Best performer of Leica R series??

[garyp]

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I love my SL, I love my R8 [with and without DMR] I don't want any of the in between models, with sole exception of the SL2. I've owned most of the other models, and these are what I'm using for the last 7+ years.

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[Doc Henry]

So before Minolta made the electronic changes....

PasMichiel,

Yes .... but R4S, collaboration with Minolta, still works and makes great pictures.

So the legend of Leica's cameras longevity is true

Best

Henry

Thanks to look at this link:

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/nature-wildlife/142340-back-film-cosmos-flowers.html

Edited October 28, 2010 by Doc Henry

[PasMichiel]

PasMichiel,

Yes .... but R4S, collaboration with Minolta, still works and makes great pictures.

So the legend of Leica's cameras longevity is true

Best

Henry

Thanks to look at this link:

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/nature-wildlife/142340-back-film-cosmos-flowers.html

 

Still very good indeed, but no Leica camera.

Well, Leica never did make great electric camera's; The mechanical were great!

The lenses are what Leica made Fantastic.

[wildlightphoto]

Leica never did make great electric camera's; The mechanical were great!

 

The R8 and R9 are electronic cameras. Never a problem with mine.

[Joop van Heijgen]

The R8 and R9 are electronic cameras. Never a problem with mine.

 

 

But are the R8 and R9 great electronic Leica's?

[wildlightphoto]

But are the R8 and R9 great electronic Leica's?

 

"Great" is subjective. The R8 and R9 are Leicas and electronic. Mine has been so reliable that it seems the money I spent on a backup R8 was wasted

[garyp]

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I'd go so far as to say that the R8/R9 is a great Leica camera and definitely the best electronic Leica SLR.

I've had mine in snow, rain, and dropped one hard enough that it bounced from front to back.

The lensmount was bent and the back door misaligned, but, the innards were just fine.

Will they hold up as long as an SL ? I doubt it, but given the ergonomics, the metering specs, the viewfinder, etc, etc, they're very much worthy of the Leica name.

YMMV of course

[Joop van Heijgen]

I'd go so far as to say that the R8/R9 is a great Leica camera and definitely the best electronic Leica SLR.

 

.

Will they hold up as long as an SL ? I doubt it, but given the ergonomics, the metering specs, the viewfinder, etc, etc, they're very much worthy of the Leica name.

YMMV of course

 

 

A few months ago the shutter of my SL has broken, and my SL2 have also shutter problems (black outs and the shuttertimes does not work).

 

What do you think should I repair these camera's or buy an new one, like a R8.

 

 

The R8 is at the moment very cheap to be had (€400.-).

A SL is also very cheap (€150) but needs naturally a CLA.

 

I love the use of the Leicaflex SL for more than 30 years but I am afraid that they will be too old for reliable use.

Furthermore I don't have problems with electronic cameras; at the moment I do use the Leica RE and it works fine.

 

Can anyone give some advice? Thank you!

[holmes]

I will only say what I've said before. For pure photo making my vote is the R6.2 ( must like it, have two), and one R7. One provides me with basically nothing but bare necessities. The R7 gives me whole plethora of electronic choices.

[Doc Henry]

Joop,

If you look at my thread * , you can see that for a complete revision of my SL, I paid 1200 Euros (invoice details in the thread) .I agree that it is expensive but when you love ...

I did revision because I want to keep it for sentimental reasons and because it is one camera that gave me satisfaction

for many years (since 1970 exactly). I bought it on credit and I was not finishing my studies and i am penniless .

It is a solid camera and make beautiful pictures.

I must say that the work was outstanding and since my SL is running again for 40 years.You can still find spare parts after 40 years.Congratulations to Leica Solms !

 

If I could give you an advice, it is better that you buy R8 or R9 or another R at a price that is currently selling.

or do a repair estimation for your SL if you want to keep it like me.

I also have an R8 that I like for its handling.

Best

Henry

 

* http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-collectors-historica/97395-i-am-sad.html

Edited October 29, 2010 by Doc Henry

[garyp]

Hard decision Joop; I had my SL serviced by Kindermann Camera in Canada CLA'd a couple of years ago and it was worth every penny [350 US if I recall ? ]

If it wasn't a sentimental camera. I'd keep it just to have and not repair it.

But if it's sentimental, or you know your going to still use it, then I'd bite the bullet and have it repaired.

You know after repair it's still going to last you a long time.

Mine was my first Leica, it was 11 years old when I purchased it, and I've had it CLA'd twice since '81.

I still use along with my R8s

[garyp]

Hard decision Joop; I had my SL serviced by Kindermann Camera in Canada a couple of years ago and it was worth every penny [350 US if I recall ? ] There was no damage or broken bits, just needed a good cleaning.

If it wasn't a sentimental camera. I'd keep it just to have and not repair it.

But if it's sentimental, or you know your going to still use it, then I'd bite the bullet and have it repaired.

You know after repair it's still going to last you a long time.

Mine was my first Leica, it was 11 years old when I purchased it, and I've had it CLA'd twice since '81.

I still use it along with my R8s

[Joop van Heijgen]

Holmes, Doc Henry, garyp, thanks for the answers!

 

Holmes:

 

"For pure photo making my vote is the R6.2 ( must like it, have two), and one R7"

 

I know the good 'feeling' of the R6.2 because I do have the RE in the same size.

The R 6.2 is rather expensive (€ 1000,-). A week ago I had a R6 in my hands for the price of €375,-. Is the big price difference it worth for the R 6.2 compared with the R6?

 

Doc Henry:

 

"it is better that you buy R8 or R9 or another R at a price that is currently selling.

or do a repair estimation for your SL if you want to keep it like me."

 

I have a preference for the SL(2) for its concept and beautiful viewfinder.

I will do a repair estimation with my repairman. He has no Solms prices so a repair can be done relatively cheap...

 

garyp:

 

"But if it's sentimental, or you know your going to still use it, then I'd bite the bullet and have it repaired."

 

I have always used these cameras SL and SL2 very much besides my M4's

I will estimate a rapair when the costs are not too high...

The R 8 becomes indeed for me an alternative for the Leicaflexes when a repair is not economic.But it is a rather heavy camera in use. The R7 have also my interest.

 

Greetings,

 

Joop

[Heather]

Hello I am curious about the leica r6 and 6.2. As someone mentioned, the price difference can be huge. I know the R6.2 has an improved shutter speed and other improvements and corrections, but is an R6 basically just as good? I have never had an electronic slr so have not considered the R7. I recently ran screaming from digital cameras so have an all manual rangefinder now. I like the simplicity. The R8/9 are massive, but haven't picked one up to test the "they're not that heavy' theory. I recently saw an R8 on ebay for $550 cdn!

Oh, and why should I choose a Leica slr over any of the gazillion perfectly great super cheap old slrs out there(other than the lenses)?

[wildlightphoto]

... why should I choose a Leica slr over any of the gazillion perfectly great super cheap old slrs out there(other than the lenses)?

 

The lenses are an excellent reason. Viewfinder quality on most models is another good reason.

[Doc Henry]

The lenses are an excellent reason. Viewfinder quality on most models is another good reason.

.... to continue on what Doug just said, here are 3 links

(one of these 3 links is from our well-known bird photographer Doug * present himself here : thank you Doug )

Interesting articles to read

 

* Leica Leicaflex SL - photo.net

 

Leicaflex SL - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Photoethnography.com - Classic Cameras

Good reading

Henry

[storybrown]

These are always interesting threads.

 

I have two SLs and an SL2, which I like very much (now using mainly the SL2), and an R8, which I think is prolly the best film SLR I've handled (I've not found an opportunity to work with an R9) and which prolly my best film fotos have been taken with, and my favorite -- I do not say the "best" -- is my R4sP, which is the one I always have around and which is the one film camera I think I will not give up, up I should ever have to give any up.

 

I warmly recommend them all as excellent platforms for the R series lenses, which I think are the best or among the best lenses on the market today & now (rare enough in the photographic world) a genuine bargain. I think Leni Riefenstahl, a big M3 & M5 user, especially liked the SLmot. Prolly the best long term buy today, if you're not going for an R8 (or R9), is the R6.

 

I note that one earlier poster brought up the familiar old chestnut that the Leica R3 is apparently plagued with electronic problems &c&c. I certainly do not doubt that there was some truth to this -- look at the horror stories about the M8 and M9 -- but the half-dozen or so actual R3 users that I have personally ever known or run into myself have every one of them sworn by it (like many M8 and no doubt M9 users). I think there are some R3 users on the Forum that would say this. (I've never worked with an R3).

 

You won't miss with any R box, provided it's a good user. Of course, half the fun is fussing over the one(s) you want, including all the faux wisdom -- just remember, the real treasures are the R lenses.

 

Good luck!

[Heather]

I LOVE the photoethnography.com website! Stumbled upon it sometime this year. Nice to see a woman geek out(kind of rare unfortunately!) and I enjoy reading it endlessly.

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[pierovitch]

Used R4 R5 and R7 professionally. Only the one R5 left as it was the most reliable.

Regular servicing required.

[holmes]

Joop,

Thanks for your opinion of the R6.2. I will never try to compare an item, be it a camera or anything else. Basically it be like trying water to oxygen. Now I now that you live in Europe. Here in the US we have a large population among which are Leica "nuts". When I started buying my Ms and Rs. Upon receipt I immediately sent them to Wisconsin for overhaul, CLA and any thing else. I talked on the phone a couple of time and he assured me that I had the pick of used Ms and Rs. Service was minimal and so was the price for all six. I only sent one at a time. I have been laid up with a lousy knee. My orthopedic surgeons have me in a brace that they hope I can wear for five years to rebuild all the muscle. My problem is that I can't stand for very long as the left knee wants to give way. Now all this has nothing to do with your question. My vote for the best performer of the 'R' series is simple, the R6.2.