b. 1 Nov, 1879; d. 16 Jan, 1936
Born in Germany, Barnack was the designer of the first 35mm. miniature camera available commercially. He joined the Leitz optical company in 1911, and had actually developed a prototype of the Leica two years later, but development was seriously arrested by the first World War and its aftermath. The 35mm film was used (and is still laregly used) for movie film, and the standard 24 x 36mm format was created by simply doubling the size of the negative and holding it sideways relative to movie cameras.
The development of the Leica camera was that it enabled pictorial journalism to develop. With wide aperture lenses, it permitted one to take exposures indoors by available light, and its size enabled one to take candid portraits. One of those who took advantage of this versatility was Erich Salomon, famous for his candid pictures of celebrities, often taken in situations where cameras were not permitted.
Barnack was also partly responsible for the development of the Leitz Elmar lens.
© Robert Leggat, 1999.