The noble prince of Leica copies, the Witness, sold by Ilford in the UK. While its performance and functions are standard, the superb design surpassing Leica itself excites the heart. The attached lens is the renowned Dallmeyer Super-Six 2 inch f1.9, delivering delicate, refined, beautifully soft rendering when used wide open.
Production numbers are said to be fewer than 350 units. It was manufactured by Peto Scott in England. Initially, the standard lens was to be the Daron 50mm f2.9, but as its specifications were considered unappealing, it was hastily replaced with the large-aperture DSS 2 inch f1.9. The Super-Six, a 4-group 6-element double Gauss type, allows close focusing despite lacking rangefinder coupling, and is a versatile lens with extraordinary rendering power.
The Witness, although using a dedicated bayonet mount, is also compatible with Leica screw mount, allowing the use of various L-mount lenses. Moreover, by removing a single small screw at the mount, the Super-Six 2 inch lens can be used on Leica bodies of all kinds. What an ingenious creation.
The faint blue coating on the beautiful Super-Six lens is striking. It couples to the rangefinder from the minimum distance of 3 feet (about 1 m) to infinity, and beyond that, by pressing the release on the focusing lever to bypass the stopper, it allows close focusing down to 1.8 feet (about 55 cm) without coupling.
A rare gem.
This is an item previously sold by our shop. About 25 years ago it was purchased and carefully kept by a customer, and now it has returned to us. Welcome back!
There is a small ding near the edge of the large viewfinder window, a trace of repair for distortion near the accessory shoe, and some wear from use around the Witness logo on the top and on the base plate. The overall appearance condition is just right for practical use.
In August 2025 the lens received a full overhaul and the body was also serviced. Thanks to careful maintenance, all functions are working smoothly and the handling feels pleasantly refined. The finder shows slight aging, but visibility remains good.
The lens glass shows only very minor coating deterioration that can barely be seen under strong LED light. Apart from that, there are no noticeable cleaning marks and the condition is excellent, with glass that is unusually clean for a Super Six. The rangefinder coupling shows a very slight back focus tendency at around 1–1.5 m.
Test shots produced excellent results. You can fully enjoy the refined balance of flare and resolution that is characteristic of the DSS.
A non-original lens cap is included.
