Which model of Leica SM Robert Capa used in his work

So simple, I have just finished to read "Blood and champagne" but I

still do not know which models of Leica Rober Capa used during

Spanish Civil War and after WWII. Thanks

Esteban, During the Spanish Civil War Capa probably used either a Leica D or Model II. These cameras were made from Feb. 1932 thru 1948 or a Leica F or model III which was introduced in May of 1933. However, given how poor he was at the time, I don't think he could afford a new Leica. Afterwards, he used Contax cameras. During WWII Contax IIs and post war Contax IIas. WHen he died he was carrying a Contax and a Nikon S with a 50mm lens. I saw the camera (complete with blood stains) at an exhibit of his work at the old Niokon House in New York many years ago.

Happy Snaps,

Sal

Here's a page that suggests he used a IIIa:

 

http://www.reportajes-jmserrano.com/t13ij.m.serrano.htm

 

but the author provides no source for his information, and may be just guessing. 'Blood and Champagne' doesn't look terribly reliable about equipment, either - the author mentions Capa's 'Leica' in one of the WWII chapters, when other sources suggest he was using a Contax, though the Contax does get a mention in the D-day chapter (which draws heavily on Capa's own 'Slightly out of focus'). Even Richard Whelan, Capa's 'authorized' biographer, gets things wrong in his intro to the 'Definitive Collection', where he talks about Capa using a Contax 'single lens reflex' on D-day. It seems Capa continued to use a Contax (rangefinder!) during and after WWII (he's carrying one next to a Leica-toting George Rodger in a well-known photograph), and was fatally injured with one in his hand. He also used a Rollei, used for (e.g.) the pre-invasion pictures before D-day, and in the mirror self-portrait with John Steinbeck.

Watched the recent Capa documentary on PBS, from the images shown there, he used a TLR Rolleiflex or cord, it was a little hard to see which, quite a lot....for instance the shot of him when he parachuted into Germany in 1945 across the Rhine, he is carrying his TLR. That surprised me slightly. The other camera that got shown seemed to be a Contax. It wasnt so clear what camera he used in Spain.

The only picture I can remember seeing of him with a 35mm he was carrying a Contax. Incidentally, the Contax was the 35mm that Ansel Adams prefered.

I'm never entirely sure where the idea he used a Leica comes from because everything I've ever seen suggests he preferred Zeiss. There's a shot of him using a Super Ikonta that I saw somewhere, I think it was taken by Margaret Bourke-White.

 

Funnily enough, in last week's Amateur Photographer, there's an article about George someone or other who was another founding member of Magnum. In it there's a mention that Capa would rather spend his money on Champagne so I wonder if he spent that much money on cameras.

Pictures of him shooting Trotsky (with film, I mean) very early in his career while working out of Paris seems to be with a Leica III model (can't tell specific model). The bulk of his work out of Berlin and then US and all subsequent work was with a Contax IIa, 50 sonnar 1.5, and a Rolleiflex (can't tell which exact model). His famous D-Day photos, storming the beach, all Contax. And tragically, he did indeed die with a Contax in hand in Indochina. Brilliant photog and photographs, he really had brass ones. Only photographer on the first wave of landings on D-Day, parachuted with Airborne in Europe.

One thing that struck me watching the 'American Masters' PBS documentary on Capa was that in photographs of him his own personality was so powerful the camera itself seemed of little consequence. His power as a photographer was within himself, not the camera he used.

Dear Ray: I have cried every time I open the book 'Heart of Spain' seeing Robert's work in Spain during the Civil War, the worst one anyone can live, as maybe US people and Spanish people only know. Some times I have asked my self if someone of those persons photographed by Capa was a relative of mine and even one seems my father, but the date is not correct. But as a professional journalist and photographer, as well as Leica collector, is very strange that not even one of all the answers in the forum are sure of which model before and during Spanish war not after WWII was working with, only that he used Contax in Normandy as well as in Indochine. Maybe his brother Cornell could give us the right answer, but maybe is ask for too much. thanks anyway to all of you.

I think Capa's switch from Leica to Contax/Rolleiflex (both sporting Zeiss glass) is quite telling...If he was alive today, he would be something of a pariah here because of his predilection of everready cases and his "self-excommunication." ;-)<P>

 

<a href=http://www.bjr.org.uk/data/2002/no3_knightley.htm>More on Capa the person</a>, not his cameras.

Most, is not all, of the people who have studied Robert Capa, discount and often ignore Phillip Knightley's comments. Knightley claims to have proved in 1974, Capa Falling Loyalist Solider photo was faked. Well, a few years ago, the soldier was positively identified by records and family members. Knightley still refuses to accept this. A long time ago, I read his evalution and found it lacking. In addition, I believe, he did not have access to the Capa archives and never saw the original contact sheet(s) from the event. The original negative has been lost. The very best source of ACCURATE Robert Capa facts, is the Richard Whelan biography, first published in 1985.

Happy Snaps,

Sal

FWIW, what Knightley means is that the photo was "posed", not "forged". If he is incorrect about this, that doesn't automatically mean everything else he says about Capa is also wrong, better biographers notwithstanding. (I'm just trying to show some perspective, not to start a flame war.)