SNAPSHOT LEICA (LYMOO and XBFOO)
The affordable Snapshot Leica, code-named LYMOO (or LENOT177 and XBFOO later542) for camera and lens combination, appeared in 1935177. Such combination consisted of Leica Standard Model E body with a 35mm WEISU viewfinder instead of the usual 50mm finder177.
A special 3.5cm f/4.5 Elmar lens, code named ELROO, of a four-element, three-group design in a very compact mount was to be sold with this camera177. The lens mount was not coupled to the rangefinder and had four click stops at 1.75m, 3m, 10m, and infinity for scale focusing177. Production of 3.5cm f/4.5 Elmar lens cancelled almost immediately due to a lack of capacity, and only two of these lenses are known to exist today177.
In June of 1935 LYMOO changed to XBFOO and ELROO was no longer listed542. XBFOO appeared in various promotional materials and pricing documents from 193520. Notably, the model never entered production, as indicated by an addendum to the 1936 price list, which clarified that Snapshot Leica was retracted due to constraints in production capacity at the time20.
It was discovered that the Leica Standard Model E with the WEISU finder was a popular special order item177. Research conducted by members of Leica HISTORICA in the Leitz archives reveals that between 1936 and 1939, a total of 136 Leica Standard Model E cameras with WEISU viewfinders were shipped177. The serial numbers for these cameras ranged between 180000 and 330000177. Typically, one or two cameras were sold at a time; however, one batch of ten cameras was documented in the records177. Both black lacquer and chrome versions were available, with the chrome variant being the more common option177.
Known Cameras
Camera number 104394 dated 1933 was offered but remained unsold at the 38th Leitz Photographica Auction on June 12, 2021385. The camera came paired with the prototype of 3.5cm f/4.5 "Snapshot" Elmar lens, with click stops, no coupling and no serial number385.
Camera number 185526, in chrome finish, dated 1936, features a built-in 3.5cm WEISU viewfinder540. James L. Lager classified this camera as Leica Standard Model E540. The camera was illustrated on page 46 of James L. Lager's "Leica: An Illustrated History - Volume 1 - Cameras - Signed Deluxe Limited Edition" book540.
Camera number 188551, in chrome finish, dated 1936, features a built-in 3.5cm WEISU viewfinder540. James L. Lager classified this camera as Leica Standard Model E540. The camera was illustrated on page 46 of James L. Lager's "Leica: An Illustrated History - Volume 1 - Cameras - Signed Deluxe Limited Edition" book540. According to James L. Lager's note in Viewfinder, Volume 26, No 4, 1993, this camera had "The four holes 'in the intermediate plate do not align with similar four holes used to attach the foot of the WEISU...Thus the bottom of the finder was found to have a total of 8 holes drilled when the intermediate plate was removed. This may imply that a WEISU was disassembled for use on the special order camera.".
Camera number 191651 was auctioned off on November 18, 2021 at the Flints Auctions Ltd.
Camera number 214546 dated 1933 was offered at the 44th Leitz Photographica Auction on June 10, 2024, but remained unsold379. The lot included the original wide-angle 35mm viewfinder, a prototype 'Snapshot' Elmar 4.5/3.5cm lens, a FOKOS rangefinder, and a special case379. The 'Snapshot' Elmar 4.5/3.5cm lens featured several unique characteristics, such as click-stop focusing, no coupling, and the absence of a serial number engraving379. It was the only known example of this prototype lens with a chrome finish and came complete with a special prototype hood379. The Snapshot Elmar, codenamed ELROO, was one of the rarest and most unique Leica lenses ever produced379. The camera was manufactured in 1933383. The camera was offered at the 40th Leitz Photographica Auction on June 11, 2022, but remained unsold383. Before that, it was offered on June 8, 2000 at Christie's.
Camera number 249505 was illustrated in Viewfinder, Volume 26, No 4, 1993. It was auctioned off on November 13, 2021 at an American auction. Later it was offered on November 9, 2024 at an American auction.
Camera number 253706, in black paint, dated 1937 was shipped on September 16, 1937540. James L. Lager classified this camera as Leica Standard Model E that was shipped with a built-in 3.5 cm WEISU viewfinder540. He asserted that a camera of a similar variant (having WEISU) produced between 1936-1939, most likely never catalogued and represented a variant produced on specific customer request540. The same camera was illustrated on page 46 of James L. Lager's "Leica: An Illustrated History - Volume 1 - Cameras - Signed Deluxe Limited Edition" book540.
Camera number 253771 dated 1937 was sold for 19200 Euros including buyer's premium at the "100 years of Leica Camera" WestLicht Camera Auction on May 23, 2014399. The lot was described as "The “snapshot” Elmar was announced under catalogue code ELROO in the June 1935 Leitz leaflet The Interchangeable Leica Lenses (List Photo 7333b) and described as follows: “The snapshot lens Leitz Elmar 3.5 cm f/4.5 was especially designed for the Standard Leica (model E) and is not RF-coupled [...] The lens has click-stopped focus points of 1.75, 3 and 10 meters and infinity.” A red insert sheet points out that the lens cannot be delivered “at this time”. In fact, the snapshot Elmar never went into commercial production. A complete specimen is preserved at the Leica Camera AG Factory Museum. A handful of other examples are known to exist worldwide. The lens offered here was surely re-plated in nickel finish at a later date and shows practically no signs of use today. With clean optics, on matching Leica model E with built-in wide angle finder in black-paint finish with nickel fittings..."399.
Camera number 277853 was illustrated in Mr. Lars Netopil's "Rare Leica" book in 2014594.
Camera number 314340 dated 1939 was illustrated in Viewfinder 15(2) and was based on Leica Standard Model E.
Camera number 327977 was illustrated in Mr. Lars Netopil's "Rare Leica" book in 2014594.