100 years ago, at the Leipzig Spring Fair, the German optics company German Leitz Werke introduced the Leica I, the first ever portable 35mm camera. The Ur-Leica, German for "original Leica," became a revolutionary camera and contributed to transforming photography into the discipline we've known and appreciated for the last century.

"For the first time, it was possible to take pictures of real life - capturing the decisive moment - and thus the Leica I created completely new possibilities for use and expression", explains Leica. "The genre of reportage and documentary, as well as street and artistic photography, was born."

The camera stem from an idea developed by Oskar Barnack, a talented precision mechanic working for Ernst Leitz Werke who has been dabbling in photography in his spare time, and experimented with new camera format for 35mm film. The Ur-Leica's first prototype was completed in 1914, but Barnack had to delay its further development during World War I. Ernst Leitz Werk continued to develop 35mm cameras under the brand in its Wetzlar center. In 1986, after a company restructuring, the brand became the name of the company for the first time. It wasn't a full departure from the "Leitz" last name, as Leica had always been a portmanteau for Leitz Camera.

At various stages throughout 2025, Leica will be holding celebratory events with the motto "100 years of Leica: Witness to a century" in Dubai, Milan, New York, Shanghai, and Tokyo, culminating in an anniversary week in Wetzlar, Germany. Photography enthusiasts around will have the opportunity to experience new products, cultural activities, and international exhibitions, including installations, workshops, and festivals.