Online Resources for Leica Fans
Leica provides access to a rich set of technical data and information on current or recently discontinued cameras, lenses and accessories at leica-camera.com. Yet, some other useful resources, such as price lists, booklets and older system brochures, can also be found on various other sites on the internet. By clicking on the corresponding links below, you can download these documents in pdf format. In case you are looking for a user guide for a Leica camera - new or old - you might want to check out the separate listings on Leica M manuals and Leica R manuals, respectively, in order to see whether the instruction booklet you are looking for is available as a pdf-download.
One notable resource for photography aficionados is the Leica Compendium by Erwin Puts. This 600-page reference book on "the company, the cameras, the lenses" provides a much-praised historical overview of the evolution of the Leica brand, discusses challenges of mechanical and optical engineering, and presents detailed descriptions and evaluations of M-system and R-system lenses. Despite a heavy price tag, all three editions sold out quickly. So nowadays, one has to look for a pre-owned copy on ebay (click here to check current listings).
| Publication | Hard copy | Soft copy | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leica M-System (43p. brochure), 2014 | ebay | leica-camera.com | |
| 2 | Leica M-lens coding list, 2013 | ebay | leica-camera.com | |
| 3 | Leica M System Catalog, 2011 | ebay | leica-camera.com | |
| 4 | Factory (Repair) Tips for M-Series Leicas, 1960s | ebay | pentax-manuals.com | |
| 5 | Leica M-Mount Patent (in German), 1950 | ebay | dpma.de |
| Publication | Hard copy | Soft copy | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leica Price List (Hongkong, in HKD), 2016 | ebay | leica-store.hk | |
| 2 | Leica Price List (United Kingdom, in GBP), 2015 | ebay | leica-storemayfair.co.uk | |
| 3 | Leica Tarifa de Precios (Spain, in EUR), 2014 | ebay | disefoto.es | |
| 4 | Leica Listino Prezzi (Italy, in EUR), 2014 | ebay | leicapromo100anni.it | |
| 5 | Leica Preisliste (Germany, in EUR), 2012 | ebay | pixxass.de | |
| 6 | Tarif Leica (France, in EUR), 2012 | ebay | leica-storeparis.com | |
| 7 | Leica Listino Prezzi (Italy, in EUR), 2008 | ebay | leicapassion.com | |
| 8 | Leica Historical Price List (USA, in USD), 1953 | ebay | l-camera-forum.com |
| Publication | Hard copy | Soft copy | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | APO-Telyt-M 135mm f/3.4 (1998) | ebay | leica-camera.com | |
| 2 | APO-Telyt-R 280mm f/4 (1998) | ebay | leica-camera.com | |
| 3 | APO-Telyt-R 280mm Module f/2.8 (1996) | ebay | leica-camera.com | |
| 4 | APO-Telyt-R 400mm Module f/4 (1996) | ebay | leica-camera.com | |
| 5 | APO-Telyt-R 400mm Module f/2.8 (1996) | ebay | leica-camera.com | |
| 6 | APO-Telyt-R 560mm Module f/5.6 (1996) | ebay | leica-camera.com | |
| 7 | APO-Telyt-R 560mm Module f/4 (1996) | ebay | leica-camera.com | |
| 8 | APO-Telyt-R 800mm Module f/5.6 (1996) | ebay | leica-camera.com |
For Leicas that share large parts of their technology with Panasonic cameras, such as the Digilux 3 or the D-Lux series, a number of service manuals are available. These repair guides are mainly intended to provide service personel with detailed information on the camera and its function, but can also be of help for the camera user, for example by providing instructions on how to retrieve the camera's shutter count. You can access these downloads by moving across to the Lumix service manuals page.
Further Reading
You can find an overview of the evolution of Leica M rangefinders, as well as a compendium of M-mount lenses on separate pages on this site. Similar information is equally available for Leica reflex cameras and the corresponding R-mount lenses. If in the process of perusing those pages you come across a Leica expression or concept that seems confusing, check out the Leica glossary of terms for definitions and explanations.
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