The First Leica Look: Recreating the Original Barnack Film and the Origins of Leica Photography

What did the world really look like through the first Leica? 

When Oskar Barnack developed the first Leica in the early 20th century, he laid the foundation for modern 35mm photography. His idea of capturing everyday moments with a compact camera fundamentally changed the way we see and document the world. 

Yet how these early images were actually created—and how they truly looked—has largely been lost to time. Until now. 

On June 2, the Ernst Leitz Museum opens a rare window into this origin: Mark Osterman and France Scully Osterman have not only reconstructed the original film used in the first Leica, but painstakingly recreated it by hand. 

Among the world’s leading experts in historical photographic processes, the Ostermans spent many years at the George Eastman Museum in Rochester. Their work is distinguished by a unique approach: they do not simply study photographic history—they bring it back to life. 

In their own laboratory, they mix photographic emulsions, coat film stock, cut and perforate it—step by step, following the techniques of the 1920s. Their work is informed by original source material, including a roll of film shot by Oskar Barnack himself, which serves as a direct reference. 

In the presentation, they reveal not only this remarkable process, but above all its results: images created using the reconstructed film in period cameras. These are shown alongside original, and in some cases rarely seen, negatives by Oskar Barnack. 

The result is a direct visual dialogue—offering a new perspective on the origins of Leica photography. 

Further insights into historical processing methods complete the experience: from developing the film using rare Leitz equipment to printing with early enlargers, making photography tangible as a craft. 

The presentation begins at 6:30 pm and will be followed by a Q&A session. The event will be held in English. Admission is €10. 

A rare opportunity not just to observe photography—but to rediscover its origins. 

Montag bis Sonntag von 10 bis 18 Uhr