Leica F (1964–1966)

Name: Leica F
Brand: Leica

The Leica F is a short-lived entry in Leica's SLR history. It is a simplified, cheaper Leicaflex, built on the same chassis but without some of the flagship's refinements. Leica made it for only about two years, from 1964 to 1966. It is the last production 35mm SLR from Leica to rely entirely on external metering. There is no internal meter, so exposure is worked out by hand. The camera couples to the separate Leicameter MC/MR for finder-level, match-needle metering.

The record shows a beautifully made, over-engineered camera in the classic Leica mold. The pentaprism finder is standard. The final version of the prism carries a rear window that reads the lens aperture, and the aperture readout is visible in the finder. The shutter speed dial can be read from above. A film speed reminder dial is built into the rewind crank. Flash sync with the focal-plane shutter sits at 1/60. Shutter speeds run from 1 to 1/1000 second, and the camera takes Leica reflex lenses with a bayonet mount.

One reviewer on photo.net called it "the most hand-finished, over-engineered camera I know" and admitted, "I would not part with mine." He summed it up as a splendid reminder of a bygone era of craftsmanship.

Little else is documented. No exact original price, weight, or dimensions have surfaced, and details on available lenses, viewfinder magnification, and common failure points are not part of the record. The used market estimate sits around $300-$500, which looks modest for a piece of Leica history this hand-finished.

Known specs: