Paul Yi wrote:
Mine is ROM version, but the front element says Leica....
And the serial number begins with 3477.....
I guess they changed the lettering some where along the line....
The name E. Leitz which was the parent name for the 3 divisions of Leica Camera, Leitz Microscope, and Leitz instruments. E. Leitz was retired because the Leica name was better recognized than the name E. Leitz the world over. .E. Leitz started as a Microscope manufacturer (Ernst Leitz the founder of the company worked for Zeiss Microscopes before starting his own firm). For those that are unaware, the name Leica came from the Lei from the Leitz name and the Ca stood for Camera. So the name was a contraction forming the registered trademark Leica.
The company was subsequently broken into 3 entities and the Microscope Company now owns the trademark name Leica. Leica Cameras has the permission to still use the name to this day. All 3 companies with the Leica name still have ties one another. How close I do not know.
Rich
Feb 11, 2013 at 04:23 PM
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