Leicaflex

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The original Leicaflex

The Leicaflex was the first 35mm single-lens reflex made by Leitz. It was released in 1964, at a time when SLRs were rapidly increasing in popularity and usability.

Leitz was a reluctant entrant into the SLR market. At the beginning of the 1960s, the only still cameras manufactured by Leitz were 35mm rangefinders, a type of camera that its Japanese competitors, most notably Nippon Kōgaku (Nikon) were beginning to abandon. The company's management continued to believe in the inherent advantages of the rangefinder design over the SLR, but in view of the shift in market share from rangefinders to reflex cameras such as the Nikon F, the Asahi Pentax and the SR-series Minolta in the early 1960s, and the increasing prominence of high quality SLR cameras such as the Nikon F among professional photographers, it had little choice but to offer an SLR of its own. To compete in this marketplace Leitz introduced a superbly finished, extremely solid and expensive camera, called Leicaflex.

The Leicaflex lacked a few features present in the most advanced products of its time. It was much criticized for omitting a through the lens (TTL) exposure meter of the type which had previously been incorporated into the Topcon Super D and the Asahi Pentax Spotmatic, and which would soon appear in the Nikon Photomic T, Canon Pellix and a number of other high-end reflex cameras. It also lacked the interchangeable viewfinders of the Miranda, Canonflex, and Nikon F. Finally, the original Leicaflex featured a finder which, while offering a very bright aerial image, was not full focusing, offering only a small focusing zone at the center. The Leicaflex did offer 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 that of today's Leica R9. The Leicaflex / Leica R lenses are superb optics but at the time of the introduction of the Leicaflex the range was limited to 35mm, 50mm, 90mm and 135mm focal lengths of moderate speed. The original Leicaflex is identifiable from its CdS meter window just above the lens.

The original Leicaflex was sold in chrome and black enamel finish. the latter being 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, Leitz responded to the critics of the non-TTL meter of the original Leicaflex by introducing its successor the Leicaflex SL with a TTL meter. At a time when SLR manufacturers were divided between those embracing TTL metering at full aperture (such as Nikon and Konica, and those with mounts which permitted only stop-down metering (such as Pentax and Canon), Leitz chose to implement full aperture metering on the Leicaflex SL.

While this choice was fortuitious from a usability standpoint, an unfortunate result was that Leitz had to make a slight modification to the lens mount, by adding a new cam to communicate aperture information from the lens to the body. The lenses for the original Leicaflex are therefore referred to as "one-cam" lenses, while those for the SL and the later SL2 are referred to as "two-cam" lenses. Later Leitz would have to introduce a third cam to permit automation with the Leica R3, giving rise to "three-cam" lenses. All the lenses are mechanically similar and can mount on older or newer bodies, with a few exceptions. However, the older lenses cannot use the full potential of the exposure metering systems and automation offered by the later bodies. To this day, Leica and its service agents offer a service to add the second and third cams to older lenses to permit compatibility with more recent reflex models.

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 by today's standards.

The Leicaflex SL does not allow the mirror to be locked up, and so the 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 on the SL or its 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 was offered 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 Munich, an 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

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

  • addition of an 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 chrome finish. 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 the 50th anniversary of the first Leica.

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 have driven the prices quite high. In terms of usability and price, the Leicaflex SL in good condition is likely to be the best compromise among this 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

General links

In English:

In French:

In Spanish:

In Japanese (with some English):

User manuals

Other