A rangefinder camera is a camera fitted with a rangefinder, typically a split-image rangefinder: a range-finding focusing mechanism allowing the photographer to measure the subject distance and take photographs that are in sharp focus. Most varieties of rangefinder show two images of the same subject, one of which moves when a calibrated wheel is turned; when the two images coincide and fuse into one, the distance can be read off the wheel. Older, non-coupled rangefinder cameras display the focusing distance and require the photographer to transfer the value to the lens focus ring; cameras without built-in rangefinders could have an external rangefinder fitted into the accessory shoe. Earlier cameras of this type had separate viewfinder and rangefinder windows; later the rangefinder was incorporated into the viewfinder. More modern designs have rangefinders coupled to the focusing mechanism so that the lens is focused correctly when the rangefinder images fuse; compare with the focusing screen in non-autofocus SLRs.
135 is photographic film in a film format used for still photography. It is a cartridge film with a film gauge of 35 mm (1.4 in), typically used for hand-held photography in 35 mm film cameras. Its engineering standard for the film is controlled by ISO 1007.
Leica Camera AG is a German company that manufactures cameras, lenses, binoculars, rifle scopes, microscopes and ophthalmic lenses. The company was founded by Ernst Leitz in 1869. The name Leica is derived from the first three letters of his surname (Leitz) and the first two of the word camera: lei-ca.
Leica Geosystems based in eastern Switzerland produces products and systems for surveying and geographical measurement (geomatics). Its products employ a variety of technologies including GPS satellite navigation and laser rangefinders to enable users to model existing structures, terrains in computer based systems to high accuracies, often under 1 cm.
The Leica M3 is a 35 mm rangefinder camera by Ernst Leitz GmbH, introduced in 1954. It was a new starting point for Leitz, which until then had only produced screw-mount Leica cameras that were incremental improvements to its original Leica (Ur-Leica). The M3 introduced several features to the Leica, among them the combination of viewfinder and rangefinder in one bright window, like on the Contax II, a bayonet lens mount, and rapid film advance lever. It was the most successful model of the M series, with over 220,000 units sold by the time production of the M3 model ended in 1966.
Lumix is Panasonic's brand of digital cameras, ranging from pocket point-and-shoot models to digital SLRs.
The M39 lens mount is a screw thread mounting system for attaching lenses to 35 mm cameras, primarily rangefinder (RF) Leicas. It is also the most common mount for Photographic enlarger lenses.
The Leica M8 is the first digital camera in the rangefinder M series introduced by Leica Camera AG on 14 September 2006. It uses an APS-H 10.3-megapixel Kodak KAF-10500 CCD image sensor.
The name Noctilux is used by Leica to designate camera lenses that have a maximum aperture of f/0.95. This is the largest f-number offered by Leica in its lens range. The lens has been in production since 1966 and carries on to the present day. So far all Noctilux lenses have been made for the Leica M mount.
The Leica M mount is a camera lens mount introduced in 1954 with the Leica M3, and a range of lenses. It has been used on all the Leica M-series cameras and certain accessories up to the current film Leica M-A and digital Leica M10 cameras.
The Leica CL is a 35mm compact rangefinder camera with interchangeable lenses in the Leica M-mount. It was developed in collaboration with Minolta who manufactured it. It first appeared in April 1973 and was released in the Japanese market in November 1973 as the Leitz Minolta CL. Both the Leica CL and Leitz Minolta CL were manufactured in a new Minolta factory in Osaka. In 2017, Leica announced a new digital mirrorless camera, again named Leica CL.
The Leica M2 is a 35 mm rangefinder camera by Ernst Leitz GmbH of Wetzlar, Germany, introduced in 1957. Around 82,000 M2s were produced between 1957 and 1968. Around 1500 M2s were produced by Ernst Leitz Canada, but most of these are not marked as such on the top plate.
The Leica M9 is a full-frame digital rangefinder camera from Leica Camera AG. It was introduced in September 2009. It uses an 18.5-megapixel Kodak image sensor, and is compatible with almost all M mount lenses.
The Leica M is a full-frame digital rangefinder camera of Leica Camera AG. It was introduced in September 2012, and is the successor to the Leica M9 range of cameras. The M uses a 24-megapixel image sensor. The camera is the first M model to feature movie recording, and the first to have Live View, which allows the scene, as viewed through the lens, to be composed. The M can use most M- and R-mount lenses. Leica M cameras are made by hand in Portugal and Germany. There is also a version, the M Monochrom, with a monochrome, rather than colour, sensor.
The Leica SL is a full-frame mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera announced by Leica Camera AG on 20 October 2015. The SL is promoted as a camera system for professional applications. Beside the Leica S-System, the Leica SL-System is the 2nd professional camera system in the company's product portfolio.
The Leica L-Mount is a bayonet mount developed by Leica Camera AG for interchangeable-lens autofocus digital cameras.
The Leica M-E is a digital rangefinder camera announced by Leica Camera on June 24, 2019. The Leica M-E is an 'entry-level' model in Leica's M mount of rangefinder cameras. It features a 24 Megapixels full-frame CMOS sensor, Leica's Maestro processor, and a 2GB buffer for sustained burst capture. Video can be captured at 1080/30p. As with all Leica M-series models, the camera is hand-built and weather-sealed. The camera is essentially a Leica M but is made with alloy metals which is lighter than the usual brass top and bottom plates. The camera is finished in "Anthracite Paint" with black leather wrap.
The Leica M Monochrom is a digital rangefinder camera manufactured by Leica Camera. It was released on 30 April 2015. The Leica M Monochrom uses a full frame 24 Megapixels CMOS sensor that, like its predecessor the Leica M Monochrom, has no color filter array. It is therefore Leica's second black and white only camera. It is essentially a monochrome only version of the Leica M. The M Monochrom offers an increase in ISO range up to ISO 25,000, a new 3 inches 921,000-dot LCD screen and live view shooting including focus peaking and 10x magnification. Also included is full HD video recording.
The Leica SL2 is a full-frame mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera released by Leica Camera on 6 November 2019. The camera uses the Leica L-Mount lenses range and is part of the L-Mount Alliance of camera bodies that Leica co-developed with Panasonic and Sigma.
The Leica S-System is a medium format digital single lens reflect camera system introduced by Leica Camera in 1996. Beginning with the Leica S1, a prototype top-end studio digital camera unveiled at Photokina 1996. It went into production at the end of 1997.
