LUF Admin Posted June 26 Share #1 Posted June 26 Advertisement (gone after registration) 100 Years of Leica: Witness to a Century (1925–2025) For 100 years, the Leica brand has been profoundly influencing the technological and cultural development of photography Wetzlar, 26 June 2025. For Leica Camera AG, this year is defined by the 100th anniversary of the Leica I. First presented to the public at the Leipzig Spring Fair in 1925, it was the first series-produced Leica 35 mm camera. With its compact and handy format, it opened up a new range of photographic applications and revolutionised the world of photography. In celebrating this epochal anniversary of an iconic camera with the motto “100 Years of Leica: Witness to a Century”, Leica Camera AG is also commemorating the visionary entrepreneur Ernst Leitz II, who established 35 mm photography through his brave decision to mass-produce the Leica camera. The centenary anniversary is not only a retrospective of fascinating company history but also a glimpse into the future of photography. “I hereby decide to take a risk!” With these fateful words, the entrepreneur Ernst Leitz II decided to mass-produce Oskar Barnack’s ingenious invention, the Ur-Leica. A completely new camera system was added to the production range. Barnack, a precision mechanic and head of the research department at the Ernst Leitz factories, had long pursued photography as a hobby and worked on a wholly innovative compact 35 mm photo camera. He produced his Ur-Leica prototype as early as 1914. However, the challenging period around the First World War delayed its further development. The launch of the Leica I at the Leipzig Fair on 1 March 1925 proved to be a visionary and decisive business move. The fair had already developed into a very popular international platform for technical innovations. The Leitz booth acted as a springboard for a revolution in photography. Paired with the Anastigmat 50 f/3.5 lens, the Leica I was a runaway success, establishing the 24×36 mm compact camera format as the global standard. Renowned photographers like Alexander Rodchenko, Gisèle Freund and André Kertész quickly recognised the possibilities opened up by the compact, inconspicuous and efficient Leica camera. For the first time, a camera made it possible to capture real life – immortalising the decisive moment. This sparked a paradigm shift in photography: the birth of modern photojournalism and fine-art photography. In the first year alone, the Leitz factory sold around 1,000 cameras, laying the foundation for the Leica brand’s iconic status in the world of photography. By continuing to develop the Leica I and adding innovative interchangeable lenses in the years that followed, Leica consolidated the success of its camera system. The first Leica camera with a screw mount and three interchangeable lenses was launched in 1930. The Leica II, introduced in 1932, featured the first rangefinder, enabling fast, precise focussing. Seven interchangeable lenses with standardised screw mounts were available at that time. The network of avid Leica photographers also grew steadily. Today, they remain a cornerstone of Leica’s company culture, thanks to their unwavering commitment to promoting culture. With innovative products and investments in forward-looking technologies, Leica Camera AG keeps on writing the entrepreneurial success story that began with the Leica I. The company continues to forge innovative paths today to strengthen the brand and reach new target groups by expanding its business horizons. A particular area for development is the mobile segment, which opens the door to the “World of Leica” experience. Most recently, the Leica LUX grip was launched: An innovative camera grip that, together with the Leica LUX app, enables a unique photography experience when using an iPhone. 100 Years of Leica: Leica – Witness to a Century Leica Camera AG is celebrating 100 years of the Leica I in 2025. It was presented to the public for the first time at the Leipzig Spring Fair in 1925 and, as the first series-produced 35 mm camera, exceeded all expectations. Because with its compact and handy format, it opened up a whole new range of new photographic applications. All around the globe, under the motto “100 Years of Leica: Witness to a Century”, Leica Camera AG will be celebrating this camera, which revolutionised the world of photography. At international events held by the Leica national organisations in metropolises such as Dubai, Milan, New York, Shanghai and Tokyo, cultural attractions and outstanding special edition products will be presented throughout the year. The anniversary week, taking place in Wetzlar, the company's headquarters, in June, marks the high point of the celebrations. On top of that, visitors can look forward to top-class exhibitions in the worldwide network of Leica Galleries with works by outstanding photographers. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 26 Posted June 26 Hi LUF Admin, Take a look here 100 Years of Leica: Witness to a Century (1925–2025). I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Denebola Posted July 4 Share #2 Posted July 4 On 6/26/2025 at 3:58 PM, LUF Admin said: “The anniversary week, taking place in Wetzlar, the company's headquarters, in June, marks the high point of the celebrations. On top of that, visitors can look forward to top-class exhibitions in the worldwide network of Leica Galleries with works by outstanding photographers. A great history, Leica is by far the most important camera producer of the history, but I have to admit the anniversary week event was a bit disappointing from my point of view: 4 days of festivity only for very selected guests, and in all this there was no involvement at all of the most valuable asset for any brand: the customers! AFAIK they were totally excluded from the celebration. An unexciting move. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LocalHero1953 Posted July 4 Share #3 Posted July 4 They should have sent all registered users a centenary hot shoe cover, instead of charging £45 for them. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
T25UFO Posted July 21 Share #4 Posted July 21 The initial “celebrations” were underwhelming, M11 city editions, expensive teddy bears and pencils, but it’s getting better. I received my copy of the 100 stories book today and that is very good. Nicely bound and printed and lots of good content. Thoroughly recommended. The M11-D 100 year edition is a fitting way to mark the anniversary. Price will no doubt be astronomical and will probably come with the two year no resale restriction, but those who buy will not worry about that. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenInTime Posted July 21 Share #5 Posted July 21 @T25UFO Are any of the 100 stories in the book new, or just a collection of well known published tales ? Forever the optimist, I’m hoping they will round the year off in September with some new production items : 43mm f/1.2 Noctilux ( based on the image leaked with DOF scales corresponding to this, but headlined as 35/1.2; that 35mm Noctliux should also be released ). New MP variant with 43mm frame lines and 100 year engravings. Biggest upset in the M system since the M4-P ! M11-V/ EVF-M….other than as a launch partner for the 43mm, not as interesting as a new MP 🙂 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
T25UFO Posted July 21 Share #6 Posted July 21 9 minutes ago, FrozenInTime said: Are any of the 100 stories in the book new, or just a collection of well known published tales ? The opening is entitled A Century Full Of Stories, a two page introduction which includes the following comment: "However, we did not focus exclusively on famous professionals; and so this extensive project began with a call out to the Leica community, asking enthusiasts to share their tales and experiences with us." Some will be well known, for example the section headed 09,09,09 09:09 which briefly recounts the three camera announcement on that date. Not new, but still a landmark worth mentioning. I can't comment on all the other 99 articles, some of the stories will be well known, but the writing is fresh. This is a book you can dip into and doesn't need to be read in sequence. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybiggs Posted July 29 Share #7 Posted July 29 Advertisement (gone after registration) Book arrived here in Lancashire, UK. Very well produced and a heavy weight piece ! However why do book designers place photographs across the spine of the book, which means they can’t be seen fully and leads to the spine of the book being broken. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samgt Posted July 30 Share #8 Posted July 30 There is a website called lecaonline.com which sells leica products discounted up to 80%. is this a legit seller? Note that it is not leicaonline but leca online. I am tempted to place an order for Q3 at their price of less than a 1000USD. Anyone has experience with this online seller? Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotojo Posted August 1 Share #9 Posted August 1 It is no doubt a scam.... Leica's are NEVER discounted 80%. If it sounds too good to be true..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenInTime Posted August 7 Share #10 Posted August 7 On 7/21/2025 at 12:38 PM, T25UFO said: The opening is entitled A Century Full Of Stories, a two page introduction which includes the following comment: "However, we did not focus exclusively on famous professionals; and so this extensive project began with a call out to the Leica community, asking enthusiasts to share their tales and experiences with us." Some will be well known, for example the section headed 09,09,09 09:09 which briefly recounts the three camera announcement on that date. Not new, but still a landmark worth mentioning. I can't comment on all the other 99 articles, some of the stories will be well known, but the writing is fresh. This is a book you can dip into and doesn't need to be read in sequence. Got a copy yesterday - good so far, apart from the 30 or so images that spread over the fold. Book editors need to learn the difference between what works well on a widescreen monitor, and what happens when bound into a book. 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 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/422562-100-years-of-leica-witness-to-a-century-1925%E2%80%932025/?do=findComment&comment=5845015'>More sharing options...
T25UFO Posted August 7 Share #11 Posted August 7 12 minutes ago, FrozenInTime said: Got a copy yesterday - good so far, apart from the 30 or so images that spread over the fold. Book editors need to learn the difference between what works well on a widescreen monitor, and what happens when bound into a book. 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! Agree 100%. It is the one thing that spoils this book, but I’m still glad I bought it 🙂 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyrogallol Posted August 7 Share #12 Posted August 7 (edited) I agree. I have complained to “Black and White Photography” magazine about cutting pictures in half where they go across a page fold. Sometimes cutting out the main subject of the picture into the fold. Edited August 7 by Pyrogallol Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenInTime Posted August 7 Share #13 Posted August 7 Leica - please include a digital copy with all purchases - so we can see it as intended. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenInTime Posted August 7 Share #14 Posted August 7 2 minutes ago, Pyrogallol said: I agree. I have complained to “Black and White Photography” magazine about cutting pictures in half where they go across a page fold. They seem to have heeded your concern - the current issue is free of cross fold spreads. I have the digital copies going back many years . In the middle of 2023 there was a dramatic drop in quality due to heavy handed image compression, which they fixed quickly after I complained. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted August 22 Share #15 Posted August 22 (edited) • Edited August 22 by lct Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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