"Null-Serie"("0-Serie")

The "Null-Serie" cameras began with a pilot run of 30 units¹. The initial production of handmade models received serial numbers ranging from 100 or 101 to 130. They were first introduced to the public at the Spring Fair in Leipzig in 1925, where they showcased the company name without a specific model designation²⁹.

Technical Specifications

These cameras were equipped with several notable features that defined their design. Film advance was intricately linked with shutter cocking. An automatic exposure counter was calibrated to 40. The non-interchangeable collapsible 50mm lens ensured maximum compactness and ease of transport. The bottom-loading design included an accessory clip and self-closing film cassettes. In contrast to the original prototypes, which lacked cassettes and utilized a focal plane shutter with a fixed slit width of 4 centimetres, the pilot-run model introduced the variable slit width²⁹.

Exposure time could be adjusted by manipulating the slit width, which was controlled via a small dial located at the top of the camera. To change the slit width, users turned a winding knob until a dot on the shutter speed dial, more accurately known as the "slit width dial," aligned with an index on the camera's top. After aligning the dot, the dial could be depressed and turned until a pin engaged with a hole next to the desired setting. One crucial aspect of this setup was that the selected setting could be read even when the shutter was wound²⁹.

Interestingly, on the "Null-Serie" cameras, the highest number displayed on the speed dial indicates the slowest speed¹⁰⁰. The various slit widths corresponded to specific shutter speeds: a slit width of 2 allowed for 1/1000 of a second, while a setting of 5 corresponded to 1/500 of a second, and so forth, down to 50 for 1/30 seconds. However, it was likely that the original spring tensions were lower, restricting the maximum shutter speed to 1/500 of a second. Furthermore, the focal plane shutter in the initial pilot models was not self-capping, requiring the insertion of a lens cap before advancing the film or rewinding it into the cassette. This inconvenience was subsequently addressed after the pilot run²⁹.

In the initial cameras from the pilot runs, there was a single negative viewfinder lens paired with a collapsible post. This design necessitated holding the camera at nearly arm's length from the eye, resulting in a diminutive image. This impractical feature was quickly replaced by a more familiar optical viewfinder that could be held closer to the eye for a better experience. The frame counter index was marked by a small line that was positioned perpendicularly to the back edge of the top deck and concentric with the winding knob²⁹.

Production of the actual series began shortly after the pilot run, during which several significant improvements were implemented based on user feedback from the pilot models. One notable update occurred around serial number 131 when the shutter was upgraded to feature a self-capping mechanism. In addition, the shutter speed dial was recalibrated to display fractions of a second, providing users with greater precision in their settings. The design of the top "deck" of the camera was also revamped. Furthermore, the lens mount and knobs transitioned from their original black finishes to a more refined nickel-plated appearance²⁹.

The "Null-Serie" cameras were initially conceived as pre-production prototypes, designed to test and evaluate the innovative Leica camera concept before entering full-scale production. During this developmental phase, many aspects of the project underwent significant changes, including the camera's internal designation; it was known as Barnack's camera. Only when production began did it receive the official name, Leica. Interestingly, one of the early names considered for Model I was "LECA," a unique spelling featured in an early brochure. Ultimately, the more appealing name Leica, which stands for "LEItz CAmera," was chosen³³⁸.

Not all of the 30 "Null-Serie" cameras were completed as fully functional models, and delivery book records suggest that only about 22 of these cameras reached full assembly. The cameras numbered 121 to 130 are considered transitional models, leading up to the Leica I Model A, which eventually went into serial production²⁶⁹.

Research conducted by Roland Zwiers indicates that in 1923, 25 cameras with serial numbers ranging from 101 to 125 were produced as the first test series, all equipped with 50mm f/3.5 Leitz Anastigmat lenses. Following that, between January and June of 1924, four additional cameras, serial numbers 126 to 129, were manufactured as part of the second test series. These featured self-capping shutters and were likewise equipped with 50mm f/3.5 Leitz Anastigmat lenses, with surplus lenses from earlier production carried over into this series³³⁶.

Further research by Roland Zwiers details two scenarios for Leica cameras produced between June and December 1924. In Scenario 1, 373 cameras, with serial numbers ranging from 126 to 499, were manufactured, supplied with 50mm f/3.5 Elmax lenses and leftover 50mm f/3.5 Leitz Anastigmat lenses. Conversely, Scenario 2 outlines the production of 25 cameras equipped with 50mm f/3.5 Elmax lenses alongside the remaining 50mm f/3.5 Leitz Anastigmat lenses³³⁶.

Between June and December 19, 1924, Leica produced 25 or 373 lenses including the remaining 50mm f/3.5 Leitz Anastigmat lenses. Following this initial production period, research conducted by Roland Zwiers indicates that from December 19, 1924, to April 23, 1925, 224 cameras were made, each supplied with 50mm f/3.5 Elmax lenses. These 224 cameras were followed by the production of 853 cameras between April 23, 1925, and December 15, 1925, with these units being equipped with 50mm f/3.5 Elmar lenses that used Goerz glass³³⁶.

In 1926, 1585 cameras were sold, all of which were also provided with the 50mm f/3.5 Elmar lenses featuring Goerz glass³³⁶. During 1923 and 1924, the Experimental Department worked on developing a small series of cameras made available for testing to interested parties. These models aligned with Barnack's expectations; however, his colleague Anton Baumann expressed concern that photographers might forget to cover the lens when cocking the shutter for the next shot, as the shutter curtains did not overlap. Barnack addressed this concern, and by the spring of 1924, he had constructed four cameras equipped with a new shutter design³⁵⁷.

Gifts, Special Editions and Known Whereabouts

In 1923, Leitz distributed between 20 and 30 cameras, developed from earlier prototypes such as the Ur-Leica, to factory personnel and a select group of trusted individuals³³⁷.

Leica 101

The "Null-Serie" camera, bearing serial number 101, was given to August Bauer, an employee of Leitz³⁵⁷. In 1983, the "Null-Serie" camera, bearing serial number 101 was in private collection³⁶⁰.

This camera had the first type of viewfinder that featured a folding design with a negative lens and a pivoting foresight. It included a crossline graticule on the negative lens to assist with sighting. However, this type was often inaccurate, as the foresight must be positioned at least 10 cm away from the eye, which could also lead to camera shake. The viewfinder was attached to the top plate using two 4.7 mm screws³⁶⁰.

Leica 102

The camera with serial number 102 was given to Ernst Leitz³⁵⁷.

This camera had the first type of viewfinder that featured a folding design with a negative lens and a pivoting foresight. It included a crossline graticule on the negative lens to assist with sighting. However, this type was often inaccurate, as the foresight must be positioned at least 10 cm away from the eye, which could also lead to camera shake. The viewfinder was attached to the top plate using two 4.7 mm screws³⁶⁰.

Leica 103

The "Null-Serie" camera, bearing serial number 103, was in possession of Kipper Berghäuser of Oberhausen, Germany³⁶¹. In 1983, this camera was in private collection in the United States³⁶⁰. It was reported in 2014 that the camera was in possession of Al Fricke of Rochester, New York State, United States at some point³⁶¹.

This camera had the first type of viewfinder that featured a folding design with a negative lens and a pivoting foresight. It included a crossline graticule on the negative lens to assist with sighting. However, this type was often inaccurate, as the foresight must be positioned at least 10 cm away from the eye, which could also lead to camera shake. The viewfinder was attached to the top plate using two 4.7 mm screws³⁶⁰.

Leica 104

In 1983, the "Null-Serie" camera, bearing serial number 104 was displayed in the Leitz Factory Museum in Wetzlar, Germany³⁶⁰.

This camera had the first type of viewfinder that featured a folding design with a negative lens and a pivoting foresight. It included a crossline graticule on the negative lens to assist with sighting. However, this type was often inaccurate, as the foresight must be positioned at least 10 cm away from the eye, which could also lead to camera shake. The viewfinder was attached to the top plate using two 4.7 mm screws³⁶⁰.

Leica 105

According to notes from Oskar Barnack and the delivery records from 1923, the camera with serial number 105 was initially intended for Henri Dumur³³⁶. Dumur, born in Switzerland, joined Leitz in 1903 and returned in 1912. He became the Sales Manager in 1915 and eventually served as a board member and co-director of E. Leitz G.m.b.H. over his 60-year career, before retiring in 1963³³⁸.

The "Null-Serie" camera with serial number 105 belonged to Oscar Barnack¹⁴⁸. This ownership is supported by the letters his son, Conrad Barnack, wrote to Jim Forsyth in October 1960¹⁵¹.

This camera was modified to include the new tubular viewfinder, a feature that later became standard on the "Null-Serie" models and subsequent Leica I Model A cameras, extending to the Leica Standard Model E. Despite the update, traces of the original folding viewfinder remain visible on the camera's body, including marks and a screw-plugged hole where the front post used to attach¹⁵¹.

The first batch of "Null-Serie" cameras were designed with non-capping shutters. The lens had to be capped during the winding and shutter-cocking process. A clip on the front of the camera held a short string attached to a leather lens cap. In addition to the leather cap, the camera serial number 105 also came with a metal cap featuring the initials "O.B."³³⁷.

The "Null-Serie" cameras included a variety of viewfinders, each serving a distinct purpose. Among these was a folding finder equipped with a crosshair, designed for precision framing. Additionally, two types of tubular Galilean viewfinders were available: one also featured a crosshair, while the other was a simpler version that did not include this reticle. Notably, it is believed that the "Null-Serie" camera with serial number 105 originally came with a folding finder that had a crosshair. However, over time, this was replaced by one of the tubular Galilean types without a crosshair³³⁷.

This "Null-Serie" camera features a lever to the right of the viewfinder, marked with the letters Z, M, and R. The "Z" stands for "Zeitaufnahmen," that is Bulb mode, where the operator can manually time exposures. On the other hand, the "M" stands for "Momentaufnahmen," indicating Instantaneous mode, where the camera automatically determines the exposure time. The "R" is likely an abbreviation for "Ruckspulen," referring to the rewind function that allows the release of the advance cogs for rewinding the film³³⁷.

Unlike later models, the "Null-Serie" camera does not incorporate the first and second curtain system. Adjusting shutter speeds differs from the norm when utilizing the "M" setting. Instead of directly setting the speeds, users must adjust the slit width using a dial. This innovative method corresponds to specific shutter speeds, with a 2mm width resulting in 1/500th of a second, a 5mm width equating to 1/200th of a second, 10mm to 1/100th of a second, 20mm leading to 1/50th of a second, and a 50mm width yielding 1/25th of a second³³⁷.

The "Null-Serie" camera with serial number 105 originally featured a rewind knob that was later replaced with a newer design used in the Leica I Model A. Ottmar Michaely noted that the update was necessary to accommodate standard Leica FILCA film cassettes, as the original cassettes for the "Null-Serie" cameras had become increasingly rare by the late 1920s³³⁷.

Despite these upgrades, using the "Null-Serie" camera with serial number 105 remained a challenge. Photographers at the time could use a separate rangefinder, such as the FODIS, for distance measurement. However, the tools for metering and film speeds were not as advanced as they are today. The German Scheiner exposure system, in use since the 1890s, relied largely on comparisons between films. It wasn’t until 1934 that the DIN system was introduced, followed by the ASA and ISO standards³³⁷.

The camera with the serial number 105 is especially noteworthy because it features the name "Oskar Barnack" engraved on its viewfinder, reflecting an Anglicised version of his name. Though well-crafted, the engraving can be hard to notice due to its light-colored filling merging with the patina of the viewfinder¹⁵¹. The engraving and the spelling is very controversial. The identity of the individual responsible for this unusual spelling and the engraving itself remains a mystery³³⁸.

Conrad Barnack, who used the "Null-Serie" camera until 1939, loaned it to the Photographic Technology Display at the Deutsches Museum in Munich. The camera then remained at the museum from 1939 to 1945. After World War II, it was returned to Conrad, who later sent it back for another exhibition from 1954 to 1960. During the camera's time at the museum, a photograph shows it beside a Leica III Model F, believed to originate from 1939, and notably, the engraving of Barnack's name was absent at that time. This absence raises the possibility that the engraving may have been added during the years Conrad owned it between 1945 and 1954. In 1960, Conrad decided to sell this "Null-Serie" camera to American collector Jim Forsyth. A letter dated October 9, 1960, from Conrad to Forsyth discusses the potential sale of this significant piece of photographic history³³⁸. In 1969, Forsyth sold the camera to its next owner, Frank Christian. A photograph taken during the transfer from Forsyth to Christian neither confirms nor denies the presence of the engraved viewfinder on the camera at that time. It is known, however, that the camera was serviced in the early 1970s at the Leica facility in Rockleigh, New Jersey, although no parts were replaced at that time³³⁷. In the years following, Frank Christian sold the "Null-Serie" camera to Al Clarke, a founding member of the Leica Historical Society of America. Al Clarke cherished the camera for about 25 years, from the early 1970s until the mid-1990s, selling it to its next owner³³⁸.

Ultimately, the "Null-Serie" camera with serial number 105 was sold for a staggering €14400000, including premium, on June 11, 2022. The starting price was set at an impressive €1000000, with estimates predicting it could reach between €2000000 and €3000000³³⁷.

Leica 107

This camera was delivered to Patent Office in New York, United States in 1923³⁶¹. In 1983, the "Null-Serie" camera, bearing serial number 107 was in private collection in Belgium³⁶⁰. The camera was sold for €1300000 at the Westlicht Photgraphica Auction in 2011.

This camera had frame counter that went from 5 to 40, without the crossed circle below 40³⁶⁰. It had the first type of viewfinder that featured a folding design with a negative lens and a pivoting foresight. It included a crossline graticule on the negative lens to assist with sighting. However, this type was often inaccurate, as the foresight must be positioned at least 10 cm away from the eye, which could also lead to camera shake. The viewfinder was attached to the top plate using two 4.7 mm screws³⁶⁰.

Leica 108

The "Null-Serie" camera, bearing serial number 108, was delivered to Rudolph Zak, manager at Leitz³⁶¹.

Leica 109

This camera was originally delivered to Kutschinsky, Leitz dealer in Berlin, Germany³⁶¹. In 1983, the "Null-Serie" camera, bearing serial number 109 was displayed in the George Eastman House in Rochester, New York State, United States³⁶⁰.

This camera had the first type of viewfinder that featured a folding design with a negative lens and a pivoting foresight. It included a crossline graticule on the negative lens to assist with sighting. However, this type was often inaccurate, as the foresight must be positioned at least 10 cm away from the eye, which could also lead to camera shake. The viewfinder was attached to the top plate using two 4.7 mm screws³⁶⁰.

Leica 110

This camera was originally delivered to Kittner in Vienna, Austria³⁶¹. In 1983, the "Null-Serie" camera, bearing serial number 110 was in private collection in Japan³⁶⁰.

This camera had the first type of viewfinder that featured a folding design with a negative lens and a pivoting foresight. It included a crossline graticule on the negative lens to assist with sighting. However, this type was often inaccurate, as the foresight must be positioned at least 10 cm away from the eye, which could also lead to camera shake. The viewfinder was attached to the top plate using two 4.7 mm screws³⁶⁰.

Leica 111

The "Null-Serie" camera, bearing serial number 111, was delivered to Zeiler, Leitz dealer in New York, United States³⁶¹.

Leica 112

Historical records Werkstattbuch and Auslieferungsliste³³⁸ indicate that camera with the serial number 112, was originally in Oskar Barnack's possession. However, evidence has emerged suggesting that he later utilized a different "Null-Serie" camera, which bore the serial number 105³³⁷. In 1983, the "Null-Serie" camera, bearing serial number 112 was in private collection³⁶⁰. On March 4, 2025, Leica announced that this camera will be presented for sale at the 46th Leitz Photographica Auction in on June 27th, 2025.