Leica I (Model A) close focus questions

[alan mcfall]

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On 9/28/2021 at 7:51 AM, luigi bertolotti said:

 

ABout focusing : they indeed provided the external rangefinder (FOFER) in a version that went to 0,5 meters...

 

 

 Can you show a photo of a rangefinder with 0.5 meter engraving, that is not a cine version?  All the FODIS and FOFER rangefinders I can find are marked 1 meter or 3 feet.  From 1926 Leitz offered the cine version FOKIN with larger dial and engrving down to 0.5 meter or 1.5 feet (unengraved but attainable). Thus Leitz was offering a large dial rangefinder more than 4 years before the release of the large  dial FOFER.  Why the larger dial, easier to use/read, more numbers than the small dial, accuracy in the cine application at the 0.5 capabillity??  With the launch of interchageable lenses, the requirements for rangefinding the 35mm and 135mm lenses many have driven some design changes.  I previously posted a 35mm 3 digit lens with the 0.5 mark. The Nagle rangefinder versions are also large dial and are marked to 0.75 meters. I think Leitz, other than cine sales, focused mainly on a1 meter or 3 foot versions for common production, but also because they just didn't work that well below 1 meter.

From the camera side we clearly have many close focus cameras, likely nearly all of those feet marked. Correct distancing at close focus may have necessitated methods other than rangefinders (tape meassue).  The lens focus tables for fixed lens cameras (IA) show depth of field for the close focus (1.5 feet) setting, and with the No. 3 front close up lens, down to 9 5/8 inches from film to object.

An interesting note in Lager books is the FOPRI, a very rare prism adapter that effectively converts a 1 meter minimum rangefinder into a 0.5 meter rangefinder.It was not marketed, again perhaps suffering from paralax and other issues at close distances.

[luigi bertolotti]

3 hours ago, alan mcfall said:

 Can you show a photo of a rangefinder with 0.5 meter engraving, that is not a cine version?  All the FODIS and FOFER rangefinders I can find are marked 1 meter or 3 feet. ...

...An interesting note in Lager books is the FOPRI, a very rare prism adapter that effectively converts a 1 meter minimum rangefinder into a 0.5 meter rangefinder.It was not marketed, again perhaps suffering from paralax and other issues at close distances.

Sorry... but I have never "gone in depth" about rangefinders... and don't collect pictures of... 🤥, I distincly remember to have seen an item with an apparently standard dial, scaled to 0,5..... don't remembere where and when...   Van Hasbroeck depicts a curios variant of the FOFER with a "Dual scale" : this 2nd scale goes from 1 to 0,5 and is engraved (painted in red) in the inner diameter of the wheel : according to him, this scale had to be used with the FOPRI you quote (but he notes that the relation of this special RF with the 1A close focus can be "weak", being the close focus 1A scaled in feet) ; FOPRI is quoted also here : http://www.wetzlar-historica-italia.it/telemetri.html , but the author does not depict 0,5 mt rangefinders (apart the version for Large Format cameras and the cine versions)

[nf3996]

13 hours ago, beoon said:

What we can be almost certain about each of the 4 variations is therefore

1 - non close focus - metre scale (regular 1A production)

2 - close focus - metre scale (very rare, but if we accept the fact Lars has seen these)

3 - non close focus - feet scale (very rare and only ever accounted for in a very small serial number batch or possibly as a "bridge" camera?)

4 - close focus - feet scale (production numbers unknown, for Export only)

What is uncertain about the close focus - feet scale is the Ogilvy connection, this has been quoted in the Colin Glanfield book, but is there factual evidence of this connection

 

I've found another mention of a possible Ogilvy connection in Filippo Giunta's 'Systematic Approach' book. On page 64 he says: "The close focus Leica I had a near focus distance at1,5 feet and was produced mainly for export (Ogilvy & Co. UK)". He illustrates the close focus version with No 27056.

Alan

[clift_d]

My close focus Leica 1A is Ser 11432 and was, according to Leica, shipped to London on 17th September 1928, presumably to Ogilvy & Co. who were I understand the UK distributors (?) at the time.

[Wagner Lungov]

I know this is an old thread but, if someone is collecting data trying to make sense of the close focus production, I just acquired a Leica Ia from 1930, with serial 39923 and it focus down to 1,5 feet.

[Pyrogallol]

I just bought a close focus Leica 1a from Peter Loy, swopped 4 cameras and 3 lenses for it. Another early hours of the morning decision. Clearly rebuilt, it looks and sounds like new. The top plate fittings are chrome, not the original nickel, though the lens is nickel. Scaled in feet to 18 inches. Have e mailed Leitz for any information they have about it.

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[TomB_tx]

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2 minutes ago, Pyrogallol said:

I just bought a close focus Leica 1a from Peter Loy, swopped 4 cameras and 3 lenses for it. Another early hours of the morning decision. Clearly rebuilt, it looks and sounds like new. The top plate fittings are chrome, not the original nickel, though the lens is nickel. Scaled in feet to 18 inches. Have e mailed Leitz for any information they have about it.

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Very nice! I picked one up some months ago, and test roll looked fine, after I realized that the lens to film distance was off, and it wouldn't actually focus farther than about 30 feet. Previous owner had scratched another index mark on the lens scale and using that focus was good (up to 30 ft). DAG now has it for a full service, including correcting the focus issue.

[beoon]

On 4/28/2025 at 3:35 PM, clift_d said:

My close focus Leica 1A is Ser 11432 and was, according to Leica, shipped to London on 17th September 1928, presumably to Ogilvy & Co. who were I understand the UK distributors (?) at the time.

On the 1st January 1928 Leitz officially took over Ogilvy & Co and established E. Leitz (London) with Mr J. Ogilvy remaining as MD.

[willeica]

22 hours ago, Pyrogallol said:

I just bought a close focus Leica 1a from Peter Loy, swopped 4 cameras and 3 lenses for it. Another early hours of the morning decision. Clearly rebuilt, it looks and sounds like new. The top plate fittings are chrome, not the original nickel, though the lens is nickel. Scaled in feet to 18 inches. Have e mailed Leitz for any information they have about it.

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Nice camera. It is quite a rebuild with a chrome rewind knob (does it extend?) from a Standard period camera and other replacement parts. Looking at the SN, the lens is a late version of the model that did not have a depth of field scale. You will note that the retaining pin is extra long because of the close focus mechanism allows the lens to extend further. It also has feet scale as do most of the close models I have seen. 

I might add to all of the above that I have seen very few I Model As that were completely original.

Enjoy that camera.

William 

[jerzy]

top plate was most probably reengraved. Not only that Leica did not have "I" but only "1", as well the font is bigger. Comparison with regular Leica engraving, acc shoe as the reference for the font size. Square acc shoe could havew been replaced as well.

Btw - I might have all elements in nickel, non-extensible rewind knob and black painted (but worn)  cover under speed dial as spare parts

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