Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/02/18

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: [Leica] Perfex 55 & HCB
From: "Bill Lawlor" <wvl@infinex.com>
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2001 21:17:38 -0800
References: <200102190111.RAA13662@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>

Perfex, another poor name from the annals of American photo design created
the 'One-O-One', the 'Twenty Two', the 'Thirty Three', the Forty Four' and
the 'Fifty Five' but also never quite made it to the 'Five, Fifty Five'...
I think we must understand that this ficticious camera was therefore
somewhat mystical!
..................

Also, according to the story, HCB preferred the quiet Leica because "it has
no mirror". Granted, Exactas were around during WWII, but, I believe Exacta
mirrors were not designed to flip up on shutter release. So, mirror noise
did not become an issue for another decade or two.

However, in High School the Perfex 55 was my first rangefinder 35mm camera.
My Dad had his 1941 Perfex repaired so I could learn with a "real camera".
It was said to accept leica sm lenses but the thread pitch was not the same.
It was a quiet focal plane shutter camera.

Bill Lawlor