Kuhn Flexameter - Leica Leitz Compatible

Flexameter - Kuhn - A very rare LEICA accessory

Over the years, a myriad of diverse accessories have been manufactured for the Leica, not only by Leica itself, but also by other companies. Many of these were designed to allow for more precise focusing of the Leica before the integration of a rangefinder. The FODIS rangefinder was a popular accessory that attached to the camera's hot shoe. Another accessory was the PLOOT, a reflex housing that, when added to the camera, enabled precise focusing for close-ups and long telephoto lenses by essentially converting the camera into a single-lens reflex camera.

The Flexameter is one such focusing aid. It also mounts on the camera's accessory shoe . Unlike a rangefinder, the Flexameter used a 50mm f/2.8 Kühn-Rekatar lens that projected an image onto a glass plate where it could be focused. A fold-down magnifying glass allowed for more precise focusing. The subject's distance was then read on the lens and transferred to the camera's lens . The Flexameter transformed the camera into a twin-lens reflex camera.

The Flexameter was manufactured in Wetzlar by the Kühn company. This name is familiar to anyone interested in Leica history. Elsie Kühn-Leitz was the sister of Ernst Leitz. Her husband, Kurt Kühn, founded a small company in Wetzlar in the mid-1930s to manufacture camera accessories, including the Flexameter. It was primarily sold for use with Leica cameras.

Today, the Flexameter is a rather rare collector 's item, with only a few examples remaining. It is certainly one of the most unique accessories for Leica cameras. Even though it was manufactured by a company other than Leitz, its uniqueness is further enhanced by its connection to the Leitz family and the Leica camera.

• The Kühn Wetzlar flexometer was manufactured in the mid-1930s.
• Good cosmetic condition, with some deterioration of the exterior metallic finish.
• In perfect working order, with the glass, magnifying glass and optics in very good condition.
• The Flexameter comes with its manufacturer's leather case.