Context
In the 1960s, the sale of rangefinder cameras decline for more polyvalent and practical SLR cameras.
To survive, Leica has to follow the trend and create an SLR 35mm camera. Then, in 1964, Leica put on the market its first SLR camera : the Leicaflex.
A massive and polyvalent camera…
What you notice at first glance is that the Leicaflex is quite massive (not as much as a Kodak Retina, but it is still significantly more imposing than a Pentax Spotmatic or a Nikon FT2).
The Leicaflex on the right weighs 650 grams.
The FT2 on the left weighs 100 grams less, but feels much lighter in use (it should also be noted that Leica lenses are quite heavy).
The camera has all the desirable features for a photographer (mirror lift for macro photography, full aperture exposure calculation, depth of field tester, etc.) while offering the high-end finish of Leica cameras.
The shutter speed goes up to 1/2000th of a second.
…but less innovative than its competitors
The Leicaflex is less technologically advanced than its competitors when it comes to the market.
For example, the Nikon F (1959) featured a vertical-travel metal shutter, while the Leicaflex opts for a conservative option with an horizontal-travel focal-plane shutter.
Similarly, while many other cameras had a prism light meter, the Leicaflex still used an external one.
Leica decided not to take any risks and to use an external light meter (in the center of this photo) where others were more daring.
Using a Leicaflex
I have used this camera on numerous occasions. Particularly for night photos where its weight and excellent grip became an asset in limiting camera shake.
The viewfinder, for its part, is very pleasant to use: it’s large, bright, and displays the exposure meter reading and the selected shutter speed.
However, I regret the absence of a split-image rangefinder and the fact that focusing is only possible using microprisms.
Otherwise, the Leicaflex remains a beautiful object, pleasant to handle and perfectly functional despite its weight.
A commercial success nonetheless
Despite its delay, the Leicaflex was successful enough for Leica to continue independently developing its Reflex system until the mid-1970s, when the second successor to the Leicaflex, the SL2, did not achieve the expected success.
This will force Leica to temporarily partner with Minolta to reduce its costs.
