Leitz Fodis and Fison

[laffertyphotography]

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Hello. Firstly can anyone tell me how I can date my Fodis? It is a vertical, four digit model, serial 13xx. I believe it is 1926 but wonder whether there is an online resource to check as there is with cameras and lenses? It came in a brown leather case.

 

Secondly, I have just acquired a black Fison, which slides over the lens barrel and unlike later fisons it does not have a screw to hold it in place.

 

Finally the Fison came with a very interesting red filter. It is a clip on filter in black and the only writing on it is "37" being the size, I imagine. Dos anyone know of such a filter? Is it a Leitz original?

 

John.

[luigi bertolotti]

I have never seen a detailed list of s/n of accessories (rangefinders, visoflexes etc...) related to year : your number looks "low" (I imagine they could start with 1xxx... just my idea....) so 1925-26 can have sense.

 

The first FISONs were indeed without clamping screw, and have several variations in shape and engravings... one of the most noticeable is that the very first ones had a rectangular "mask" in front... so that you had to realign the hood after focusing, to avoid vignetting... and there was an engraved arrow to help this operation.

Can you post a picture of the filter ? Afaik, Leitz didn't make filters of 37mm size... but they made really A LOT (and Leitz N.Y, also by itself, independently from Wetzlar) and am not 100% sure ; with a FISON hood, the typical Elmar filters of the era were the small ones (23mm) screwed in front of the lens, keeping free the 36mm external front ring to mount the hood.

Edited July 15, 2014 by luigi bertolotti

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