jaapv Posted November 17, 2009 Share #1 Posted November 17, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) My R9 proved less robust than my M9 last trip. Whereas the M9 only needed a CLA, the R9, whose exposure meter broke down among other things, incurred a 1485,-- Euro repair estimate from Leica. Ffordes has quite a number of R8 and R9 - at a considerable price difference between the two. Is there any disadvantage to have an R8 for the DMR? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted November 17, 2009 Posted November 17, 2009 Hi jaapv, Take a look here DMR- R9 or R8 ?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
troyfreund Posted November 17, 2009 Share #2 Posted November 17, 2009 I've got two DMRs on R8s. I have had them in service a number of times, but they are my work cameras and get a fair amount of use. The problems I've had have always either been R8 problems or DMR problems, but not problems due to mating an R8 and DMR. So, I think a DMR is fine with an R8. Go for it! There are a few operating differences between and R9 and R8 with the DMR, but nothing too tedious (such as needing to turn off the camera and DMR individually with and R8, but not an R9). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
topoxforddoc Posted November 17, 2009 Share #3 Posted November 17, 2009 Jaap, I have R9/DMR and R8/DMR combo. Personally I prefer the R9. The programme dial lock button is a boon on the R9. I've had countless times when I'm using the R8 and I find it won't fire as the dial has moved inadvertently. If I were buying used, I would probably go for a R9, even though it costs more. R9s will usually mate with the DMR without problems, but some of the early R8s won't without a return to Solms. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgcd Posted November 17, 2009 Share #4 Posted November 17, 2009 I only use the R8/DMR. Besides the famous wheel falling off from the back of the DMR, that Leica repaired under warranty, I never had a problem with my R8/DMR. I prefer the R8 anyway, but that's just me. Cheers, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overgaard Posted November 17, 2009 Share #5 Posted November 17, 2009 I've used both ad use the R9/DMR currently as my R8 was in Solms for adjustment and new lightmeter. But I prefer the R8 most of the time because the manual/auto dial isn't locked and I often change between the two. Only disadvantage is that the DMR has to be turned off seperately whereas turning off the R9 turns off the DMR (or at least is supposed to ;-). The 100g higher weight of the R8 you won't feel. I personally don't understand the price difference secondhand between the R8 and R9. There's also the frame counter on top of the R9 which is kind of a joke with the R9 and which the R8 doesn't have. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacki Posted November 18, 2009 Share #6 Posted November 18, 2009 Hi, where can I buy a set of DMR now? Thanks. Jack Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted November 18, 2009 Author Share #7 Posted November 18, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Search and search again, I fear. There have been only 2200 built and most are in the hands of users that will never give them up. Everybody: Thanks for your insight. I guess it will be an R8... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
guidowi Posted November 20, 2009 Share #8 Posted November 20, 2009 The R8 dial mode turn by itself when the camera is alone on a table and the R9 dial lock is very welcome to me. But if I need an accurate framing i must use the R8 because my R9 has a vertical framing error between the finder and the sensor/film. I loose a bit at the lower side and i find more at the top (landscape position). Guido Wilhelm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicoleica Posted November 22, 2009 Share #9 Posted November 22, 2009 Search and search again, I fear. There have been only 2200 built and most are in the hands of users that will never give them up. Everybody: Thanks for your insight. I guess it will be an R8... Jaap, Some dealers still have R8's in stock that are brand new at a good price. That way you can benefit from the full Leica warranty. For example, Kamera-Express have both black and silver models in stock at €895. Good luck! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicoleica Posted November 22, 2009 Share #10 Posted November 22, 2009 As an extra comment. I've owned and used both R8 and R9 cameras, and as far as I can tell, the having to switch the DMR on/off independently on the R8 is the only significant difference. (As mentioned by Thorsten.) Personally, I preferred the R8 to R9, as the 'lock' button when changing modes proved to be more a pain than a gain. I think that if it had only applied to the 'Off' position, it would have been much better. (Not that I ever had any problems with the switch moving anyway.) The top-plate frame counter was not of any benefit to me either, and as you can't use HSS with the DMR anyway, that doesn't affect use with the DMR. If it was my choice, I'd buy a new, or 'mint' R8 instead of a used R9. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overgaard Posted November 22, 2009 Share #11 Posted November 22, 2009 As an extra comment. I've owned and used both R8 and R9 cameras, and as far as I can tell, the having to switch the DMR on/off independently on the R8 is the only significant difference. (As mentioned by Thorsten.) Personally, I preferred the R8 to R9, as the 'lock' button when changing modes proved to be more a pain than a gain. I think that if it had only applied to the 'Off' position, it would have been much better. (Not that I ever had any problems with the switch moving anyway.) The top-plate frame counter was not of any benefit to me either, and as you can't use HSS with the DMR anyway, that doesn't affect use with the DMR. If it was my choice, I'd buy a new, or 'mint' R8 instead of a used R9. What's actually wrong with the lock button - and why it is a pain - is that it's designed to help a design flaw. The mode button should simply have been placed inside the camera, not on the edge where you will come to change it's setting accidentally. The lock button is actually a ridicules "solution." Never thought about before why it was so annoying, but that's why. Its a solution added to an error instead of correction the original error. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted November 22, 2009 Author Share #12 Posted November 22, 2009 Jaap, Some dealers still have R8's in stock that are brand new at a good price. That way you can benefit from the full Leica warranty. For example, Kamera-Express have both black and silver models in stock at €895. Good luck! I didn't know that! Thanks Nicole Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roguewave Posted November 23, 2009 Share #13 Posted November 23, 2009 Jaap, I have 3 R8 bodies. I prefer the R8 to the R9. I hate that lock. There are many times when you are in very difficult lighting & you want to manually control the EV. Make sure that you get the R8 inspected for the software update so it can mate correctly with the DMR. It took all of 30 minutes when I brought mine to NJ. I think there is a database in Solms, so one can just email them or call to see if the S/N matches the firmware in the R8. Good luck & many clicks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted November 23, 2009 Share #14 Posted November 23, 2009 Does the DMR use the same 10 MP CCD Kodak sensor that is in the M8? If not, what is different? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted November 23, 2009 Author Share #15 Posted November 23, 2009 Totally different, despite similar specs. For one thing it has non-shifted microlenses and an effective IR filter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_parker Posted November 23, 2009 Share #16 Posted November 23, 2009 As you know I've only ever used a R9 with my DMR and (other than the 600 Euro bill from Solms caused by me dropping it), I've never had any problems. My preference would still be for the R9 as I think it adapts better and more easily to the DMR back, withouit firmware problems and I suspect that the DMR was built and tested with that camera in mind, although as said, the locking mode switch, which pointlessly overhangs the body as if it should be easily adjusted whilst the camera is at the eye, is a pain. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildlightphoto Posted November 24, 2009 Share #17 Posted November 24, 2009 Not having used an R9, I'd rather have some sort of lock on the mode wheel instead of the R8's dial. The only modes I use are 'm' and 'off' and there have been numerous time in the tight space of my kayak's cockpit that the mode wheel has been bumped accidentally toward 'off' (a nuisance) or to one of the automatic modes (a disaster). I consider the 'off' scenario a nuisance, rather than a disaster, because I notice the problem right away: the camera does not fire. If the mode is bumped to an automatic mode I might not notice the problem for a while and make numerous exposures in that mode, inevitably badly exposed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgcd Posted November 24, 2009 Share #18 Posted November 24, 2009 I've tried the R9 and hated the lock button. Horses for courses... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
guidowi Posted November 24, 2009 Share #19 Posted November 24, 2009 Totally different, despite similar specs. For one thing it has non-shifted microlenses and an effective IR filter. Jaapv, it has the shifted microlenses but at a different rate than the M8 because of the different light incindence angle due to SLR lenses. Cheers Guido Wilhelm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
guidowi Posted November 24, 2009 Share #20 Posted November 24, 2009 I've tried the R9 and hated the lock button. Horses for courses... I think that the opinion about the lock button can change after the number of lost shots I had due to unwanted dial turning. It is enogh put the camera strap on the shoulder and the dial turn on your jacket. When you want take the next shot the dial is everywhere but not where you want. Cheers Guido Wilhelm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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