Snider
Est. 1956
Snider
Snider is a rare Australian-market private-label identity applied to a small number of Nicca-built Leica screw-mount rangefinder cameras. It should be separated from Nicca in LeicaLensList when the camera is genuinely engraved Snider 35, while the description must retain Nicca Camera Works as the actual manufacturer.
History
Australian Market Identity
The Snider 35 appeared during the mid-1950s as a rebadged Nicca Type-5. The available collector record is limited, and the responsible Australian distributor is less securely documented than the Japanese manufacturer.
Nicca Manufacture
Body construction and controls correspond to the Nicca Type-5 family. Known examples carry their own low Snider serial numbers rather than simply repeating the normal Nicca sequence.
Lens Configuration
Documented sets were supplied with a Schneider-Kreuznach Xenon 50 mm f/2 lens, an unusual pairing that contributes to the model's collector identity.
Product Lines
Snider 35
The Snider 35 is the only established model in this Make. It is a 35 mm coupled rangefinder with a Leica 39 mm screw mount, built in Japan by Nicca for export.
Technical Characteristics
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Make type | Australian-market private-label identity |
| Manufacturer | Nicca Camera Works, Japan |
| Principal model | Snider 35 |
| Related model | Nicca Type-5 |
| Lens mount | Leica Thread Mount, LTM, L39, M39 |
| Documented kit lens | Schneider-Kreuznach Xenon 50 mm f/2 |
| Collector caution | Do not classify an ordinary Nicca Type-5 as Snider without original engraving |
Market Reception
The Snider 35 is sought primarily for scarcity, export-market history and its unusual German-lens pairing. Production estimates are uncertain and should not be presented as factory totals. Collectors should verify top-plate engraving, serial number, baseplate details and the originality of any Xenon lens supplied with the body.
Sources
Lenses (0)
No results found