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Leica Invented Autofocus - Then Abandoned It

In an article over on Apple Mac site Cult of Mac called "Leica invented autofocus, then abandoned it" they take a look at how Leica spent nearly 20 years patenting technology in the late 70s that would take focusing out of the hands of the photographer - but then dropped it, figuring its customers already knew how to focus their cameras. Leica used its Leicaflex SL2 for the autofocus prototype and used a a 50mm lens with a servo motor. Two LEDs on top of the viewfinder assisted in detecting the highest contrast of a subject, while the motor turned the focus ring. Surprisingly, it worked well in low light but wasn’t that fast, because it took a number of gears for the motor to generate enough torque to turn the focus ring. Furthermore, the motor housing was converted to hold six batteries that lasted only an hour! Leica sold the technology to Minolta, which marketed the first successful autofocus SLR with the Minolta Maxxum 7000 just five years later...

Louis C.K. - Comedian and Leica Shooter

Of course, it's no secret that comedian Louis C.K. is a Leica shooter but we were recently reminded of this again when he toured New York City Hall with Mayor Bill de Blasio...

Dressed inconspicuously in a black shirt and jeans, Louis C.K. dived in and out of the Brownsville crowd to stay close to Mr. de Blasio, snapping photos with a Leica camera and scribbling notes in a battered Mead notebook.

Story Behind Mary Ellen Mark' Smoking Girl

Mary Ellen Mark was an acclaimed and prolific American photographer - known in part, for shooting a Leica. Sadly, on May 25, 2015 at the age of 75, Mary Ellen Mark passed away. One of her iconic photos, titled "Amanda and her cousin Amy" (seen above) is a classic example of her style and subject matter. As with any good photo, especially of this sort, there's a story behind it. Over on the NPR there's an article on that very story - "What Happened To The 9-Year-Old Smoking In Mary Ellen Mark's Photo?". Read more below!

Leica on the Future of Sensor Technology

In an article over on Germany's ColorFoto website, there's a discussion by "Leica on the future of sensor technology" (in German). A lot of interesting bits on the sensor of the M and using both R lenses and classic M lenses on it, some CMOS vs. CCD and even the future of the S system. Well worth checking out. Read more below for translation!

Another Leica M3 Gets a Reboot

Chuck Miller over at the Times Union newspaper up in Albany, NY - was gifted a lovely, slightly tattered Leica M3 a while back. He goes on to say that it needed a CLA (not an "LCA") and new leather, as the vulcanite had seen better days. Some quick work by a name that should be familiar to all - Sherry Krauter - and it was looking (and working) as good as new again! Congrats on a beautiful camera that should last another lifetime or two! Happy shooting, Chuck.

Leica Still Among Germany's Top Luxury Brands

As we reported back in 2013 in the article "Leica leads in top-50 luxury brands", Handelsblatt once again gives us a peek at the top German luxury brands - though perhaps not in as much detail as the last time. Leica is listed as number three in "These are the strongest German luxury brands." A little unfortunate in a sense - as we posted earlier, the Leica Q received the wrong kind of attention. By "wrong" we mean Leica being associated as a luxury brand - and not so much a "camera company" that made them what they are... They're in good company with the likes of Montblanc (1), Graf von Faber Castell (7), Porsche (9) and BMW (10).

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