Leica Standard (Model E) (1932–1950)
The Leica Standard (Model E) was Leica’s budget offering of the mid-1930s. Ernst Leitz introduced it in Wetzlar in October 1932 as an alternative to the more elaborate Model D and Model F bodies. It is essentially an improved Leica I (C) - a lens-standardized body with a compact, uncluttered design. It omits the built-in rangefinder, the slow-speed dial, and later M-system refinements. It is one of the purest forms of the early Barnack Leica concept.
The Standard has no coupled rangefinder, so it was sold with a separate detachable rangefinder that fitted into the accessories clip. The camera uses the standardized Leica screw mount and accepts interchangeable lenses. A typical outfit carried a nickel Elmar 5cm f/3.5. Production began in the same year as the Leica II, which introduced the coupled rangefinder.
Surviving information on this model is thin in places. No original retail price, weight, or dimensions are documented. Production ran from 1932 to 1950, with roughly 13,545 black and 13,680 chrome bodies made, though the latter figure is 12,229 fewer than the assigned serial numbers. Collectors still want it. Recent auction data shows median prices ranging from €265 to €672 over a five-week period. Enthusiasts on forums still recommend it for those who love scale focusing and don’t need a rangefinder. One writer described winding it on as feeling “a small brass mechanism” that has been doing exactly that since the 1930s. Leica Lens List has noted its appeal as one of the purest expressions of the early Barnack design.
- Format: 35mm film, 24×36mm frame
- Lens mount: Standardized Leica screw mount
- Rangefinder: None built in; separate detachable unit supplied
- Production: 1932–1950; ~13,545 black, ~13,680 chrome (serial numbers assigned)
eBay Listings
As an eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our independent vintage technology research.
Related Models
- Leica 0
- Leica 250 Reporter
- Leica CL (1973)
- Leica F
- Leica Ic
- FED Atlas
- FED NKVD (1934-1955)
- FED S (1934-1955)
- FED TSVVS
- Fujica Compact Deluxe (1967)