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thrid · 04/30/08, 12:24 PM

I have the 6.2. It is extremely compact and well made. The viewfinder is brilliant and the metering system is basic, but very accurate, if you know how to use it.

But alas the cameras has one potentially fatal flaw. The shutter release is very mushy and has a long throw. DAG tried to adjust mine to be as crisp as it could be, but there still is a lot of travel. So, this may be a deal breaker for some and I'm going to sell mine for this reason.

I also have an SL and basically it feels like a Leica M with a mirror box bolted on. The shutter release is crisp and the viewfinder is as bright and contrasty as they come.

There are a few lenses that can't be mounted on the SL, due to mirror clearance issues, but these are far and few in between. You may be able to use some of these lenses, by milling off a small piece of metal off their rear, but this is something that would need to be investigated.

The meter needs the old mercury 625 batteries, but you can have it recalibrated for modern batteries.

Other than that the SL is one of the best SLR cameras ever made. It certainly is one of the strongest. The SL feels like it was milled from a solid block of metal. Seriously, the bottom plate appears to be stainless steel. Even something as tough as a Nikon F feels a little 'lightweight' in comparison.

The R8/R9 is also a great camera. I have the R8 and while it looks a little odd to some people, the the ergonomics are first rate. My only complaint is that it is a little bulky and quite heavy. Other than that it's a joy to shoot.

And finally I recommend looking at the R3. These are very cheap and IMO underrated. They are quite well made and have a nice, crisp shutter release. The R3 is maligned by many, because of it's shared heritage with Minolta, but people should keep two things in mind. There once was a time when Minolta was competing with Nikon / Canon for the pro market and the construction quality of the average vintage SLR, puts most modern plastic wonders to shame.

04/30/08, 12:24 PM	#40 (permalink)
thrid Erfahrener Benutzer Join Date: 06/09/04 Posts: 467	Re: Which Leica R? I have the 6.2. It is extremely compact and well made. The viewfinder is brilliant and the metering system is basic, but very accurate, if you know how to use it. But alas the cameras has one potentially fatal flaw. The shutter release is very mushy and has a long throw. DAG tried to adjust mine to be as crisp as it could be, but there still is a lot of travel. So, this may be a deal breaker for some and I'm going to sell mine for this reason. I also have an SL and basically it feels like a Leica M with a mirror box bolted on. The shutter release is crisp and the viewfinder is as bright and contrasty as they come. There are a few lenses that can't be mounted on the SL, due to mirror clearance issues, but these are far and few in between. You may be able to use some of these lenses, by milling off a small piece of metal off their rear, but this is something that would need to be investigated. The meter needs the old mercury 625 batteries, but you can have it recalibrated for modern batteries. Other than that the SL is one of the best SLR cameras ever made. It certainly is one of the strongest. The SL feels like it was milled from a solid block of metal. Seriously, the bottom plate appears to be stainless steel. Even something as tough as a Nikon F feels a little 'lightweight' in comparison. The R8/R9 is also a great camera. I have the R8 and while it looks a little odd to some people, the the ergonomics are first rate. My only complaint is that it is a little bulky and quite heavy. Other than that it's a joy to shoot. And finally I recommend looking at the R3. These are very cheap and IMO underrated. They are quite well made and have a nice, crisp shutter release. The R3 is maligned by many, because of it's shared heritage with Minolta, but people should keep two things in mind. There once was a time when Minolta was competing with Nikon / Canon for the pro market and the construction quality of the average vintage SLR, puts most modern plastic wonders to shame.