Leicaflex

The original Leicaflex

The Leicaflex was the first 35mm single-lens reflex made by Leica. It was released in 1964, at a time when the SLRs were rapidly increasing their popularity and usability. The Nikon F launched in 1959 is the symbol of that evolution. At the beginning of the 1960s, the big technical improvement which was coming in the reflex design was the built-in through the lens exposure meter.

At the time, the only still cameras sold by Leica were 35mm high-end rangefinders, a type of cameras that the Japanese makers Canon and Nikon were beginning to abandon, and which were challenged by the SLRs as the professional reference. So Leica decided to make a reflex too. They made it their way, and designed a superbly finished, extremely solid and expensive camera, called Leicaflex.

The only flaw, which was much criticized at the time, was that the exposure meter was not the modern through the lens type, but an old fashioned and less precise external one. We can recognize the original Leicaflex with the CdS meter window just above the lens. This camera can be compared in terms of finish, quality, and early obsolescence, to the Zeiss Contarex launched in 1958.

The original Leicaflex has a finder which could seem a bit strange today, with a very bright aerial image, and a small focusing zone only at the center. It also has a mirror lock-up, and shutter speeds up to 1/2000 visible in the finder.

The camera introduced a new bayonet mount, which is mechanically the same as today's Leica R9. The Leicaflex / Leica R lenses are superb optics but, at the beginning, the range was quite limited.

The original Leicaflex was sold in chrome finish. Some were made in black finish too, but they are rare. Diehard collectors distinguish between the first series with a fan-shaped exposure counter window and a tripod socket attached by three screws, and the second series with a round exposure counter window, a tripod socket integrated in the bottom plate and a meter switch built in the advance lever. In user terms it makes no difference. 37,450 serial numbers were allotted to the original Leicaflex.

The Leicaflex SL

In 1968, Leica reacted to the critics about the non-TTL meter in the original Leicaflex, and introduced its successor the Leicaflex SL with a TTL meter. As all the competition were making SLRs with a TTL meter with readings available at full aperture, Leica was obliged to do the same on the Leicaflex SL.

An unfortunate result is that they had to slightly modify the lens mount, by adding a new cam to communicate information from the lens to the body. The lenses for the original Leicaflex are called one-cam, and those for the SL are called two-cams. Later Leica would have to do the same thing again to introduce the automation with the Leica R3, and there were the three-cam lenses. All the lenses are mechanically similar and can mount on older or newer bodies, with a few exceptions. All later lenses can fully operate the older bodies. However the older lenses cannot use the full potentiality of the exposure meter on the later bodies. Leica offered to convert the older lenses to the newer type.

Another important change introduced with the Leicaflex SL is the viewfinder, with a ground glass focusing screen and a center microprism spot. This more usual configuration does not prevent it from being very bright and comfortable for its time, and even for today's standards.

The Leicaflex SL does not have the mirror lock-up feature, and so the very special 21mm f/3.4 Schneider Super-Angulon designed to work with the mirror up and an external viewer on the original Leicaflex cannot be mounted and the SL and the followers. This is not too worrying because it was replaced by the retrofocus type 21mm f/4 Schneider Super-Angulon, which operates normally.

The Leicaflex SL existed in chrome as well as black finish. The black finish was first black enamel, then a more durable black chrome. 70,995 serial numbers were allotted to the Leicaflex SL.

In 1972, for the Olympic Games in Munchen, a limited edition of 1,000 was made in chrome with special markings (the five rings, the year 72 and a three digit number).

Some Leicaflex SL for the US Navy were engraved NAVY on the bottom plate (see for example here). They are reported at least in black enamel and black chrome.

On occasions, you can find a dummy Leicaflex SL with a dummy 50mm f/2 Summicron standard lens. This was a display object and demonstration model for retailers, and is called Attrappe in German. They did not have a serial number.

The Leicaflex SL Mot

The Leicaflex SL Mot was a variant of the Leicaflex SL that could take a motor drive, and lacked the meter switch in the advance lever. The SL Mot was mostly produced in black enamel and later black chrome. A chrome Leicaflex SL Mot is shown here. The motor drive was marked Leicaflex Motor, and was probably only made in black. 980 serial numbers were allotted to the Leicaflex SL Mot.

The Leicaflex SL2

Leica modified the Leicaflex SL in 1974 and it became the Leicaflex SL2. The modifications are minor:

• addition of the aperture read-out in the finder
• viewfinder illumination
• hot shoe
• more sensitive exposure meter
• modified mirror mechanism, to accept new wide-angle lenses that cannot be mounted on the previous bodies (16mm f/2.8 Fisheye Elmarit-R, 19mm f/2.8 Elmarit-R and 24mm f/2.8 Elmarit-R)
• minor cosmetic details, like the position of the battery tester.

The Leicaflex SL2 was produced in chrome and in black finish (always black chrome). 24,555 serial numbers were allotted for the SL2, but among them were some SL2 Mot. Some SL2 received special Leica 50 Jahre markings in 1975, for Leica's 50th anniversary.

The Leicaflex SL2 would remain the last all mechanical Leica reflex body for years, before the advent of the R6. This and its relative rarity compared to the SL has driven the prices quite high. In terms of usability and price, the Leicaflex SL is the best compromise in that series of cameras for today's user.

The Leicaflex SL2 Mot

As for the SL, a version of the SL2 called Leicaflex SL2 Mot was made, only in black, with the provision to accept a motor drive, common with the SL Mot. 1,020 serial numbers were allotted to the SL2 Mot, plus some that were made in batches allotted to the SL2.

Accessories

• Motor drive for the Leicaflex SL Mot and SL2 Mot, named Leicaflex Motor

• Eveready case 14557
• Eveready bags

Links

• Original Leicaflex and Leicaflex SL2 at summilux.net
• Leicaflex SL and SL2 at Photoethnography
• Leicaflex SL review by Doug Herr at photo.net
• Reviews at KB Camera of the Leicaflex, the Leicaflex SL and Leicaflex SL2
• Leica SLRs by Christoph Ozdoba
• Black Leicaflex SL in perfect condition at www.overgaard.dk
• R Leica Fan Club, a site in Japanese
• List of Leica SLR serial numbers at Cameraquest
• Japanese page with pictures of the Leicaflex 18×24 prototype