Leica's long-load press body — the 250 Reporter, ~250-frame cassettes, coupled RF, 1934.
The Leica 250 Reporter, or Model FF, was introduced in 1934 as a specialised long-load Barnack body carrying large film cassettes for around 250 exposures on a single loading. It was aimed at press, scientific and reportage users who needed to shoot long sequences without reloading, and it is one of the rarer pre-war Leicas.
It is a 35mm coupled-rangefinder camera taking 39mm screw-thread lenses, built on the Model III mechanism with slow speeds and a horizontal cloth focal-plane shutter. The distinguishing feature is the enlarged body housing two oversized cassettes to hold the extended film load. There is no built-in meter, and the shutter is fully mechanical and battery-free.
It suits collectors and users interested in the long-load Barnack format for extended sequence shooting. The wide body and large cassettes make it bulkier than a standard screw Leica, but the shooting controls and twin-window rangefinder follow familiar Barnack lines.
Check the film-transport and long-load mechanism carefully, as the oversized cassette system is the most failure-prone part. Verify rangefinder patch contrast and alignment, test slow speeds, and inspect the cloth curtains for pinholes and capping. Given rarity, confirm originality of the body and cassettes.