Between us, my wife (who is also a keen photographer) and I have a decent collection of Leica cameras (Standard E, M6, M9, M10M, M11). This project – some may call it more of a blog – is dedicated to the most special of our Leica cameras.
I have been entrusted with looking after my late grandfather’s old Leica camera. It is a Leica Standard, Type E; black enamel version. The serial number indicates that is was manufactured in Q4 of 1932 in Wetzlar, Germany, as part of a batch of 5000 pieces built in 1932. The model was launched in October 1932 and the initial batch was built within Q4 of that year. Specifically, this was camera number 1,791 of this type.
This was the basic, entry-model camera – hence the term, ‘Leica Standard’. However, as with Leica cameras of all times, having picked one up, taken it home, unboxed it and started putting to use, has been a pretty big deal.
The camera is in near-mint condition; very unusual for a camera more than 90 years old. There is some unavoidable haze and dust on the lens (which, in testing, proved minimal); but the enamel and screws are scratch-free, and the leather is in perfect condition. All mechanics appear to function perfectly.
I do not know how much the camera has really been used. I do know of photographs shot with it in the period from the 1930’ies and -50/-60’ies, but whether and how much the camera has really been in use after that is unclear. I tend to believe it has been used very little, if at all, the last 60 years.
Until now…
Testing Leica Standard E (1932) against M10 Monochrom (2022)
Having put the camera through as thorough an exterior cleaning as I could, and struggled a bit to figure out the film traction system, I loaded up the old camera with a black and white film (Ilford FP4 Plus, 125 ISO) and took it on a walk down the street from my house.
I also brought my M10 Monochrom – both to use as a light meter and distance measure, and to compare the performance of the old camera with what is commonly recognised as the world’s best monochrome camera of all time.
Images from both cameras are unprocessed, except the film photos are converted to pure neutral black and white to eliminate the sepia tone of the Ilford film, for the purpose of this direct comparison.
The results blew me away. Between the 90-year old mechanics, the risk of haze and dust on lens elements, and the inherent difficulty for a modern digital photographer of metering, measuring, and framing entirely manually, I was not expecting anything like this!
