnack-toting Brit.
Personally, I'd argue that Leotax outshone Canon in terms of build quality. Yeah, they didn't innovate as much as Canon did, but the small details they did introduce on the later cameras are wonderfully well done, and they're incredibly smooth cameras to use.
It's just a shame that so many Leotaxes appear to suffer from chrome pitting now. I don't know whether that's down to Leica IIIc-style poor chroming, the Japanese climate, neglectful storage, or a combination of the three.
bluesun267
Well-known
I haven't been able to figure out the chrome pitting issue either. Some have it terribly, some a little, and yet it's not too difficult to find pristine examples either. The Japanese climate is brutal to cameras and electronics in ways that are unimaginable in much of the rest of the world.
From a repair perspective, the mechanism/design of the lever wind Leotax is a bit of an add-on and won't stand up to hard use as well as the lever wind Canon models. Internal parts fit/finish and the shutter mechanism itself are excellent though.
Interestingly, compare any of the later Leotax models to a Leica IIIc-IIIf-IIIg and you'll notice shutter vibration levels much closer to an M3 than a Barnack, ie, non-existent. There's none of that 'kickback'. It's probably not meaningful to photographic outcome but it shows Leotax were aware of the many ways they could improve on Leica.
hilltime
Well-known
I have heard of the potential pitfalls of the Leotax G, in that the assembly might have not been up to previous standards and the shutters are somewhat sketchy, but so far in handling and dry testing, it seems to be just fine. My only observation is the chrome is not very good upon close inspection and it almost prevented me from buying it, but it actually cleaned up quite nicely. I wouldn't want to go out and put a hundred rolls through it, but what "collectible" would you try to do that?. I have a pretty full line up of Leo's I have found, from D-IV, FV, TV2 (Merite), T2L (Elite) and Topcor lenses from 35/2.8, 5cm/2, 5CM/2.8, 9CM/3.5, and 13.5CM/3.5 as well as an Olympus 4CM/2.8 and 5CM/2 Leonon. You might say I have really liked this brand. All are in excellent condition and seemingly mechanically sound.
I also had to have a Minolta IIB w/5CM/1.8 Rokkor after again collecting a number of models of the Minolta 35 series and lenses to boot. Very fine camera and one of my fave LTM lenses.
You mentioned a Tanack V3 which I just got about 6 months ago and it again is a very fine Leica copy. It luckily came with the unique lens adapter so no issue with mounting LTM lenses.
Haven't had a chance to film test but again shutter seems right on to sight and sound. I have had a Tanack IV for a number of years and have always liked the way this camera loaded. Never
have been a fan of all the bottom loading Barnacks, but it is what it is.
A big part of my collection has been the Leica copies which I blame on the book "Leica Copies by HPR. I also have my Canon's and one Nicca 33 as well as the real thing, Leica IIC and IIIG.
I started this journey with purchasing a Leica IIIF (RD) because I wanted a camera as old as I was, but somehow through the yrs..... they have multiplied.
I also had to have a Minolta IIB w/5CM/1.8 Rokkor after again collecting a number of models of the Minolta 35 series and lenses to boot. Very fine camera and one of my fave LTM lenses.
You mentioned a Tanack V3 which I just got about 6 months ago and it again is a very fine Leica copy. It luckily came with the unique lens adapter so no issue with mounting LTM lenses.
Haven't had a chance to film test but again shutter seems right on to sight and sound. I have had a Tanack IV for a number of years and have always liked the way this camera loaded. Never
have been a fan of all the bottom loading Barnacks, but it is what it is.
A big part of my collection has been the Leica copies which I blame on the book "Leica Copies by HPR. I also have my Canon's and one Nicca 33 as well as the real thing, Leica IIC and IIIG.
I started this journey with purchasing a Leica IIIF (RD) because I wanted a camera as old as I was, but somehow through the yrs..... they have multiplied.
