One day, I was seen by a colleague holding a Leica I camera, and he exclaimed, “Wow, this is an amazing camera!” It’s obvious that it belongs to a man with a story—and a fascinating one at that! The Leica I was the first mass-produced model by Leica, and it was a game-changer! The prototype was called the “O” model, and it’s now a highly sought-after collectible item! Leica later released two incredible replicas of the “O” model! However, the “O” model was never truly sold on the market, and the “I” model was the first Leica camera that was available for purchase. From 1925 to the present day, most of these cameras can still be used with just a little adjustment to the cloth shutter, which is truly miraculous!

Viewfinder

Leica I cameras all come with a small black-painted viewfinder slung over the shoulder, which is very beautiful. This viewfinder provides an approximate framing range and is perfect for getting a feel for the shot before you take it. It doesn’t assist with focusing, which still requires estimation, but it’s a great way to get started!

Black paint

The black paint on the Leica I cameras is hand-mixed to absolute perfection, and the finish is absolutely stunning, with a high gloss that is simply mesmerizing! With an affordable black-painted camera like this, I might just be able to balance out my desire for a black-painted M3!

Leica I (model A)

The Leica I camera was produced in a number of versions, which can be broadly classified into three types: Type A, Type B, and Type C. The “I” (Type A) model was first released in 1925, and its main feature was a fixed metal strip on the front of the body that was used to lock the lens focusing lever. This model was subsequently subdivided into versions equipped with an Anastigmat lens, an Elmax lens, a Hektor lens, or an Elmar lens. The “I” (Type B) model was released in 1926, and it was Leica’s sole camera with an in-lens shutter. It has a distinctive mushroom-like shape, which is highly sought after by collectors, although personally, I find it rather unappealing. The “I” (Type C) model was released in 1930 and was the inaugural Leica camera with a detachable lens. Initially, this camera was sold as a set with three lenses, and the body and lenses were individually calibrated and could not be used with other bodies or lenses. Consequently, the body and lens in a set were engraved with the same serial number, or the lens had the last three digits of the body’s serial number. Subsequently, Leica implemented a standardised production process, enabling the interchangeability of bodies and lenses. They also offered to calibrate early lenses to the standard type, which were marked with a “0” and the body mount had a “0” engraved at the 12 o’clock position.

SN Start	SN End	Product	Year	Batch
131	1000	Leica I (Anastigmat & Elmax 1st version)	1924	870
1001	2445	Leica I (Elmax, Elmar + Elmar Close-Focus)	1926	1445
2446	5433	Leica I (Elmar 2nd version + Elmar Close-Focus)	1926-1927	2988
5434	5700	Leica I (4 digit)	1928	267
6301	13100	Leica I (Elmar 4th version + Elmar Close-Focus)	1928	6800
13301	21478	Leica I (Elmar 6th version + Elmar Close-Focus)	1929	8178
21811	34550	Leica I (Elmar) 7th version from 31600	1928	12740
34803	34817	Leica I (Elmar + Luxus)	1929	15
34818	^60000	Leica I (Elmar 8-10th versions + Elmar Close-Focus + Hektor)	1930	25183
TOTAL	ASSIGNED	SERIAL NUMBERS	1925-1930	58,486

Compur Leica (model B)

SN Start	SN End	Product	Year	Batch
5701	6300	Compur Camera (dial-set)	1926-1929	600
13101	13300	Compur Camera	1929	200
13101	13300	Compur Camera (dial-set + rim-set)	1929	200
21479	21810	Compur Camera (rim-set)	1930	332
34451	34802	Compur Camera (rim-set)	1930	352
unknown	50572-	Compur Camera	1931-1941*	157*
TOTAL	ASSIGNED	SERIAL NUMBERS	1926-1941	1,651

Leica I (model C)

SN Start	SN End	Product	Year	Batch
34818	^ 60000	Leica I (nonstandard-mount)	1930	[25183]
^ 60001	60500	Leica I (nonstandard-mount)	1930	500
60500	71199	Leica I (standard-mount)	1931	10700
TOTAL	ASSIGNED	SERIAL NUMBERS	1930-1931	11,200