World Photo Adventure - Leica screw cameras, a practical idea?

Leica screw cameras, a practical idea?

Leica screw cameras, a practical idea?

Leica 111g fitted with Voigtlander 28mm f1.9 Ultron and matching viewfinder

Leica screw cameras are aesthetically a delight. The build quality, the mechanical excellence and the finish are to my mind the pinnacle of Leitz production. In usage, these cameras are perhaps rather awkward and strange to those more used to modern cameras, although their very quirkiness can be a help. Having to think the whole process through can make the photographer more aware of the photographic technique involved in capturing a subject. It is only too easy with modern cameras to just fire away, trusting the camera to control all the functions. The old fashioned, purely manual camera makes the user stop and think. Any screw mount Leica properly serviced will provide a reliable, pleasurable to use photographic instrument. However the lenses, whilst providing an unequalled standard in their day are lacking modern optical performance. The most modern are now some fifty years old and these late examples can be very expensive due to the collectors pushing up the prices.

Leica 1f, yes, it is converted to 11f, then to 111f Red Dial D/A. Fitted with Voigtlander 50mm f1.5 Nokton and meter

But the world has suddenly opened out and the lot of the screw mount Leica user has expanded beyond his or hers wildest dreams. A saviour has arrived, Mr Kyobashi the CEO of Cosina. The enlightened board of this company has allowed Mr Kyobashi to recreate in the most modern form a range of lenses to fit a select number of classic cameras. As this company already owned rights to the famous German camera manufacturer Voigtlander it seemed appropriate that the new range was produced under this name. These lenses are superb, the build quality is excellent and optically they can only be judged against the very latest Leica M mount ASPH products, but at a fraction of the price, in most cases 15% of the M cost. And the range is amazing, from a 12mm to a 90mm. The very latest optical technology including ASPH elements are used in these lenses. However an important element is the fact that the build quality and finish replicated the original Leitz products.

Leica 111f fitted with 15mm and an arsenal of Voigtlander lenses

Included in the line up of goodies from Voigtlander/Cosina is the lovely little clip on meter. It is a jewel and works beautifully but is rather expensive. The meter is supplied in a super pouch with a carrying wrist strap so that it can be used hand held if the camera accessory shoe is required for a view finder. But this isn’t strictly necessary as Mr Kyoboshi is a practising photographer and realised this arrangement might be a problem, so he produced a double accessory shoe to overcome that one. I really do think this company is to be applauded. Not only have they catered for Leica, yes adaptors are available for Ms, but also R/F Nikons and Contax owners haven’t been forgotten and all at absolute bargain basement prices with very little, if any sacrifice to quality.

Leica M6 with 15mm Voigtlander Lens

The only previous 15mm lens for the M mount camera was the Zeiss Hologon which is a dream collector’s item. The last one I saw come to auction fetched something like $10,000 this one with viewfinder costs about 5% of that and is far better in terms of performance. Note the minimalist lens hood. On the M this camera isn’t so bad but with the smaller bodied screw cameras a speciality could be photographing ones fingers and thumbs such is its angle of acceptance.

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