Leica—100 Years of
Craftsmanship and Cultural Influence

(Photography) The company’s history began in Wetzlar, Germany, a town known at the time for microscope manufacturing. Oskar Barnack, an engineer at the Ernst Leitz factory, wanted a smaller, lighter camera that would allow him to photograph more easily while managing a chronic health condition. Around 1913, he developed what became known as the “Ur-Leica,” a prototype that used 35mm film, which had only been used for motion pictures. It wasn’t mass-produced until after World War I, when the Leica I was introduced a century ago in 1925.

Its release marked a shift in photography. Before the Leica I, cameras were bulky, slow, and often used with tripods. The Leica I was compact and discreet, which made it ideal for street photography, travel, and journalism, both for its ease of use and spontaneity. It allowed photographers to work more freely, closer to their subjects, and with fewer interruptions. Over time, the 35mm format that Leica pioneered became the industry standard, and helped to turn photography from something of a novelty into a proper artform.

Leica in Every Walk of Life
It was here, then, that the potential of photography was being realized. Artists like Henri Cartier-Bresson famously carried a Leica and used it to define his approach to candid, in-the-moment photography. He credited the camera with allowing him to capture life as it unfolded, especially on the street and during his travels. Robert Capa took his Leica into war zones. His photos from the Spanish Civil War and D-Day were shaped by the camera’s ability to keep up with him under extreme conditions. Later, Garry Winogrand and Joel Meyerowitz used Leica cameras to document everyday life on the streets of New York. They walked miles each day, photographing without drawing attention, letting scenes emerge naturally.

Others used Leica cameras in entirely different settings. Mary Ellen Mark brought hers into shelters and institutions, building trust with her subjects over time. Sebastião Salgado used a Leica while photographing workers and displaced people across several continents. More recently, Sarah M. Lee has used her Leica to document everything from London’s quotidian moments to intimate celebrity portraits, all with a sense of immediacy and connection that reflects the camera’s strengths.

The beauty of Leica is, of course, in its technical precision, but that isn’t the entire story. The brand’s ability to remain steadfast in its identity, and remain unwavering throughout the century, has contributed to its success. While other brands have focused on constant upgrades and new features, Leica has been more selective. Its digital models are known for their simplicity, stripped of unnecessary details. Manual controls, sturdy metal bodies, and a minimal interface make this camera a very specific kind of tool. In other words, there’s a design consistency to Leica that hasn’t changed in decades. Whether film or digital, most M cameras share the same form factor and layout. You can pick up an M6 from the 1980s or an M11 from last year and feel immediately at home. This design ethos owes much to the Bauhaus philosophy in which form follows function, with ornament stripped away to reveal the clarity of the object itself. It’s an approach that has aged well, because it’s ageless.

The Philosophy of Seeing
Leica is more than just technology: the brand embodies a philosophy of mindful seeing. In an age of digital overload, Leica stands for reduction, focus, and storytelling through a single image. It is a symbol of quality over quantity, of substance over hype.

Much of Leica’s status now in the market is due to its mission to build a community of brand loyalists. Some are professionals who have used Leica cameras for decades. Others are newcomers who buy one to enter a community that values craftsmanship, patience, and a slower way of seeing. Leica supports that with intention: with galleries in cities like Los Angeles, London, and Tokyo; a global academy offering workshops and mentorship; and a steady presence in cultural institutions and events. Through its global footprint, Leica offers a sense of belonging anywhere in the world.