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S/H price difference R8 vs R9


miha

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Is there an explanation as to why there is such a price difference between the Leica R8 and the Leica R9 on the S/H market? R7 and R8 now cost the same, around €400 (as offered through several reputable Leica dealers in EU), whereas an R9 rarely goes for below €1000.

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As you know the R9 is the last SLR made by Leica so that alone would ad value.

 

The R8 is every bit as good. There are some important differences but I think it's more about the collector value than anything else.

I have an R8 with DMR and just love the combo but if anything happened to my R8 I'd probably want an R9 to replace it and only because it would be newer.

 

The price difference is significant. My current R8 is Made in Portugal. I bought a German R8 earlier this year but the centre spot metering was faulty so I took it back.

Reading online... Some people have stated that the Portuguese R8s are more reliable than the German made ones but that could be a complete fallacy. There just no way to know for sure unless Leica has some official statistics.

 

Go with the R8 if you can find a good one. Don't buy anything shabby. There's still lots of good ones around.

Edited by sc_rufctr
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I suspect that the difference between "German made" and "Portuguese made" R8s is negligible, and that they are both essentially made in Portugal. Leave off the top cover, so that putting the latter on and maybe doing some final adjustment in Solms, enables Leica to put "Made in Germany" on it, which goes down better with some people.

 

There are certain extra features with the R9, which personally I do find worthwhile, and of course the cameras are newer. There are instances of meter cell failures with R8s, and of R8s scratching film. It's always possible that these issues were rectified with the R9. So if there are plenty of s/h R9s available, people will tend to go for them, thereby setting up the price differential.

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I understand the last batch (out of four) was designated as made in Portugal.

 

re faulty spot meter: is this a common problem?

 

Thanks.

 

Thanks Miha, I didn't know that. No idea how common was the meter failure. What I have heard though (purely anecdotally) is that the spot failure is sometimes followed by a failure in the other metering modes, as if the photodiode array fails part by part.

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The meter in my R8 failed, which leads to an uneconomic repair.

 

The meter in my R9 failed as well and it was an almost $700 repair. Bad meter cells were not limited to R8. My R9 was an early one, so perhaps the bad cells spanned the R8 and R9 production.

 

For the difference in price quoted, I would go for the R8 if it was a reputable dealer that would provide a warranty in case you get a camera with the metering problem.

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The meter in my R9 failed as well and it was an almost $700 repair. Bad meter cells were not limited to R8. My R9 was an early one, so perhaps the bad cells spanned the R8 and R9 production.

 

For the difference in price quoted, I would go for the R8 if it was a reputable dealer that would provide a warranty in case you get a camera with the metering problem.

 

Most useful, thank you.

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Don't let the metering issue put you off. Although widely reported the problem is rare. Any statistics reported online would be pure speculation.

 

When I took the faulty one back to my local dealer he said it was the first faulty one he had ever seen.

This dealer is one of two Leica dealers in my city and they've been a dealer for more than 30 years.

 

I've owned, handled and used lots of different SLR brands over the years (Pentax, Nikon, Canon, Contax, Minolta etc) and the Leica bodies have always stood out for quality and function.

 

The R8/9 series are brilliant in so many ways.

Edited by sc_rufctr
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Don't let the metering issue put you off.

 

It will not put me off, but will make me choose the camera on the basis of price/condition and will pay less attention to the S/N.

 

I've owned, handled and used lots of different SLR brands over the years (Pentax, Nikon, Canon, Contax, Minolta etc) and the Leica bodies have always stood out for quality and function..

 

I can agree as my previous system (Nikon, 6 cameras, 2 of which developed severe problems) gave me more grief that the 3 R cameras I have now.

 

The R8/9 series are brilliant in so many ways.

 

Do you care to comment on the manual film wind ergonomics; the wind crank does look a bit big and the camera is quite thick too. Thanks.

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Miha, so far as the ergonomics of the R8/9 are concerned, there is no substitute for holding one in your hand. Despite its looking big, it just "fits" in a natural sort of way, with, for me, everything in the right place (and I don't have huge hands).

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Thank you John, you are quite correct, unfortuntely I can only get hold of it once it's already mine - I know no one who has one so that I could see if it fits my hands. All I can say is I like chunk cameras and prefer to hold my SL as opposed to my R4. I don't have huge hands either.

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...

Do you care to comment on the manual film wind ergonomics; the wind crank does look a bit big and the camera is quite thick too. Thanks.

 

Have you held a Pro Nikon or Canon DSLR lately? The R8/9 fits like that but better IMO. Especially with a DMR or Motor drive attached.

The body is truly ergonomic. The top contours down to the bottom and it fits my hands pefectly.

 

I own a Canon 1Ds Mark ii and the R8-DMR is just a tad heavier but the Leica lenses are defiantly heavier than anything from Canon.

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I too had a meter failure, but other than that my R8 has been reliable since new at the end of 1999.

 

John is correct - The "feel" of the camera is so right.

 

The R9 is slightly lighter (I think the top plate is of titanium).

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... and the off/mode selector wheel has a lock, which makes a great reason for buying the R9. Also there is an LCD frame counter on the top.

 

The best combo is with a winder, rather the the drive, as this makes the camera superb in the hand.

 

Also, if you did add a DMR later, the DMR is powered off/on by the camera, unlike the R8.

 

Small, but worthwhile changes I'd say.

 

John

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As you know the R9 is the last SLR made by Leica so that alone would ad value.

 

The R8 is every bit as good. There are some important differences but I think it's more about the collector value than anything else.

I have an R8 with DMR and just love the combo but if anything happened to my R8 I'd probably want an R9 to replace it and only because it would be newer.

 

The price difference is significant. My current R8 is Made in Portugal. I bought a German R8 earlier this year but the centre spot metering was faulty so I took it back.

Reading online... Some people have stated that the Portuguese R8s are more reliable than the German made ones but that could be a complete fallacy. There just no way to know for sure unless Leica has some official statistics.

 

Go with the R8 if you can find a good one. Don't buy anything shabby. There's still lots of good ones around.

 

I agree my R8 is wonderful [ but heavy]

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Hello,

Beside the small advantages of the R9 like high Speed Flash and switch on- off lock,

there is a most important advantage of the R8 with the DMR back:

With SCA 3501 Adapter and a Metz flash 40MZ-2 or the Leica Flash SF24D you can shoot with TTL measuring by correcting - 2stops on the Adapter or on the camera.

This important feature has been blocked at the R9.

Taking closeup pictures is therefore much more comfortable with the R8 compared with the R9..

 

Regards Peter from Switzerland

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