Best performer of Leica R series??

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Hello,

I would just like to ask you which model do you think is the best performer of R series?

[earleygallery]

Camera? Lens? Best for what?

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I mean the camera Leica R of course. From Leicaflex to R9 (non-digital).

[bill]

Best for what?

 

Regards,

 

Bill

[earleygallery]

There's no such thing as 'best' - but one model may suit you better than another.

 

If you want a mechanical camera then an R9 isn't best for you. If you want multi program modes then a Leicaflex isn't best for you, etc.

 

As said, best for what?

[adan]

Leaving aside "what for?" until we get clarification - I'd have to say that the only R bodies that even remotely appealed to me were the Leicaflexes and the R7. The R4-6s felt cramped, and the R8/9 felt like trying to wrap one's hand around a concrete block. The R3 is rather nice for feel, but was the camera that gave Leica a bad rep for electronics.

 

I'd say ALL the post-Leicaflex cameras have an unpleasant "slowness" to them - no doubt to reduce mirror shake. But the shutter release process feels rubbery and imprecise, and the stop-down levers feel sticky. At least the R7 was "right-sized" - and had a much brighter finder with less blue tint than its predecessors.

 

The only mechanical drawback to the Leicaflexes (IMHO) is the thumb-breakingly long film advance stroke required. The SL2 may have improved that over the earlier versions - as well as being compatable with later wide lenses (16, 19v.2, 24, 35 f/1.4).

[earleygallery]

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The R3 is rather nice for feel, but was the camera that gave Leica a bad rep for electronics.

 

I've had an R3 from new, one of the last ones. It's never let me down, is excellent in use and has a superb shutter action.

 

The R4 also had a bad reputation for electrical faults, but I'd say any R3/R4's that are still working fine now should be sound buys.

 

The problem is that they're so cheap to buy that should any kind of fault develop they're not really worth repairing.

[wildlightphoto]

"Best" is subjective, but my favorite film camera from a user's perspective is the Leicaflex SL. From a mechanical engineer's perspective, the Leicaflex SL is my favorite. From a repair technician's perspective, my favorite is the Leicaflex SL. As a backup for my DMR, my favorite (aside from another DMR) is the Leicaflex SL. I'm beginning to notice a pattern.

[robert_parker]

I own a R9, which is permanently attached to my DMR back for digital use, a R7 and have owned an R3.

 

The R3 has a definite 1970's feel and sound about it in use, the R7 feels fully modern as does the R9, which for me fits best in the hand, even though it is quite a chunky camera.

 

It is said that the Leicaflexes have very good clear viewfinders, although with certain of the earlier ones there can be limitations as to choice of lens.

[tobey bilek]

I would avoid R4, R4s. RE, R5. All have mirror vibration issues. Every other one is a great camera. Any Leicaflex if you like mechanical, but they are old enough to get age related issues. Their viewfinders are almost as bright as a new M or freshly cleaned old one. R8&9 are superb cameras, but too big for me. My favorites are the R6, 6.2, or 7 for an automatic camera and I have disposed of all the others. I am left with two each 6, 6.2, & 7.

[wildlightphoto]

I would avoid R4, R4s. RE, R5. All have mirror vibration issues.

 

I found that because of the R4s mirror shake I had to use one stop faster shutter speed to get sharpness comparable to the Leicaflex SL.

 

Every other one is a great camera.

 

The R4 through R7 bodies share a few design flaws that make them less durable than the Leicaflexes. For example the tripod socket is attached to the main body casting with three tiny screws; this is a weak point and if too much stress is applied to the tripod socket, for example when a heavy lens is mounted on the camera and the tripod is set down too hard, the tripod socket will break the body's main casting. Replacing the main casting is NOT FUN and typically a broken main casting means the camera is uneconomical to repair. Contrasted with this the Leicaflex's tripod socket is attached to an easily-replaced sub-frame.

 

Also, the aperture mechanisms for reading the aperture set on the lens and for stopping the lens down for the exposure are much more reliable in the Leicaflexes than in any of the R4-R7 bodies (I have not disemboweled the R3 or R8/R9 so no data for these cameras). The R4-R7 aperture mechanisms are much more likely to become sluggish or seize entirely from getting gummy or corroded and are NOT FUN to repair.

Edited October 27, 2010 by wildlightphoto
spelling error

[spydrxx]

I've only had 4, I liked the R3, but really liked the SL2 - even better than the SL, and the R8 is a fine bit of modern (film) technology, You would have a hard time going wrong with any mentioned, provided they were in good shape. In order to answer your question, however, you really need to be more specific.

[JBA]

The Leicaflex SL won't take certain lenses because of mirror clearance issues. The Leicaflex SL2 has a tendency to suffer from an erratic shutter at 1/2000 (mine's shutter has failed almost completely at this point). I hate the Leicaflex's long wind lever throw. It's very umcomfortable and doesn't ratchet, which in my opinion is a major design flaw. The R3 is brilliant but the electronics, particularly the meter, is the weak link. I have no personal experience with any of the other models up to the R8. I use the R8 with a motor drive. It's brilliant but rather large and heavy, but then motor-driven SLRs are that sort of beast, and the R8's motor is very quiet.

[PasMichiel]

I owned a R4 R5 R8. I think R8 is too big (but can be digital). I loved the R5.

 

The lens I loved the most was the 60mm with macro. I had a 28mm, 60mm and 135mm. All are not that big, and you can do everything with it. Later I bought a 180mm and a 2x extender. Liked the pictures taken with the R.

 

R8 60mm 1/8 f/11

[masjah]

I concur with the "Best for what?" supplementary question!

 

Can I make a couple of observations though? Despite the R8/R9s being big, many people (myself included) think that they actually fit in the hands very well indeed, so don't dismiss them for this reason without first trying them yourself. My only other direct experience is a brief one with a friend's SL2; it is a "basic" camera by today's standards (though to some degree the same can be said of the R8/9!) and none the worse for that, but it feels wonderfully solid, and the viewfinder is nothing short of exceptional.

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"Best for what"

 

...I took the same pictures of landscape, and one of a mushroom with the same lens on, the same film and at the same time to have the same light conditions.. One with the Leicaflex SL and the second one with R5. Overall, the conditions when taking the pics were the same.

And there was a difference. Leicaflex SL seemed to me to have a better performance. It had more vivid and brighter colours, shows more details than R5.

 

So I just wanted to ask what experience you have with your models and if you compare their performances. Maybe it was just my personal opinion and feeling.

I have R4, R5 and SL. As the first I had R4. Then I bought R5 and I was a bit more satisfied with R4 overall performance (taking various genres of pics - portraits, landscapes, animals) than with R5. And I was more satisfied with my pics quality even with Leicaflex SL (using the same lenses and film type all the time).

 

So what do you think? Maybe it´s just my personal feeling and there´s no difference among their performances. But it does depend on the optics quality in the camera itself, doesn´t it?

[earleygallery]

..I took the same pictures of landscape, and one of a mushroom with the same lens on, the same film and at the same time to have the same light conditions.. One with the Leicaflex SL and the second one with R5. Overall, the conditions when taking the pics were the same.

And there was a difference. Leicaflex SL seemed to me to have a better performance. It had more vivid and brighter colours, shows more details than R5.

 

The camera is 'just' a light tight box to hold your film, it can't possibly affect how the image looks, that's down purely to the lens.

 

I will caveat that by saying that factors such as metering/exposure, vibration from the mirror/shutter etc. can influence the end result, which may be why you are seeing differences, but if you shot the same scene with the same lens/film/exposure and had the cameras on a tripod then it should be impossible to tell which was which.

[Doc Henry]

"Best" is subjective, but my favorite film camera from a user's perspective is the Leicaflex SL. From a mechanical engineer's perspective, the Leicaflex SL is my favorite. From a repair technician's perspective, my favorite is the Leicaflex SL. As a backup for my DMR, my favorite (aside from another DMR) is the Leicaflex SL. I'm beginning to notice a pattern.

 

I agree with Doug,

Please see my posts in German thread (at bottom of the page)

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-sammler-historica/117516-leicaflex-sl-2.html

Henry

[PasMichiel]

I concur with the "Best for what?" supplementary question!

 

Can I make a couple of observations though? Despite the R8/R9s being big, many people (myself included) think that they actually fit in the hands very well indeed, so don't dismiss them for this reason without first trying them yourself. My only other direct experience is a brief one with a friend's SL2; it is a "basic" camera by today's standards (though to some degree the same can be said of the R8/9!) and none the worse for that, but it feels wonderfully solid, and the viewfinder is nothing short of exceptional.

 

I agree. I find the R8/9 even in balance with the winder so even bigger.

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[PasMichiel]

I agree with Doug,

Please see my posts in German thread (at bottom of the page)

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-sammler-historica/117516-leicaflex-sl-2.html

Henry

 

So before Minolta made the electronic changes....