Leica R System - Loving it

[dave lackey]

Just sent out some finished BW rolls for a project for developing and scanning (using the R4 and 50mm Summicron R 2.0, of course).

Man, this is one nice rig!

Will post a few when they get back, but these will suffice for now:

http://www.overgaard.dk/leica_R4_50_summicron-R_20.html

Hopefully, Bobby and a few others will post images of their own, too. The 35 and 80mm Lux lenses are to die for... I am still alive, though.🙂

 

[dave lackey]

I've been sorely tempted to give the R system a whirl for ages! But I'm trying to be good about not getting into yet another system... If nothing else I should try an R lens on my Canon.

Looking forward to your shots!

Not a bad idea...however, you can actually get an Exc. Condition R4 for less than $200 and the lenses are not bad at all right now! A 35-70mm zoom lens (one of the sharpest in Leica lenses) is less than $400.😛 Adaptors for the Canon DSLR are not much at all so you could have both film and digital usage on full frame cameras!🙂

 

[Freakscene]

The R cameras never really got my attention and I had a lot of reliability problems when I tried to use them professionally, but those lenses are incredible. In many ways they were better than the comparable M lenses, largely because the size limits were more relaxed for the R system.

Marty

 

[dave lackey]

Well, here we go again... the old reliability discussion. I do not doubt some folks had problems...but...

When someone speaks of reliability issues, it certainly makes sense to name names. Which body? R3/R4/R5/R6/R7/R8/R9? What problems were encountered? What year did these problems occur? My R4 is 30 years old! And it works better than a Timex watch.

It is one thing to speak of R3 bodies and entirely another to talk about an R6-R9...Either way, it is moot. Everyone I know that has bought an R body in the past year have had zero problems. Considering that I can buy 6 R4 cameras for the price of my M3...well, nuff said. :angel: Best $200 camera I ever bought!

As far as Nikon being bullet-proof, that is a myth. I know, having used Nikons since 1971 and experienced problems. Including the latest DSLRs. How does a dead D3 sound? Or a D2H with shutter problems? Or a D2X....etc. With the cost of depreciation of a high-dollar DSLR, I can buy another R body every month.

However, I still use both Nikons and Leicas. Not at the same time because they are opposite and my brain cannot shift from one brand to the other in the same on location shoot. Having two Leicas in my bag gets the job done. I am a happy dude🙂...(quoting from a fellow RFF member!😛)

 

[Rayt]

Years ago I bought a mint R4 and it had the infamous short circuit where the battery drains very quickly. If you are going to buy an R4 find a user because the original owner would have fixed it long ago. A mint camera sitting in a glass cabinet would not be the ideal choice. The R4s does not have this problem. I currently use an R4s and an R4s Mod P and they are great. The R4 is the only R body I use because of the high finder magnification, .85x for easy focusing.

 

[dave lackey]

Years ago I bought a mint R4 and it had the infamous short circuit where the battery drains very quickly. If you are going to buy an R4 find a user because the original owner would have fixed it long ago. A mint camera sitting in a glass cabinet would not be the ideal choice. The R4s does not have this problem. I currently use an R4s and an R4s Mod P and they are great. The R4 is the only R body I use because of the high finder magnification, .85x for easy focusing.

Correctomundo! From what I understand, any serial # above 158****whatever should have not had any real problems anyway. Those older ones would have long since been fixed and if they are working 30 years later, well....😀..what's the problem?

I would love an R6.2 or for that matter the R8 and R9 as well.😛 Even though I prefer the compactness of the earlier bodies, there is something sexy about the 8 and 9 bodies.

 

[dof]

I'm with you on this kick, Dave. I've been shooting the M8 nearly exclusively for just over a year. On a whim last week I loaded the R6 with some Plus-X slapped the 50mm Summicron on the front and have been having a great time shooting with it.

When getting into the system a few years back, I owned an R8 for a week. Even though I loved the finder and the handling of the camera makes it feel far smaller than it is, it just wasn't the right fit for me. Having always shot with manual cameras the feature set put me off on a bit of overload. It was perhaps too much of a good thing.

I worked out an exchange with my dealer for the R6 in their case and have really been happy with it. It may be the closest you can come to an SLR version of the M6.

By your calculus I should be half-dead with my copy of the 80mm Summilux! It truly is the twin sister of the 75mm Summilux for the M system, but focusing is far easier on the ground glass of the SLR than with the rangefinder. The trick I've found is to not use the micro-prism, but rather the ground glass itself. I've had a higher hit rate with the 80/R combo and it really is a special lens. When it's on, there's nothing like it (other than the 75 that is!). I don't know if I could ever part with the camera for this reason alone.

But this week, it's the 50 for me...

Cheers,

 

[Gary E]

I've shot the Leicaflex SL and R8/9, but I've always wanted something in the R3-R7 range for its size (or should I say lack of). This and a 50mm Summicron would make a great walk around SLR. I love this lens, but for some reason I don't have the equivalent in the M 😕

If I could get my hands on a R4s Mod P or a R6/6.2 with the new 50mm Summilux, why I'd be like a pig in a mud pool. 😀

 

[Joerg]

Hi,

I am very happy with an R7 and R6.2 combo. I never understood some of the choices Leica made with the metering/ exposure mode combinations until I worked with them and found that it really simplifies taking pictures. There is no real need for a spot/T combo! So it actually liberating ;-)
The 90 summicron is a blast.
My main problem is focusing the 80 summilux wide open. Must be my failing eye sight, is is frustrating, but if the focus is on, oh my.....

Ciao

Joerg

 

[dave lackey]

Hi,

I am very happy with an R7 and R6.2 combo. I never understood some of the choices Leica made with the metering/ exposure mode combinations until I worked with them and found that it really simplifies taking pictures. There is no real need for a spot/T combo! So it actually liberating ;-)
The 90 summicron is a blast.
My main problem is focusing the 80 summilux wide open. Must be my failing eye sight, is is frustrating, but if the focus is on, oh my.....

Ciao

Joerg

Oh, my...this is why the 80 Lux is to die for:

http://www.flickriver.com/groups/summiluxr80/pool/interesting/

 

[Cron]

I like my R7 for the compactness and the R9 for being the leader of the pack ;-) . It is an incredible SLR in all ways, well ... for me, may be not for others

 

[Joerg]

Here is one example ......

Joerg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12065461@N05/5641177798/in/photostream/lightbox/

 

[kbg32]

Wonderful images Dave!

 

[dof]

I went the Canon 1D and 1v-HS route over the R8/9, but hey, I can still use R glass. As it was, I was looking at the new Zeiss ZE line and they're not cheap either. Though on the plus side - no adapter or focus confirmation chips to deal with (built in) and they even report the aperture to the body (no stopped-down metering). Tough call. Either way, the R and ZE lenses are both incredible.

I've often wondered if the stop-down metering required of adapted lenses is a help or just a hindrance to users of the high-end Canon and Nikon bodies. On the one hand you're forced to slow down your approach which might be just the ticket for a number of subjects. On the other, I wonder how much of the inherent character (convenience?) of shooting such with sophisticated bodies is simply lost relative to the merits of the lenses.

When it comes down to a choice between Leica and Zeiss, the optical performance is hardly the issue. I imagine the ergonomics of the ZE/ZM2 lenses would win out for me.

 

[dave lackey]

Wonderful images Dave!

Yes, Keith..the 80 Lux is to die for...hopefully, I will own one of these some day soon for my own projects.🙄

The 35 Lux is also amazing. Roland likes them too!🙂

Great reviews for both lenses by Overgaard here:

http://www.overgaard.dk/leica_index2.html

Needless to say, the light-tight box (R camera bodies) are excellent and the best bargain on the market at this time.

 

[Vics]

I don't have a digital camera, but I'm looking at something for my son. He has a Canon 7D. Would the Leica R lenses work on that camera? I know about the small sensor issues. I'm wondering about adaptibil;ity. Thanks. Great cat picture, by the way.

 

[dave lackey]

Yes... And no... First off, you'll need an adapter. Be careful, mostly with the wider lenses - there may be a possibility of contacting the mirror (a bad thing). John has a compatibility list here:

http://www.pebbleplace.com/Personal/Leica_db.html

...so check with that on any lenses you're considering first. It mostly impacts 5D and 1Ds (full frame) users however.

You'll also need to use "stop down metering" with these lenses - which coincidentally will not report focal length or aperture information to the camera (and thus EXIF).

Otherwise, you're aces.

The way things are going with M prices, I think the 5D would be a terrific way to go for full frame digital. Not sure about an equivalent Nikon body with an adaptor for the 80 lux....would consider one if available.🙂

 

[jarski]

Not sure about an equivalent Nikon body with an adaptor for the 80 lux....would consider one if available.🙂

seems pretty strait forward adapting work, though Canon is much much easier.

 

[Rob-F]

My preference among the Leica R models on the Minolta chassid is the R6, for its simple and highly useable exposure display, which works the same as on the M6TTL and MP: three LEDs for under, over, and right on. I had an R4, and now have an R5; I find the method of displaying shutter speeds hard to use. The R5 and R6 finders, though, are simply the best! They even beat the ones on my Nikons. I find the Minolta/Leica R bodies hard to hold compared to my Nikon bodies. The use of a a motor drive makes this much better, as well as making the camera more solid for steady hand-holding. Of course, it also makes the camera heavier, which is not always welcome.

 

[dave lackey]

My preference among the Leica R models on the Minolta chassid is the R6, for its simple and highly useable exposure display, which works the same as on the M6TTL and MP: three LEDs for under, over, and right on. I had an R4, and now have an R5; I find the method of displaying shutter speeds hard to use. The R5 and R6 finders, though, are simply the best! They even beat the ones on my Nikons. I find the Minolta/Leica R bodies hard to hold compared to my Nikon bodies. The use of a a motor drive makes this much better, as well as making the camera more solid for steady hand-holding. Of course, it also makes the camera heavier, which is not always welcome.

Simple solution to holding the bodies is using a half case.🙂 Would absolutely love an R6 or R6.2!😀