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“The Leica Camera” report from 1946 by British intelligence

johnastovall

Deceased, but remembered fondly here...
The full 16 pages reports can be downloaded here.

Some interesting Leica facts from 1946:
  • It took 33 hours to assemble a Leica III C.

  • In November of 1946 Leica was producing 1100 cameras per month. Out of those 1100 units 89% were allocated to the American forces, 6% to French forces and only 5% were available for sale in Germany.

  • In 1946 Leica employed 2,453 men and 428 women. In 1939 they employed nearly 5000.

  • Leica lost 400 employees during the war and 300 were prisoners of war.

  • Every camera was tested by taking multiple black and white photographs between 1.25 to 10 meters.

  • The drawing office had 50 drawing boards.

  • “The office was well organised and was scrupulously clean”.

  • The standard work week was 48 hours.
 

kevinparis

Member
Every camera was tested by taking multiple black and white photographs between 1.25 to 10 meters.

I am guessing these would be shots of test patterns

1) making the worlds more boring flickr gallery

2) and offering the most frustrating photography job in the world... you get to shoot Leica all day every day but never actually take a photo of anything.


K
 
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