I discovered Leica 40 years ago, half a lifetime ago. It was not long before I realised I could become part of a community built around those who enjoyed using Leica cameras.
I had been a photographer since the age of nine. My stepmother, a professional photographer, gifted me a Kodak Baby Brownie. She taught me basic photography and darkroom essentials. She and I owned a series of cameras, mostly German, until Nikon SLRs caught our fancy. Leitz was, for some reason, never in our purview, probably because Leicas were rangefinder cameras.
Instant rangefinder love
To shorten a rather long saga, I ended up with a Minolta CLE 40 years ago. I took to the rangefinder almost instantly — “Where have you been all my life?” But the quality of the 28/2.8 Rokkor simply floored me. It was so much better than those on SLRs because it was non-retrofocus and therefore could be used only on an rangefinder camera: for example, Leica.
Becoming a member of a community
Fairly soon, I joined LHSA (now Leica Society International — LSI). It consisted of mostly wealthy elderly collectors, but my quirky interest in accessories soon got me articles in their journal Viewfinder. Through that process, I made the acquaintance and support of some wonderful historians (including Rolf Fricke and Jim Lager) and actual photographers (like Tom Abrahamsson). As a consequence, Leica has become an important community for me over that time. It’s ultimately what Leica means to me.
Wonderful people, wonderful community
Soon there was a real group of us (non-wealthy, somewhat younger), including people in Germany and England as well as North America. So Leica meant remarkable people with whom to shoot pictures and then have a beer. Our Meetings were always events to look forward to with great excitement!
I must admit that I am a collector, not only of things Leica. Mostly I have collected useful items — here pre-owned cameras and lenses, and then used them. But at times I also collect for bragging purposes, and for beauty. To me Leica means near-perfection. And today when walking around with an M11 and one of the APO-Aspheric lenses, I know in advance that I will get a quality image if only I can behave half as well as my camera and optics.
A rich history
My Leica interests got me started as an historian. Much of the history of Leica bits and pieces had already been written up by folks like Jim Lager, Paul-Henry van Hasbroeck, and Dennis Laney. My interests were more in Leica biography, which had been neglected: Oskar Barnack, Ernst Leitz II, Dr. Paul Wolff, and how they interacted and developed their products over time.
I had rewarding personal interactions with Knut Kühn-Leitz and with Dr. Wolff’s granddaughter. Leica means to me a rich history of Leica people, and I have felt very privileged to feel a small part of this community.
So, what Leica means to me is people: wonderful people. Then the joys of shooting with Leica equipment, knowing what it and I can achieve. And finally, the joys of collecting, whether it be the books of Dr. Wolff or the little after-market rewinder accessories that were made for the M3 and M2.
A cup of coffee works wonders in supporting Macfilos
Did you know that Macfilos is run by a dedicated team of volunteers? We rely on donations to help pay our running costs. And even the cost of a cup of coffee will do wonders for our energy levels.
Another enjoyable read, thanks for sharing your personal stories and vast knowledge!
Hi Ed, I enjoyed reading this story about your discovery of community. It’s nice that there’s a group of you in London. I wonder if there’s any similar such groups elsewhere in the world, like New York or Hong Kong.