The leica manual 1935++

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Many years ago, for reasons that now escape me, I collected every Leica Manual. Not just every edition, but every printing of every eddition. Sometimes the second or even third printing run contained some new information or an insert updating a recent change. By my count, there are 28 different copies. Admittedly, some have only minor revisions.  I agree that the 15th and final edition is a must read. The original first edition, first printing is probably the hardest to find. It was even reprinted.

Dear Mr. McFall -- I wonder if by any chance you have the manual for the 1929 Leica 1 or Leica A.  I have just had one delivered, and I don't understand how to operate the focus of the lens.  Does it have a locking knob, or?  I would really like to know how to use this camera.  It has a horizontally-mounted external rangefinder which I suppose gives you the distance that you need to transfer to the lens itself.  It all looks very good except for this inability of my own.  It's a collapsible Elmar.  Thank you so much if you have this.  Lisa Davidson

[jaapv]

No manual needed. You determine the distance by the (optional extra) rangefinder or by eye and turn the lens to the same setting, marked on the ring on the camera side of the lens.

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[Pecole]

My Fontenelle collection's library comprised - and I still have - the 16 original volumes of the entire collection (nº 14 offering two successive and slightly different editions). I limited myself to original editions..

My Leica library, still in boxes since I do not collect any more, counts around 250 titles, not taking into account hundreds of magazines (Viewfinder, Vidom etc...) bound or not, catalogues and Leitz literature. Blessed old times….

[sandro]

On 9/13/2018 at 9:19 PM, M9reno said:

This is an original 1935 first ed. (left) and 1977 reprint (right).

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For various reasons I am interested in the Leica Manual and other Leica literature, but it's difficult to not loose oneself in buying all the editions and prints. I bought the first edition, second printing of 1935, strangely enough with a dust jacket of 1936. I got a 3rd (revised) edition of 1938 as well. I haven't checked every item of course, but the authors were keen on adding things and making adjustments.

Lex

[Anbaric]

Since we're reviving this thread, my favourite edition of those I've seen is the 11th, covering the cameras up to the IIIf. Arthur Rothstein from Look, Alfred Eisenstadt from Life, and Magnum co-founder William Vandivert contribute articles on various aspects of photojournalism. Ansel Adams does the chapter on printing, and Harold 'Doc' Edgerton the one on electronic flash, and there are specialised chapters on everything from underwater photography by Peter Stackpole of Life to one on photographing musicians by the multi-talented Adrian Siegel, who was both a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra and their official photographer.

[sandro]

Thanks, that sounds interesting indeed. I first received the 13th edition, second printing of 1956, from the estate of the owner who apparently bought it when he bought his first Leica M3. In this edition the title was changed into Leica Manual and Data Book. The chapters are no longer by various authors but appear to have been written by Morgan and Lester. From the estate of a photographer's couple I received the 3rd edition, second printing of 1938, after which I was curious enough to buy the first edition. As with Leica camera's, once you get interested in the literature about them you may (or rather I may) like to get more editions.

Lex

Edited August 15, 2023 by sandro

[Anbaric]

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There are also several editions on archive.org - the earlier ones from the 30s are mostly downloadable:

https://archive.org/search?query=morgan+leica+manual

[willeica]

All Leica Camera Manuals are available here to Leica Society International members.

https://collection.lhsa.org/digital/collection/p17233coll11/search

The link may not work for non members, of course. There is a lot more material available here, covering a range of Leica related topics. 

William 

[Studienkamera]

2 hours ago, sandro said:

I first received the 13th edition, second printing of 1956, from the estate of the owner who apparently bought it when he bought his first Leica M3. In this edition the title was changed into Leica Manual and Data Book. The chapters are no longer by various authors but appear to have been written by Morgan and Lester.

I have the 15th edition from 1973 entitled "Leica Manual - The Complete Book of 35mm Photography", edited by Douglas O. Morgan, David Vestal and William L. Broecker. This edition again consists of chapters written by a variety of authors. 

Edited August 15, 2023 by Studienkamera

[sandro]

Today I got the 15th edition as well, what a coincidence. Looks like a very fascinating and rather different book as compared to the earlier editions. As the subtitle The complete book of 35mm photograph says it is more than a book for Leica users.

Lex

[willeica]

I like the 1937 edition of the Leica Manual where Roy Stryker of FSA used Dorothea Lange's not yet fully famous 'Migrant Mother' image from 1936 to illustrate an article about picture layouts for magazine articles. 

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William 

[wlaidlaw]

William, 

There is a first class exhibit on this subject, with I seem to recall some of these images, in the Smithsonian Museum of American History, the Mall, Washington DC. 

Wilson

[sandro]

On 8/15/2023 at 9:57 PM, Anbaric said:

Since we're reviving this thread, my favourite edition of those I've seen is the 11th, covering the cameras up to the IIIf. Arthur Rothstein from Look, Alfred Eisenstadt from Life, and Magnum co-founder William Vandivert contribute articles on various aspects of photojournalism. Ansel Adams does the chapter on printing, and Harold 'Doc' Edgerton the one on electronic flash, and there are specialised chapters on everything from underwater photography by Peter Stackpole of Life to one on photographing musicians by the multi-talented Adrian Siegel, who was both a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra and their official photographer.

Are you sure about the 11th edition? I am looking at it on the internet archive but I don't find a chapter by Adams, or the other ones you mentioned. Several of them were for sure included in the much later 15th edition though.

Lex

[Anbaric]

50 minutes ago, sandro said:

Are you sure about the 11th edition? I am looking at it on the internet archive but I don't find a chapter by Adams, or the other ones you mentioned. Several of them were for sure included in the much later 15th edition though.

Lex

Sorry! You are quite right, it's the 12th edition I had in mind. There are some images of the contents in this ebay sale:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/285027181992

NYT subscribers can read a contemporary review here, which I'd be quite interested to see:

https://www.nytimes.com/1951/01/28/archives/the-new-leica-manual-twelfth-edition-of-popular-source-book.html

If you are lucky, you might find the supplementary booklet that introduced the M3 included:

https://www.dagcamera.com/store/p203/"New_Leica_Manual"__1954-_SOLD.html

I wonder if the 15th edition has some of the same articles for historical interest, updated articles, or different articles? I should soon find out, as I've just ordered one!

Edited August 17, 2023 by Anbaric

[Anbaric]

1 hour ago, willeica said:

I like the 1937 edition of the Leica Manual where Roy Stryker of FSA used Dorothea Lange's not yet fully famous 'Migrant Mother' image from 1936 to illustrate an article about picture layouts for magazine articles.

Thanks, that's an interesting one!

https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.151212/page/n333/mode/2up

I couldn't find it at first, as I was looking at a 1937 reprint of the 2nd edition, rather than the 3rd edition first printed in 1937. This book seems to have evolved pretty rapidly in the early days, with enough changes to keep readers interested and maybe buy the next edition. Chapter 19 on archaeology and exploration is worth a look too, though the typical western attitudes of the time to the locals would need to carry a trigger warning today.

Edited August 17, 2023 by Anbaric

[sandro]

1 hour ago, willeica said:

I like the 1937 edition of the Leica Manual where Roy Stryker of FSA used Dorothea Lange's not yet fully famous 'Migrant Mother' image from 1936 to illustrate an article about picture layouts for magazine articles. 

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William 

That is the 3rd edition of 1937, of which I have the second printing of 1938. Fascinating indeed, because it's a kind of visual analysis of how people are looking, and how to react on that human behaviour.

And as the OP also said, thanks for pointing this out, William.

Lex

[TomB_tx]

I also have the 12th edition - a gift from my uncle who bought it new. This one came with a reproduction of the original (English) model A instruction booklet.

[willeica]

8 hours ago, sandro said:

That is the 3rd edition of 1937, of which I have the second printing of 1938. Fascinating indeed, because it's a kind of visual analysis of how people are looking, and how to react on that human behaviour.

And as the OP also said, thanks for pointing this out, William.

Lex

Lange and Stryker had many an argument about this an other images. There is even a story about him punching holes in some of her negs, so that she could not use them. However, he thought so highly of this image that he used it as the 'landing image' in a mock up of an article about the Great US Drought.

William