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PREFACE

THE LEICA COLLECTORS GUIDE

( IllustratedLeica Index )

The illustrated index of the Leica Code Word List has been compiled owing to the demand for an illustrated quick reference guide to the Leica system .

Over the years we have reprinted a number of Leica catalogues ,however ,to find a particular reference it has meant leafing through many pages and books .When Leica -TheFirst Fifty Years was produced it was not intended to include many of the accessories or lenses ,therefore they were included in the book at the end .The prime concern of Leica -The First Fifty Years was to illustrate and list the cameras produced .The above reasons were the main purpose for the compilation of this handbook .

The basis of this handbook was the complete Code Word List as detailed in Leica -TheFirst Fifty Years which covers over 2 000items ,a large majority of which were included for completeness .Obviously one would not illustrate all similar items ( i.e.one is aware of the many filter variations ,colour ,size ,finish ,fittings ,etc .,the same applying to projector sundries ),which in their own right could well account for some hundreds of code references .Therefore one is left with a nucleus of cameras ,viewfinders ,closeup accessories ,darkroom equipment ,etc .,and these we have endeavoured to illustrate in this handbook .Again one can get an instance where five codes would illustrate the same camera but with different lenses .In this case one example is illustrated ,and missing illust rations show the same camera with a different lense .( Ratherthan show separate headings under individual code words we have amalgamated them together under the camera body ).As one will note the cameras only occupy a small part of this handbook ,therefore allowing for greater coverage of the Leica Accessories .For example ,in the close -upand copy equipment chapter (thisbeing the largest section of this book )we have included innumerable items that have only appeared in specialised reference catalogues ,such items not being normally available to the individual .Other sections cover rangefinders ,accessories and lenses .

We are sure that the Leica Collectors Guide will prove a most useful reference for the Leica enthusiast .We do realise that this edition does not include every item ,as it has been very difficult to find illustrations of some of the more unusual items .The publishers will always be pleased to hear of any obvious omissions ,accompanied with illustrations ,for inclusion in future editions .

D .R.Grossmark