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Leica gets first "automatic focusing" 90 years ago - Oskar Barnack launches the rangefinder coupled Leica II(D) in 1932


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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.
 

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  • Al Brown changed the title to Leica gets first "automatic focusing" 90 years ago - Oskar Barnack launches the rangefinder coupled Leica II(D) in 1932

Here's one I discovered in the Royal Photographic Society's Photographic Journal, as posted in a previous thread:

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From Amateur Photographer, 16 March 1932 - which piece of cutting-edge technology will you choose?:

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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.

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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.
 

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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 

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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.

 

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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 ?

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(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 by luigi bertolotti
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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 ?

(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 

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