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 Post subject: That's not a Leica microscope THIS is a Leica Microscope
PostPosted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 10:30 am 
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It has always pissed me off that the assholes that bought up all the microscope
companies I used to know and love bought with the Wild Leitz brand name the trademark right to call a microscope "Leica"

The word Leica is a teutonic style contraction acronym for "Leitz Camera" which was specifically used on the innovative 35mm cameras (the FIRST 35mm caneras ever) developed by the Ernst Leitz Microscope company of Wetzlar Germany. They ONLY used it on their 35mm cameras and if you bought a microscope camera from them in a format other than 35mm it said E. Leitz, Wetzlar, not Leica.

They didn't make a lot of stereos there in Wetzlar but the ones they did make were just like their compound microscopes. Which is to say SUPERB! They had the same snap to their images that Wild scopes (which they were later merged with) have. There were not many models.
Here is an example of a Leitz stereo sold by the same guy that Lukeness got his Wild M400 from. They are built like tanks uncompromising in their optical and mechanical quality. The example in this auction was probably built in the early 1960s.

Here is one you can still buy.

These are Greenough (Gruenow) type scopes with highly converging lenses that give a lot of depth information. That comes with some distortion but unabiguous range location. They are not zooms but have paired objectives. They did make a zoom in Wetzlar called the Elvar. (Think "E. Leitz Variable Ratio")

None of these sold in great numbers because they were much more expensive than other lesser offerings. But they are a joy to behold and especially to use.
I am not suggesting anyone buy these either. They are too long in tooth and no parts available except organ donors bought on ebay for the purpose.

If it don't say Wetzlar it aint a Leica.
If it don't say "Made in Switzerland" it ain't a Wild or Wild/Leica
If it ain't a 35mm camera it ain't a Leica.


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 Post subject: Re: That's not a Leica microscope THIS is a Leica Microscope
PostPosted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 12:14 pm 
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Etymology... kewl! :D


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 Post subject: Re: That's not a Leica microscope THIS is a Leica Microscope
PostPosted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 2:05 pm 
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Fun fact, crossword puzzle makers seem to LOVE using "LEICA" for some reason...


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 Post subject: Re: That's not a Leica microscope THIS is a Leica Microscope
PostPosted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 5:32 pm 
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Recently watched a somewhat entertaining movie, "Rise of the Leicans."


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 Post subject: Re: That's not a Leica microscope THIS is a Leica Microscope
PostPosted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 2:35 am 
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Vampires and Werewolves from the UNDERWORLD series.

Back to the scopes though... I also find it annoying that when I twist someone's arms and force them to listen to me taking about my scope, the only way too get any ooohs to come out of their catatonic glazed over faces is to bring up the Leica collection. Of course the eyes glaze over again pretty quickly when you revert to the history lesson of Ernst Leitz, Wild and Cambridge.

It's also funny that Leica Microsystems (still headquartered Wetzlar, Germany) now owns the name and licenses it to the camera and surveying companies (Leica Geosystems, courtesy of Heinrich Wild - who also worked in this area for for Carl Zeiss).

But I digress.... apparently I've been bitten by the bug.


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 Post subject: Re: That's not a Leica microscope THIS is a Leica Microscope
PostPosted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 9:40 am 
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Leica Microsystems is what is left of E.Leitz , Wetzlar and Wild Heerbrugg who in addition
to building the best stereo micro and macroscopes also built what many seem to think are the best surveying instruments (and military spotting and artillery instruments) I have no expertise in those areas and actually excluded Wild surveying gear from my ebay searches over ten years ago. I have enough bad habits already.

Leica GeoSystems was set up because Leica bought Wild before they themselves were bought. The camera company was sold off separately because it was considered a consumer product in contrast to Geo and Micro Systems which were strictly professional products.

I hope GeoSystems has fared better than MicroSystems. At work we bought a confocal microscope a year ago and the offerings and representations from Leica Microsystems were underwhelming. Actually Zeiss too. They were not very interested in such a small order ($160K) We bought an Olympus.


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 Post subject: Re: That's not a Leica microscope THIS is a Leica Microscope
PostPosted: Sat Dec 08, 2018 5:34 pm 
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G4Lab wrote:
It has always pissed me off that the assholes that bought up all the microscope
companies I used to know and love bought with the Wild Leitz brand name the trademark right to call a microscope "Leica"

The word Leica is a teutonic style contraction acronym for "Leitz Camera" which was specifically used on the innovative 35mm cameras (the FIRST 35mm caneras ever) developed by the Ernst Leitz Microscope company of Wetzlar Germany. They ONLY used it on their 35mm cameras and if you bought a microscope camera from them in a format other than 35mm it said E. Leitz, Wetzlar, not Leica.

They didn't make a lot of stereos there in Wetzlar but the ones they did make were just like their compound microscopes. Which is to say SUPERB! They had the same snap to their images that Wild scopes (which they were later merged with) have. There were not many models.
Here is an example of a Leitz stereo sold by the same guy that Lukeness got his Wild M400 from. They are built like tanks uncompromising in their optical and mechanical quality. The example in this auction was probably built in the early 1960s.

Here is one you can still buy.

These are Greenough (Gruenow) type scopes with highly converging lenses that give a lot of depth information. That comes with some distortion but unabiguous range location. They are not zooms but have paired objectives. They did make a zoom in Wetzlar called the Elvar. (Think "E. Leitz Variable Ratio")

None of these sold in great numbers because they were much more expensive than other lesser offerings. But they are a joy to behold and especially to use.
I am not suggesting anyone buy these either. They are too long in tooth and no parts available except organ donors bought on ebay for the purpose.

If it don't say Wetzlar it aint a Leica.
If it don't say "Made in Switzerland" it ain't a Wild or Wild/Leica
If it ain't a 35mm camera it ain't a Leica.


I have been using Leitz and Wild scopes since I finished medical school in 1967.
I always thought that the then Zeiss optics were better especially when compared on an optical bench.
Then mid-70's, Leitz introduced the orthoplan and my whole opinion changed.
Zeiss just did not produce anything equivalent although the Leitz add-on magnifier was crap compared to the Zeiss equivalent.
Everything changed when Cambridge Instruments got their oar in (bean counters at best and an example of all that is bad about US venture capitalists.(I am not anti-US.)
I did not think that the Leitz aristoplan was an improvement on the orthoplan.
Many however believe that the best scope ever made was the Wild M20.
It was commonly found in haematology depts, but never really found favour with histopathologists who were the last bastion of either Zeiss or Leitz.
Everything changed following the onslaught of the Japanese. ( a bit like the UK motorcycle industry)
I know, I am getting old.!


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 Post subject: Re: That's not a Leica microscope THIS is a Leica Microscope
PostPosted: Sat Dec 08, 2018 6:33 pm 
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This is totally unrelated but I’m reminded of the Broadway premiere years ago of the play “I Am A Camera” the stage adaptation of Christopher Isherwood’s novel of the same name.

One of the critics posted a blunt review the next morning:

“No Leica.”

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 Post subject: Re: That's not a Leica microscope THIS is a Leica Microscope
PostPosted: Sat Dec 08, 2018 8:55 pm 
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That's funny!


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 Post subject: Re: That's not a Leica microscope THIS is a Leica Microscope
PostPosted: Sat Dec 15, 2018 10:44 pm 
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That is funny. I started fooling with microscopes in the late sixties. I always preferred Leitz. Here in St. Louis they sold better until the eighties. Eventually some moron mba decided to get rid of their dealers. The factory trained Zeiss dealer here became an Olympus dealer and was one of the biggest. They gave him like six states. Now Olympus has done the same thing.


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