Leica copy

golden Leica II fake image by camaras de colores (Image rights)

Leica copy is a term that's often used for 35mm viewfinder or rangefinder cameras. But only half of the cases of so-called Leica copies reveal the real ambition of camera makers to make a true copy of Leica's sophisticated camera constructions. This half, the true Leica copies, is divided in 3 classes:

• Counterfeited Leica rangefinder cameras, sold on the black market as real Leicas or as good copies.
• Copies of mainly the Leica rangefinder cameras, having been made by renowned camera makers as OEM products or bearing the makers' own brands.
• Camera constructions resulting from cooperations of the Leica Camera company with other camera makers, differing in a few details from a Leica model.

The other half is also divided in three classes

• Fake Leicas looking like originals which don't work or have lousy mechanics far from making them true copies.
• Old rangefinder cameras overemphasized as Leica copies (resembling a Leica but being no copy).
• Other rangefinder and viewfinder cameras which have nothing to do with Leica's camera designs. Then the term is used by vendors of old cameras to achieve attention by collectors.

Leica IIIc copies of the renowned makers Nicca (OEM for Sears), Tanack and Reid image by Rick Soloway (Image rights)

Links

• images of original early Leica 35m cameras at Peter Lausch's[1]

Glossary Terms