Reid & Sigrist

Est. 1928

Reid & Sigrist

Reid & Sigrist was a British engineering and precision instrument manufacturer best known in photographic history for producing the Reid series of Leica screw mount rangefinder cameras. Founded in England as an aircraft instrument company, Reid & Sigrist moved into camera production after the Second World War, when Britain sought a domestically made 35mm camera comparable to the Leica.

The company’s cameras were not mass-market products. They were high-quality, low-volume British Leica copies based on the pre-war Leica IIIb concept, but re-engineered using British imperial measurements and manufactured to aircraft-instrument standards. The best-known model, the Reid III, used Leica Thread Mount, also known as LTM, L39, or M39, and could accept Leica screw mount lenses with standard rangefinder coupling.

The make is especially relevant to collectors of Leica-compatible rangefinder cameras because Reid & Sigrist represents one of the most serious British attempts to build a premium Leica-type camera. Its standard lens, the Taylor-Hobson 2 inch f/2 Anastigmat, also gives the Reid system a distinctive British optical identity.

History

Founding / Early Years

Reid & Sigrist Ltd. was founded in 1928 as a British engineering company focused on aircraft instruments and precision devices. The company was connected to aviation from its beginning and became known for gyroscopic instruments, pilot training equipment, and other specialist technical products.

Before entering the camera market, Reid & Sigrist was not a photographic company in the usual sense. Its background was closer to firms that made aircraft instruments, guidance systems, and precision mechanical equipment. This engineering culture later influenced the design and finish of the Reid cameras.

Wartime Engineering and Camera Opportunity

During the Second World War, Reid & Sigrist worked within the British aircraft and military supply environment. After the war, the British government and military had an interest in obtaining high-quality 35mm cameras without depending on German imports. Leica cameras had been difficult to obtain during the war, and Allied access to German patents and drawings created an opportunity for domestic production.

Reid & Sigrist was selected to manufacture a British Leica-type camera. The company worked from Leica IIIb-style plans but converted most dimensions into imperial measurements, except for the 39mm lens mount. This made the Reid camera closely compatible with Leica screw mount lenses while still reflecting British production practice.

Reid III Development

The Reid III was announced in May 1947, but it did not become generally available until around 1951. It was based on the Leica IIIb layout, with a coupled rangefinder, separate viewfinder and rangefinder eyepieces, slow speeds, and a cloth focal-plane shutter.

The Reid III was not a cheap Leica copy. It was built to very high mechanical standards and was expensive to produce. Contemporary and collector sources often describe it as one of the best-finished Leica-type cameras ever made. However, the high production cost made it difficult to compete with Leica itself, especially once post-war supply improved and Japanese Leica copies began to appear.

Military and Civilian Production

A significant number of Reid cameras were supplied to the British military. Military examples often carry military markings, including Broad Arrow marks or registration numbers. Civilian versions were also sold, although total production remained small.

The standard lens supplied with the Reid system was the Taylor-Hobson 2 inch f/2 Anastigmat in a collapsible Leica screw mount barrel. This lens was produced by Taylor, Taylor & Hobson and is one of the most desirable British lenses associated with the Leica screw mount system. It gives the Reid camera system a strong British optical identity, separate from German Leitz lenses and Japanese LTM alternatives.

Reid I, Reid Ia, and Reid II

In addition to the Reid III, the company produced simpler models. The Reid I was introduced in the late 1950s as a simplified camera without a rangefinder and without slow shutter speeds, broadly comparable in concept to a Leica Standard or Leica E-type body. Many known Reid I examples have military markings.

The Reid Ia was an even rarer variant, replacing the viewfinder with a second accessory shoe. For many years, some collectors doubted whether it had been produced, but surviving examples have since appeared.

The Reid II was announced as a model between the Reid I and Reid III, effectively a Reid III without slow speeds. However, it appears to have been produced only in extremely small numbers, if at all. Because of this, the Reid II should be described cautiously in database entries.

End of Camera Production

Reid & Sigrist was sold to Decca in the mid-1950s. Camera production continued for some years but remained limited. Production of Reid cameras ended around 1964, after which remaining parts were sold to other parties. Some cameras may have been assembled later from leftover parts.

The Reid system never became a commercial success, but it left an important legacy as one of the finest British-made Leica screw mount camera projects.

Product Lines

Reid III Cameras

The Reid III is the main Reid & Sigrist camera and the most important model for Leica-compatible collectors. It is a 35mm coupled rangefinder camera based on the Leica IIIb concept. It uses Leica Thread Mount and accepts LTM lenses with standard rangefinder coupling. Early examples did not have flash synchronization, while later examples added Reid-style flash sync.

Reid I Cameras

The Reid I was a simplified version without a rangefinder and without slow shutter speeds. It was closer in concept to a rangefinderless Leica screw mount body. Most known examples are connected to military use, making the Reid I rarer and more specialized than the Reid III.

Reid Ia Cameras

The Reid Ia was a very rare variant of the Reid I, replacing the built-in viewfinder with a second accessory shoe. This allowed the user to mount external viewfinders. Surviving examples are scarce and mostly of collector interest.

Reid II Cameras

The Reid II was announced but is uncertain as a regular production model. It was intended as a simplified Reid III without slow speeds. Known examples are extremely rare, and some may have been assembled from remaining parts after normal production ended.

Taylor-Hobson 2 inch f/2 Anastigmat

The standard lens supplied with Reid cameras was the Taylor-Hobson 2 inch f/2 Anastigmat in collapsible Leica screw mount. This lens is one of the most important British LTM lenses and is strongly associated with the Reid camera system. It is valued for rarity, British manufacture, and its connection to Taylor, Taylor & Hobson’s optical heritage.

Reid Accessories

Reid & Sigrist also produced or supplied accessories such as body caps, lens caps, filters, filter holders, close-focus attachments, and cases. These accessories are collectible because production was small and because the Reid system was built to a high finish standard.

Technical Characteristics

Feature Description
Company Type British aircraft instrument, precision engineering, camera, and optical equipment manufacturer.
Founders / Origins Founded as Reid & Sigrist Ltd. in 1928.
Historic Base England, with camera production associated with Braunstone, Leicestershire.
Main Photographic Products Reid I, Reid Ia, Reid II, and Reid III 35mm Leica-type cameras.
Primary Camera System Leica screw mount 35mm rangefinder system.
Relevant Mount Leica Thread Mount, LTM, L39, M39.
Rangefinder Coupling Yes, on Reid III cameras and compatible LTM lenses.
Standard Lens Taylor-Hobson 2 inch f/2 Anastigmat in collapsible LTM mount.
Camera Inspiration Leica IIIb-style design, re-engineered using British imperial measurements.
Shutter Type Cloth focal-plane shutter.
Important Models Reid III, Reid I, Reid Ia, Reid II.
Military Association British military and post-war government camera supply.
Production Scale Low-volume production, with Reid III production generally estimated in the low thousands.
Collector Appeal High, due to rarity, British manufacture, Leica compatibility, and exceptional finish.
Related Optical Maker Taylor, Taylor & Hobson.
Corporate Outcome Acquired by Decca, with camera production ending around 1964.

Market Reception

Reid & Sigrist has a strong reputation among collectors of Leica copies, British cameras, and Leica screw mount equipment. The Reid III is often described as one of the finest Leica-type cameras ever made outside Germany. Its appeal comes from its build quality, rarity, military connection, and use of the Leica Thread Mount standard.

The cameras were not commercially successful in large numbers. They were expensive, slow to reach the market, and competed against both Leica and increasingly capable Japanese Leica copies. By the time Reid cameras became more available, the Leica M3 had already moved the premium rangefinder market toward bayonet mount cameras with combined viewfinder/rangefinder systems.

Today, the Reid system is valued mainly by collectors rather than casual users. The Reid III and Taylor-Hobson 2 inch f/2 Anastigmat combination is especially desirable because it represents a complete British Leica-compatible camera and lens set. Military-marked examples, early no-sync Reid III bodies, rare Reid I and Reid Ia bodies, and original accessories can command strong collector interest.

For a Leica-compatible camera and lens database, Reid & Sigrist should be included as a valid historical make. Its cameras are native LTM rangefinder cameras, and its standard Taylor-Hobson lens is one of the important British Leica screw mount lenses.

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