Seagull

Seagull (Shanghai Camera Factory) is the oldest and largest camera manufacturer in China. While most photographers know them for their affordable Twin Lens Reflex (TLR) cameras like the Seagull 4A, their relevance to the Leica M-mount and LTM community lies in a brief, patriotic burst of production in the late 1950s under the Shanghai brand name.

Before adopting the "Seagull" export brand in 1964, the factory produced the Shanghai 58 series—a line of rangefinders that were direct, reverse-engineered copies of the Leica III. These cameras and lenses are now fascinating historical artifacts, representing the dawn of the Chinese camera industry during the Great Leap Forward.

History

The history of Seagull is the history of Chinese industrialization.

The "Shanghai" Origins (1958 to 1963)

In 1958, the Shanghai Camera Factory was established with a mandate to produce high-grade cameras for the domestic market. Their first project was to clone the Leica.

• The Shanghai 58: The resulting camera was named "58" to commemorate the year. The early models (58-I) were copies of the Leica IIIb, while later models (58-II) evolved to resemble the Leica IIIf or Canon IV.
• The Rebrand: In 1964, the factory switched its primary brand name to Seagull (Haiou) to facilitate exports. However, by this time, they had largely abandoned LTM rangefinders to focus on TLRs (Rolleiflex copies) and eventually SLRs (Minolta SR-mount copies) [[1]].

The "Red Flag" Connection

It is important to distinguish the mass-market Shanghai cameras from the legendary Red Flag 20 (Hongqi). The Red Flag was a spectacularly expensive, hand-built copy of the Leica M4 produced by the same factory complex in the 1970s for government officials. While the Shanghai 58 is rare, the Red Flag is a museum piece worth tens of thousands of dollars.

Product Lines (LTM Native)

The lenses relevant to Leica users are found under the Shanghai brand name, produced before the switch to "Seagull."

The Shanghai 50mm f/3.5

The standard kit lens for the Shanghai 58 camera.

• Design: A collapsible lens based on the Leitz Elmar 50mm f/3.5.
• Build: Unlike the Russian Industar copies (which often feel loose), the Shanghai 50mm f/3.5 is surprisingly dense, featuring heavy chrome-on-brass construction.
• Optics: It utilizes a classic 4-element Tessar formula. While the glass quality varied wildly due to inconsistent raw materials in 1950s China, a good copy offers that vintage "Elmar look"—sharp centers with a gentle, low-contrast glow [[2]].
• Mount: Native LTM (Leica Thread Mount). It is fully compatible with Barnack Leicas, Canon rangefinders, and (via adapter) modern M bodies.

The Shanghai 58 Camera Body

• Shanghai 58-I: The earliest version. It features separate viewfinder and rangefinder windows (like a Leica IIIa/IIIb). It is extremely rare and highly forged.
• Shanghai 58-II: The more common version. It features a combined rangefinder/viewfinder window (like a Leica IIIf or Canon IV). It is often found with a distinct "inspection stamp" (Chinese character) on the film pressure plate, a detail collectors look for [[3]].

Technical Specifications

Feature	Specification Details
Native Mount	LTM (Leica Thread Mount)
Focus Coupling	Coupled. (Standard rangefinder coupling).
Build Materials	Brass & Chrome. Heavy and industrial.
Lens Design	Collapsible. (Like the Elmar, the lens barrel pushes into the body for storage).
Aperture	Usually stops down to f/16 or f/22. The aperture adjustment is often a tiny tab on the front element (very fiddly).
Markings	Engraved with "Shanghai" in English script or Chinese characters (上海).
Reliability	Low. Shutter curtains from this era often dry out or crack. The grease used in the focusing helicoids is notorious for turning into "glue" over decades.

Why Photographers Choose Seagull (Shanghai)

• Historical Curiosity: Owning a Shanghai 58 is less about optical performance and more about owning a piece of history. It is a physical artifact of China's first attempt to compete with German precision engineering.
• The "Elmar" Alternative: For users who want the collapsible vintage aesthetic of a Leitz Elmar but want something more exotic than the common Soviet Industar-22, the Shanghai 50mm f/3.5 is a unique conversation starter.
• Collectibility: While millions of Seagull TLRs exist, the Shanghai LTM rangefinders were produced in much smaller numbers (estimates range from 10,000 to 50,000 units). They are becoming increasingly sought after by collectors of "Leica Copies."

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Sources

• [1] CameraQuest (Shanghai 58 Profile): https://cameraquest.com/chinash.htm
• [2] Photoethnography (Shanghai 58-II Analysis): http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/Shanghai58.html
• [3] China Camera Style (Seagull History): https://chinacamerastyle.com/history/