For several decades, there were two big names in the 35mm camera world that stood like skyscrapers among all companies.
For several decades, there were two big names — both of which happened to be German — in the 35mm camera world that stood like skyscrapers among all companies. You’ve undoubtedly heard of both of them: Carl Zeiss and Leitz Camera, more commonly known as Zeiss and Leica.
A significant turning point in the company’s history came in 1866 with the partnership between Carl Zeiss and physicist Ernst Abbe. Abbe brought a rigorous scientific approach to the development of optical instruments, which was crucial for advancing the precision and performance of Zeiss’s products. Abbe’s contributions included the Abbe sine condition and the formulation of what would become known as the Abbe number — both critical in the design of advanced optical systems.
The interwar period saw further expansion and diversification. In 1926, Zeiss merged with several other optical companies to form the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung, a foundation aimed at ensuring the continuity and independence of the company. And, in 1932, Zeiss entered the camera game in a bid to compete against its Wetzlar counterpart. But more on that in a minute.
The Leica I was a very small, compact, and lightweight camera fitted with a non-interchangeable, uncoated 50/3.5 Elmar — based on the venerable Cooke triplet design — that could neatly collapse into the body for more compact storage. When ready to use, the lens was pulled out and rotated to lock it into position. The Leica I had no built-in rangefinder, so scale-focusing was, in most cases, the only option, requiring the user to estimate the focus distance and set it on the lens accordingly.
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