CHINESE LEICAS

It is common knowledge that the Leica has been copied more often than any other camera and many of these copies are relatively well known.  Some of the rather rare and little known copies are the ones made in China.

Between 1958 and 1963 the Chinese state owned the ‘Shanghai Camera Company’.  They started out by producing copies of the Leica III rangefinder, called the Shanghai 58.  In 1964 the Shanghai Camera Company changed its name to the Seagull company and made cameras for the mass market.

 
Shanghai 58

Leica III

A much more rare copy is what appears to be a follow up model, the little known Shanghai 582.

The camera was made for less than two years, from 1958 to 1959, at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution when the Chinese government decided to do everything better than the Russians, the Americans and the Germans.  The seven digit serial number was quite misleading since very few of the cameras were made, most of them for government use.

 

 

It really wasn’t a bad copy.  It showed an extraordinary amount of hand work.  The f/3.5 collapsible lens was of acceptable quality, and the cloth focal plane shutter still worked smoothly and was reasonably accurate, even years later.

The pictures of the camera were obtained from a member of the Leica Historical Society of America (LHSA) who had the good fortune to see and inspect the camera and to photograph it on a trip to China.

Another interesting fact, as far as I know, is that the Chinese are the only country that also copied much later models of Leica cameras, namely the Leica M5, which was called "Red Flag."

 
Red Flag

Leica M5

Interesting, to say the least.  But I think I will stick with my Wetzlar and Solms made Leica equipment.

_____________________________________________________

To comment or to read comments please scroll past the ads below.

All ads present items of interest to Leica owners.

www.eddycam.com
http://www.eddycam.com/en/home/#&panel1-3

www.9days.hk

Inventive Camera Bags for All of Your Gear

 Trifecta Backpacks

Customise your rolling camera bags

For more information on KOMARU and for orders go to: www.taos-photographic.com

For more information and pre orders go to: www.lenstab.com

http://www.tamarkin.com/

Cumberland: Island of Conflict and Change by Jeff Kauck

Upcoming shows in Tamarkin's Rangefinder Gallery

Click on image to enlarge

Order: info@gmpphoto.com

Please make payment via PayPal to GMP Photography

Click on image to enlarge

Order: info@gmpphoto.com

Please make payment via PayPal to GMP Photography

Click on image to enlarge

Order: info@gmpphoto.com

Please make payment via PayPal to GMP Photography

THE LATEST LEICA NEWS

NEWEST PRODUCT OF LEICA SPORTOPTICS: ULTRAVID 8x32 EDITION ZAGATO

Binoculars of Leica Sport Optics are not immune from special editions.  Leica just introduced the Ultravid 8x32 Edition Zagato.  In their introduction they state:

ITALIAN AUTOMOTIVE ATELIER MAATS LEICA BINOCULAR

The Leica Ultravid 8x32 ‘Edition Zagato’

Leica Camera AG, Wetzlar, presents in collaboration with Zagato, the Italian automotive Atelier and Total Design Center, a special limited edition: the Leica Ultravid 8x32 ‘Edition Zagato’. Uniting the values shared by both classical companies – premium quality, craftsmanship and tradition – the Leica Ultravid 8x32 ‘Edition Zagato’ combines unique design with cutting-edge technologies.

The outer shell of the ‘Edition Zagato’ is manufactured from aluminium and its front lenses feature two red anodised rings inscribed with ‘Zagato’. In an elaborate process, hundreds of fine grooves have been milled into the surface of the aluminium shell to lend this pair of Leica binoculars previously unseen stylish looks and a unique haptic sensation.

The Leica Ultravid 8x32 ‘Edition Zagato’ is strictly limited to only 1,000 examples for the entire global market. In addition to the binoculars, the edition also includes a case designed by Zagato and a matching carrying strap and hand strap in genuine Italian leather. The Leica Ultravid 8x32 ‘Edition Zagato’ will be available from September 2015 at selected Leica Stores and Boutiques at a recommended retail price of 3,450 euros.

Zagato was founded in Milan in 1919 by Ugo Zagato, who is famous for having been the first in the automotive industry to apply aviation’s advanced, lightweight technology to design more aerodynamic car bodies. With these principles, Zagato became an iconic racing champion of the world’s greatest competitions and even today remains a leading international marque for classic, lightweight, aerodynamic, sporting-lifestyle collectible cars.

Zagato’s Atelier and Total Design Center remains in Milan, where it continues to design and build unique, limited-series collectible cars. Earlier this year, the Atelier presented the Zagato Mostro powered by Maserati to the international public at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. The Mostro pays tribute to the historic, one-off Maserati 450 S Zagato from 1957, nicknamed “the Monster,” which is one of the most precious collector cars in the world today.

Today, Zagato is an Atelier of the third millennium and Total Design Center expressing Italian excellence through the creation and limited-production of avant-garde, collectible cars that are lightweight and aerodynamic. Under the guidance of the Zagato family’s third-generation, Andrea Zagato and his wife Marella Rivolta Zagato, the firm has continued developing upon its legacy of innovative styling and advanced engineering by applying the same Milanese philosophies of functionalism and rationalism as Founder Ugo Zagato had nearly a century ago. Its portfolio of internationally-renowned, automotive projects includes Aston Martin, Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Maserati, Bentley, Lamborghini and Porsche.

Leica Sport Optics and Zagato will be publicly presenting the Leica Ultravid 8x32 ‘Edition Zagato’ for the first time on 6 September 2015 in the course of the Chantilly Concours d’Elegance in France.

_____________________________________________________

To comment or to read comments please scroll past the ads below.

All ads present items of interest to Leica owners.

www.eddycam.com
http://www.eddycam.com/en/home/#&panel1-3

www.9days.hk

Inventive Camera Bags for All of Your Gear

 Trifecta Backpacks

Customise your rolling camera bags

For more information on KOMARU and for orders go to: www.taos-photographic.com

For more information and pre orders go to: www.lenstab.com

http://www.tamarkin.com/

Cumberland: Island of Conflict and Change by Jeff Kauck

Upcoming shows in Tamarkin's Rangefinder Gallery

Click on image to enlarge

Order: info@gmpphoto.com

Please make payment via PayPal to GMP Photography

Click on image to enlarge

Order: info@gmpphoto.com

Please make payment via PayPal to GMP Photography

Click on image to enlarge

Order: info@gmpphoto.com

Please make payment via PayPal to GMP Photography

LEICA Q RECEIVES MAJOR AWARD

EISA, the European Imaging and Sound Association awarded the Leica Q with their European Premium Compact Camera Award for 2015-2016.  They write:

The Leica Q is a truly impressive camera that combines state-of-the-art technology with a classic design. The 28-mm wide-angle lens is incredibly sharp and the fast electronic shutter allows shooting even at the full aperture of f / 1.7 in bright sunshine. The full-frame sensor with 24 million pixels delivers superb image quality even at high ISO settings and the traditional dials allow for intuitive photography. The electronic viewfinder with 3.7 million pixels allows manual focusing with the very smoothly turning focusing ring, while the touch screen simplifies focusing off-center subjects. Despite the high price, all these elements together make the Q the best digital camera Leica has ever built.

 

High praise indeed, and deservedly so.  Of course the rumor mills already are busy trying to predict what is next. A Q Zoom and a Q with interchangeable lenses?  Let’s wait and see.  New models probably aren’t all that far in the future.  The Leitz years it used to take for new Leica products to appear have grown considerably shorter.

_____________________________________________________

To comment or to read comments please scroll past the ads below.

All ads present items of interest to Leica owners.

www.eddycam.com
http://www.eddycam.com/en/home/#&panel1-3

www.9days.hk

Inventive Camera Bags for All of Your Gear

 Trifecta Backpacks

Customise your rolling camera bags

For more information on KOMARU and for orders go to: www.taos-photographic.com

For more information and pre orders go to: www.lenstab.com

http://www.tamarkin.com/

Cumberland: Island of Conflict and Change by Jeff Kauck

Upcoming shows in Tamarkin's Rangefinder Gallery

Click on image to enlarge

Order: info@gmpphoto.com

Please make payment via PayPal to GMP Photography

Click on image to enlarge

Order: info@gmpphoto.com

Please make payment via PayPal to GMP Photography

Click on image to enlarge

Order: info@gmpphoto.com

Please make payment via PayPal to GMP Photography