Editing Leica Camera (section)

=== After WWII ===
[[file:LeicaIIIf-600.jpg|thumb|Leica IIIf (1950), one of the last screw-mount Leicas, with 50mm/f1.5 Summarit]]
[[file:Leica M3 chrome Singlestroke with Leica-Meter M und Elmar f=5cm 2,8 M39.jpg|thumb|Leica M3 chrome Singlestroke (1958) with Leica-Meter M, Booster and collapsible Elmar f=5cm 1:2,8 M39 lens with adapter]]
[[file:Leica MP (2003) and Leica M3 (1954).jpg|thumb|Leica's MP of 2003 and M3 of 1954]]
[[file:Leica M.jpg|thumb|Modern Leica M series]]

After the war, Leitz continued to produce the late versions of the Leica II and the Leica III through the 1950s. However, in 1954, Leitz introduced the [[Leica M3]], with the new [[Leica M mount]], a bayonet-like [[lens mount]]. The new camera also combined the rangefinder and viewfinder into one large, bright viewfinder with a brighter double image in the center. This system also introduced a system of [[parallax]] compensation and a new rubberized, reliable, focal-plane shutter. Leica continues to refine this model (the latest versions being the MP and MA, both of which have framelines for 28, 35, 50, 75, 90, and 135&nbsp;mm lenses, which show automatically upon mounting).

In 1952, Günther Leitz decided to establish Ernst Leitz Canada at [[Midland, Ontario]].

Post-war models bear the initials DBP, standing for Deutsches Bundespatent (Federal German Patent), instead of the DRP (Deutsches Reich patent) found on pre-war models. A number of camera companies have built models based on the Leica rangefinder design. These include the [[Leotax]], [[Nicca]] and early [[Canon (company)|Canon]] models in [[Japan]], the [[Kardon]] in [[United States|USA]], the [[Reid and Sigrist|Reid]] in England and the [[FED (camera)|FED]] and [[Zorki]] in the [[Soviet Union|USSR]].

In the 1970s, [[Walter Mandler]] introduced [[computer aided design]] in optical engineering. {{Citation needed|date=June 2023}}

Until at least the mid-1950s, Leitz offered factory upgrades of earlier Leica cameras to the current model's specifications. The upgraded cameras retained their original serial number.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cameraquest.com/ltmnum.htm |title=Leica Screw Mount Serial #'s Sorted by Number |last=Gandy |first=Stephen |date=October 18, 2008 |website=Stephen Gandy's CameraQuest}}</ref><ref>"[http://www.overgaard.dk/leica-90mm-Summarit-M-f-25.html Upgrading your Leica]", Thorsten Overgaard.</ref>

[[file:r4-sl2-600.jpg|thumb|The Leica R4 (1980) and Leica SL2 MOT (1974)]]
[[file:visoII-600.jpg|thumb|The Leica Visoflex II (1960)]]
[[file:visoII-IIIf-600.jpg|thumb|Leica's answer to the SLR: a Leica Visoflex II on Leica IIIf]]

From 1964, Leica produced a series of [[Single-lens reflex camera|single-lens reflex]] cameras, beginning with the [[Leicaflex]], followed by the Leicaflex SL, the [[Leicaflex SL2]], and then the [[Leica R|R]] series from R3 to R7, made in collaboration with the [[Minolta Corporation]]. The [[Leica R8]] was entirely designed and manufactured by Leica. The final model was the [[Leica R9]], which could be fitted with the Digital Module back. Leica was slow to produce an auto-exposure model, and never made a Leica R model that included auto-focusing. In 2009 the R-series was discontinued, citing new camera developments that had caused a massive loss of Leica sales.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090601184305/http://us.leica-camera.com/news/news/1/6379.html Leica cease production of R9 and R lenses] March 25, 2009</ref>

Conceptually intermediate between the Rangefinder Leicas and the SLR Leicas was the [[Leica Visoflex System]], a mirror reflex box that attached to the lens mount of Leica rangefinders (separate versions were made for the screwmount and M series bodies) and accepted lenses made especially for the Visoflex System. Rather than using the camera's rangefinder, focusing was via a groundglass screen. A coupling released both mirror and shutter to make the exposure. Camera rangefinders are inherently limited in their ability to accurately focus long focal-length lenses; the mirror reflex box permitted much longer length lenses. Throughout its history, Leitz has been responsible for numerous optical innovations, such as aspherical production lenses, multicoated lenses, and rare earth lenses.

The earliest Leica reflex housing was the PLOOT (Leitz's five letter code for its products), announced in 1935, along with the 200&nbsp;mm {{f/|4.5}} Telyt Lens. This date is significant because it places Leica among the 35&nbsp;mm SLR pioneers. Until the 1964 introduction of the Leicaflex, the PLOOT and Visoflex were Leica's only SLR offerings. A redesigned PLOOT was introduced by Leica in 1951 as the Visoflex I. This was followed by a much more compact Visoflex II in 1960 (which was the only Visoflex version available in both LTM screwmount and M-bayonet), and the Visoflex III with instant-return mirror in 1964. Leica lenses for the Visoflex system included focal lengths of 65, 180 (rare), 200, 280, 400, 560, and 800mm. In addition, the optical groups of many rangefinder lenses could be removed and attached to the Visoflex via a system of adapters. The Visoflex system was discontinued in 1984.
The leica M6, the top model in the company's M 35mm rangefinder camera line at the time, served as the model for this one.

Leica offered a wide range of accessories. For instance, LTM (screwmount) lenses could be used on M cameras via an adapter. Similarly, Visoflex lenses could be used on the Leicaflex and R cameras with an adapter. Furthermore, certain LTM and M rangefinder lenses featured removable optical groups that could mount via adapters on the Visoflex system, thus making them usable as rangefinder or SLR lenses for Visoflex-equipped Screwmount and M rangefinder cameras, as well as being usable on Leicaflex and R cameras. Leica also offered focusing systems, such as the Focorapid and Televit, that could replace certain lenses' helicoid mounts for sports and natural-life telephotography.{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}}