Additionally, they’re very visually appealing, which makes them great gifts for microscope and antique collectors alike. Even though all of these Ernst Leitz Wetzlar microscopes are vintage, reconditioned antiques, they’re in complete working order, so they’re able to be used like regular microscopes.
![e leitz wetzlar rangefinder e leitz wetzlar rangefinder](http://deerbe.com/imgs/a/e/x/u/k/a___1_ernst_leitz_wetzlar_einschlaglupe_6x_vergrsserung_2_lgw.jpg)
Our Ernst Leitz Wetzlar microscopes come in a variety of styles and finishes, ranging from brass, monocular compound microscopes to more modern-looking binocular and trinocular inverted phase and metallurgical microscopes. Leica Camera prides itself on its innovative, sustainable, and nearly perfect lenses and the high quality found in the German industrial process is evident in Leica products. The current name is a combination of two words: the first three letters of “Leitz” and the first two letters of “camera.” Today, the company mostly sells cameras and sports optics like binoculars, monoculars, riflescopes, and rangefinders. It changed its name to Leica in 1986 due to the popularity of the name. These antique microscopes are available with most of their original parts and are not covered under warranty.Įrnst Leitz Wetzlar was founded by Ernst Leitz in 1869 in Wetzlar, Germany.
#E LEITZ WETZLAR RANGEFINDER SERIAL NUMBERS#
Many of the vintage Ernst Leitz Wetzlar microscopes featured on our website are believed to have been manufactured as early as 1925, and many are still branded with their original serial numbers from production. Collecting was not as well established in those days.Long before Ernst Leitz Wetzlar changed its name to Leica Camera, the company produced high-quality microscopes during the last few decades of the 19th century into the early 20th century. Want to know about some of the things I turned down from Phil Levine (remeber, this was the early 1980s): a Leitz lens turret complete with three chrome M lenses (less than $ 1000), an original black paint 50/2.0 rigid Summicron ($ about 250), and other equally rare historica. Eventually, I bought something and I've been hooked ever since. I would periodically go back to look at other lenses (new, current), and he would show me some old Leica stuff and give me the history. I bought a new black M4-P with a 50/2.0 Summicron and a black Leicameter MR-4 in the early 1980s from Phil Levine in Boston. My thought is that most Leica users if they stay with it for any length of time, will get into collecting to one degree or another. I started out as a user only, and eventually got into collecting. But I like to read Leica history, so my knowledge of collectibles goes well beyond that which I own. I was/am a "user-collector" (or "collector-user") if you wish. I can tell you for certain, the NY version of the Imarect (called IMFIN) is worth more than the wetzlar version (called VIOOH), and it can be paired with a Leitz NY 28 mm finder attachment (called VIOAD), which is less common than the German version (called TUVOO). They may be worth a little more than the Wetzlar variety, if you find an interested buyer. Leitz N.Y., including the Summar hood, the Summitar folding hood, the Fison (for 50/3.5), and others. These lenses turn up for sale by dealers or on eBay (the 50/3.5 is very scarce, the 90 and 127 are more common).Īs to lenshoods, some older ones were engraved E. II), a 90/4.5 Velostigmat, and a 127/4.5 (which was alternatively called "Anastigmat", then "Raptar", then "Velostigmat": all the same lens made by wollensak). These items included a 50/3.5 Velostigmat, a 50/4.5 enlarging lens, a 50/2.8 (which was probably only a prototype, since I've only ever seen it pictured in Lager Vol. Leitz New York", but the optics were manufactured by Wollensak, an American company. Leitz NY marketed several lenses that were engraced "E.
![e leitz wetzlar rangefinder e leitz wetzlar rangefinder](https://mbs10.ru/images/RETRO/weitslar/new_2/5_ish.png)
![e leitz wetzlar rangefinder e leitz wetzlar rangefinder](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/3zIAAOSwDIZi2uKi/s-l400.jpg)
Leitz NY version is actually much rarer (as is the case for the Leitz NY Imarect VF, which is much harder to find than the Wetzlar version).Īs noted above, during the latter part of WWII (1944-45) and in the earlier postwar period, Leitz Wetzlar items were very difficult to come by. Leitz NY had its own separate box (usually dark red/purple) for these items. Leitz NY and Leitz Wetzlar: eg., the Imarect type universal viewfinder, the sliding focussing stage, the Leitz ballhead for table top tripod, lens cases, some lenshoods, various filters, etc.
![e leitz wetzlar rangefinder e leitz wetzlar rangefinder](https://i.etsystatic.com/24230000/r/il/704938/2680124677/il_794xN.2680124677_2b3u.jpg)
A long time ago, some items were marketed (and engraved as such) by both E.