Unlike in the US, many larger
German companies conduct their own training and education programs. These usually are a combination of practical
education in form of an apprenticeship, where applicable, combined with educational
programs at schools of higher learning, including university studies. Leica is no exception. They have carried on this tradition since the
beginnings of the company.
Ernst Leitz III was no
exception. Even though it was planned
for him to eventually take over the leadership of the company from his father,
Ernst Leitz II insisted the he would undergo training as an apprentice within
the company besides his University studies.
Part of this included
training as a Feinmechaniker (precision mechanic). Such training included even basics like
learning how to correctly use a metal file, for instance. With other words, his education and training
was from the ground up.
Toward the end of this
training program he was even assigned the task of some design work. While little is known what all this entailed,
we do, however, have one example that was used for years on the Leica screw
mount cameras.
After his father had decided
to manufacture “Barnacks Kamera” (Barnack’s Camera) after the initial 30 (or
31, the exact number has never been conclusively established) preproduction
models, some final design work was necessary before the first official Leica,
the Leica I or Model A could be marketed.
Ernst Leitz III was given the
task of designing the small rewind lever that allowed the camera to be switched
from the position of film advance to rewind.
Apparently his work was successful.
We have to assume that the final decision was made by Oskar Barnack, and
for years his lever design was with us on the Leica screw mount cameras.
Lever in the 'advance' position
Lever moved half way to show the intricate shape
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This is very interesting. An unrelated question, the shutter speed dial on the camera shown has a ring attached to it with a marking between 1/60 and 1/40 sec. What is its purpose?
ReplyDeleteYou are very observant. That ring is part of the Leitz VACU flash synch attachment for Leica srew mount cameras prior to the Leica IIIf. The ring has a cam attached to it which would trigger a switch on the VACU which in turn would set off the flash. Tha VACU would screw onto the cable release threads of the shutter release. See: http://gmpphoto.blogspot.com/2012/03/leitz-vacu.html
DeleteThanks. I didn't know that it was actually possible to use flash with the old screw mount cameras.
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