Al Brown Posted October 7, 2022 Share #1  Posted October 7, 2022 Advertisement (gone after registration) What a milestone for Leitz. Their RF system is still in use, Leica is currently the only camera maker in the world that makes rangefinder film cameras. Looking for photos, stories and anecdotes on the first rangefinder Leica II (D) that started its pioneer journey in 1932, ninety years ago to date - paste them here.  Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/339497-leica-gets-first-automatic-focusing-90-years-ago-oskar-barnack-launches-the-rangefinder-coupled-leica-iid-in-1932/?do=findComment&comment=4526762'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 7, 2022 Posted October 7, 2022 Hi Al Brown, Take a look here Leica gets first "automatic focusing" 90 years ago - Oskar Barnack launches the rangefinder coupled Leica II(D) in 1932. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jankap Posted October 7, 2022 Share #2 Â Posted October 7, 2022 Pixii?? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Brown Posted October 7, 2022 Author Share #3 Â Posted October 7, 2022 3 minutes ago, jankap said: Pixii?? Â 7 minutes ago, Al Brown said: Leica is currently the only camera maker in the world that makes rangefinder film cameras. Â 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anbaric Posted October 7, 2022 Share #4  Posted October 7, 2022 Here's one I discovered in the Royal Photographic Society's Photographic Journal, as posted in a previous thread: Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 5 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/339497-leica-gets-first-automatic-focusing-90-years-ago-oskar-barnack-launches-the-rangefinder-coupled-leica-iid-in-1932/?do=findComment&comment=4527226'>More sharing options...
Anbaric Posted October 7, 2022 Share #5  Posted October 7, 2022 From Amateur Photographer, 16 March 1932 - which piece of cutting-edge technology will you choose?: Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 2 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/339497-leica-gets-first-automatic-focusing-90-years-ago-oskar-barnack-launches-the-rangefinder-coupled-leica-iid-in-1932/?do=findComment&comment=4527235'>More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 8, 2022 Share #6  Posted October 8, 2022 The Leica II was officially introduced at the "Grosse Technische Messe und Baumesse Leipzig 1932" (Leipziger Frühjahrsmesse, Leipzig Spring Fair), which took place from 6-13 March 1932. The fair was reduced from previously 11 days to just 8 days because of the difficult economic environment at that time. Part of the fair was an exhibition about "Photo Optik Kino" (see the original postcards from the Leipzig fair in my picture below), where Ernst Leitz Wetzlar was presenting their products. As far as I know, the photo fair was still located in the "Turnhalle am Frankfurter Tor" in 1932, a sports ground. It later moved to other exhibition halls within the fair. You can see a picture of the 1932 Leitz booth here. Interestingly, the booth shows no evidence of the new Leica II, no large advertisement boards or anything like that. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/339497-leica-gets-first-automatic-focusing-90-years-ago-oskar-barnack-launches-the-rangefinder-coupled-leica-iid-in-1932/?do=findComment&comment=4527265'>More sharing options...
nitroplait Posted October 8, 2022 Share #7 Â Posted October 8, 2022 Advertisement (gone after registration) In those days any combination of things that were previously done separately became "Auto" in the advertising literature. In this case "auto-focus". I have seen some of the first cameras with coupled light meter described as "auto-exposure". Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
willeica Posted October 8, 2022 Share #8  Posted October 8, 2022 20 hours ago, Al Brown said: What a milestone for Leitz. Their RF system is still in use, Leica is currently the only camera maker in the world that makes rangefinder film cameras. Looking for photos, stories and anecdotes on the first rangefinder Leica II (D) that started its pioneer journey in 1932, ninety years ago to date - paste them here.  Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! This reflected the fact that the confirmation that the lens was in focus was conveyed to the photographer. This was a form of mechanical automation. The fact that the exact same term was used for self focussing lenses many years later is coincidental. This was a first for Leica and for 35mm photography, but Kodak had a coupled rangefinder system for a medium format camera almost 20 years earlier. I can post details of that if anyone is interested. William 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Brown Posted October 8, 2022 Author Share #9  Posted October 8, 2022 1 hour ago, willeica said: I can post details of that if anyone is interested. Always interested!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
willeica Posted October 8, 2022 Share #10  Posted October 8, 2022 2 hours ago, Al Brown said: Always interested!!! Here you go. From 16 years before the II Model D. Not as neat, but effectively the same thing. https://vintage-photo.nl/no-3a-autographic-kodak-special-review/ William 5 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan mcfall Posted October 9, 2022 Share #11  Posted October 9, 2022 I'm not sure when the model II first appeared in the US., I would guess March or April. This New York brochure is from Nov. 1932, and the camera has serial number 87208. The Autofocal description is used throughout. Band I estimates that over 21,000 were made in 1932, great sales for a slow period economically, production dropped rapidly with the introduction of the III. The availability of chrome and slow speeds caught the customers eye.  Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 3 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/339497-leica-gets-first-automatic-focusing-90-years-ago-oskar-barnack-launches-the-rangefinder-coupled-leica-iid-in-1932/?do=findComment&comment=4528283'>More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted October 12, 2022 Share #12  Posted October 12, 2022 (edited) On 10/8/2022 at 3:09 PM, willeica said: Here you go. From 16 years before the II Model D. Not as neat, but effectively the same thing. https://vintage-photo.nl/no-3a-autographic-kodak-special-review/ William Thanks !! Not 35 mm of course,,, but I thought that Leica had been the very first camera with coupled RF To be sure about the linked explanation.. is it THIS the focus knob ? Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! (makes me remember the RF-coupled Linhof Technika 70 that I was so stupid to sell 20 years ago... the knob was in the same position, even if more finely integrated into the foldable cover, and "doubled" on both sides) Edited October 12, 2022 by luigi bertolotti 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! (makes me remember the RF-coupled Linhof Technika 70 that I was so stupid to sell 20 years ago... the knob was in the same position, even if more finely integrated into the foldable cover, and "doubled" on both sides) ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/339497-leica-gets-first-automatic-focusing-90-years-ago-oskar-barnack-launches-the-rangefinder-coupled-leica-iid-in-1932/?do=findComment&comment=4530979'>More sharing options...
willeica Posted October 12, 2022 Share #13  Posted October 12, 2022 2 hours ago, luigi bertolotti said: Thanks !! Not 35 mm of course,,, but I thought that Leica had been the very first camera with coupled RF To be sure about the linked explanation.. is it THIS the focus knob ? Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! (makes me remember the RF-coupled Linhof Technika 70 that I was so stupid to sell 20 years ago... the knob was in the same position, even if more finely integrated into the foldable cover, and "doubled" on both sides) Thanks Luigi. I’m just about to chair the opening session of the International Leica Society Conference. I have some material which shows how this works and I will post it here over the next few days when I get the time. Yes this was medium format, but it was the first coupled rangefinder, as far as I know.  William 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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