Leica Camera History
Cheap Digital Camera UK gives you a Brief recording of the key points in the history of the company that manufactures the lenses used on the Panasonic Lumix digital camera.
Key points in the history of the Leica company
- 1849 Karl Kellner founds the Optical Institute in Wetzlar Germany to make Telescopes.
- 1855 Karl Kellner dies and his partner Friedrich Christian Belthle takes over the business. Company renamed to Optical Institute Kellner and Belthle.
- 1865 Kellner hires a new engineer, Ernst Leitz. Ernst leitz soon becomes Bethles partner.
- 1869 Bethle dies and Ernst Leitz takes over the company. Company renamed to Optical Institute of Ernst leitz.
- 1887 Carl Metz, a mathematician, joins Ernst Leitz to design lenses.
- 1911 Oscar Barnack arrives at the Leitz Wetzlar Factory with the idea of manufacturing an easily portable camera. The first 35mm Camera was born.
- 1912 Prof. Max Berek joins Ernst Leitz Company and later computes and invents the first Leica lens.
- 1913 Oscar Barnack invents the UR-Leica Prototype.
- 1920 Ernst Leitz dies and Ernst Leitz II becomes sole owner of the business.
- 1924 Ernst Leitz II decides to produce the 35mm camera that Oscar Barnack invented. The name 'Leica' is derived from (Lei)tz and (Ca)mera. The Leica brand name was born. Ernst Leitz III joins the company.
- 1925 The first Leica cameras are marketed. Ludwig Leitz joins the company.
- 1930 Leica introduces the first 35mm camera with interchangeable lenses and the companies are amalgamated and renamed to Ernst Leitz G.m.b.h.
- 1932 Leica incorporates a Rangefinder into the Leica II model camera.
- 1950 Leica incorporates flash synchronization and a self timer into the 35mm camera.
- 1964 Leica introduces its first Single Lens Reflex camera, the Leicaflex. The first production Leica SLR is born.
- 1973 Leica collaborates with Minolta in the introduction of a more modern, smaller and affordable rangefinder camera. This begins Leicas involvement with Minolta.
- 1976 Leica and Minolta begin production of the Leica R3 and the 'R' series Leica camera's are born.
- 1984 Leica introduces the now classic Leica M6.
- 1986 The lst remaining member of the Leitz family retires from the board of directors.
- 1988 Company is fragmented into smaller companies and Leica Camera G.m.b.h is born.
- 1991 Canadian Plant is sold to Hughes aircraft, and Leica Camera Group becomes independent and goes public.
- 2000 Leica introduces the new M6 .58 viewfinder camera for eyeglass wearers. The 28mm Summicron F2 is introduced.
- 2002 Panasonic incorporate Leica lenses in its entire top selling Lumix digital camera range.
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