Tribute to the Leica R System

[dave lackey]

Oh, my...just came across this huge Leica R blog. Amazing!😀

If you have any questions about Leica R cameras and lenses, then this is where you need to be....

http://elrectanguloenlamano.blogspot.com/2008/07/leica-magical-word-with-great-future.html

 

[David Murphy]

Thanks for the link. My experience with Leica R is limited, but the Leicaflex I once owned was a pretty impressive SLR. Don't care much for the later electronic models

 

[raid]

I once had a Leica R4 for one week. I sold it and moved on to the M system.

 

[kbg32]

Very informative. Thanks Dave.

 

[Doug]

I once had a Leica R4 for one week. I sold it and moved on to the M system.

So, what did you think of the R and why did you switch so quickly?

 

[35mmdelux]

I had R4 for awhile and was surprised how small it was compared to other SLRs. Excellent gear.

 

[raid]

So, what did you think of the R and why did you switch so quickly?

I saw this R4 one day in Germany in some store, and i felt that it was a super buy. It was a business deal. I was already scared from getting into Leica gear, so the SLR had to go quickly. I made good profit then. I never used the camera. It sold in one week.

 

[kzphoto]

I would love to pickup an R system to be able to use the 90 Cron with a bit more confidence.

 

[Dirk]

My R7 is nice handling, compact and quiet. Good for street photography. But then again, so are many other SLRs. I am a value for the money kinda guy, and I'm constantly considering selling my R gear to unlock the money I have in it. For example, my Nikon N80with the new Nikkor AF-S 50mm 1.8G is even better for street photography with an image quality that's equivalent to what I'm getting from my 50mm Summicron 2nd version.

 

[dave lackey]

I have selected the R4 and an R8 (not the M3 this time) for a large project coming up in the Spring where most, if not all, the work will be in color. This was a decision between buying a digital camera that would use the lenses I have versus going all the way with film as in my last documentary.

No regrets about turning down the digital. And all the Nikon gear will be at home whilst I am working, as usual. :angel:

 

[kiemchacsu]

I had a R4 for a while, ran one roll Tmax100 through it with 50/2 V1. Well the output were good but since I already have Leica M system as well as bunch of Nikkor glasses, I dont find the need of having another SLR system.

 

[nobbylon]

I've had numerous R4's, nice camera but my last one was developing electrical gremlins which has put me off them. I also had an R8 which was superb but annoyed me by always changing the mode dial. This was subsequently fixed with a lock button on the R9. The R4-R7 bodies are no bigger than M's!
I always liked the 35 Summicron and did convert 3 lenses to use on my Nikon's however in my quest for manual focus heaven I have just bought a Leicaflex SL2. Early days but so far I'm loving it. I'd consider an R6.2 but want to compare the viewfinder with the SL2 before adding one. Many have said that the SL and SL2 finders are unbeatable. I liked the finders on the OM1's I had but they didn't have that focus 'pop' that the Leica's all have.
The only other of interest to me is the R7 which can be bought very cheap now. I just don't get a secure feeling with Leica electronics. Mind you I had a Canon AE1program that lost the Canon faith for me and Pentax lost my vote after an ME super let me down.