Are You Giving Up on the R System

[rsolomon]

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It appears to me that leica has given up on the DMR , a key component of the Rsystem

[leicar888]

I will never give up my R7 and R8 and multiple lenses, for the lenses provide me focal length reaches that the limitations of the M bodies cannot. Additionally, the R lenses are outstanding, and I still love developing black & white film exposed with my R lenses and making prints in my darkroom. I hope, though, that the new CEO at Leica decides to have the wizards at Leica develop an all-digital R10 that would last for decades (many digital cameras have a fixed life span). During the last 40+ years of his life, my father used his M2 and 35mm Summicron for everything and I got so bored looking at his slides and prints taken with only that focal length. Even if he had bought and used M focal lengths up to and including the 135mm limitation, I'd still have gotten bored with his output. I've used my 135mm, 180mm, 280mm, and 350mm, and 400mm R lenses numerous times and gotten outstanding compositions thanks to those lenses' ability to isolate compositional elements that shorter focal lengths' reaches (such as for the M bodies) simply couldn't and can't. I will never spend money on the M8 for the aforementioned reason. I love the M lenses, true, but I use my R8 much, much more often than my M6 because of the same factor. I did not buy the DMR for my R8 because it was outrageously expensive. Again, I hope a truly all-digital R10 will be produced and at a more affordable, sensible price.

[gogopix]

Well, whether or not Leica comes out with a R10 the R9/DMR is pretty damn good. I have a TONNE of R glass. The way I figure it, either Leica builds an R10 or I use the Leica on a Canon 1Ds III when it comes out, or continue to use the DMR. I really LOVE these 'discontinued ' systems; I have R9/DMR, Contax 645, (with P45 and 2 tonnes of Hasselblad glass)) and an old Kodak SLR/c OH, BTW I can use the Leica R glass on the Kodak as well

:-)

 

SO don't sweat it! It is truning out that being discontinued is a sign that the system was ONE OF THE BEST!!!

LOL

[Guest tummydoc]

The M8 has certainly created a renewed interest in Leica entire rangefinder system. After the initial launch of the M8 , many R systems where uncerimoniously dumpted ..to support the desire for new M series glass. Recently all the R glass prices have pulled back..the more exotic and expensive ..not selling at all. Do the DMR users expect that their legacy glass may not be usable on the ..coming R10? Its one thing to shift some or all of your equipment from R to M ......entirely different if you expect Leica to follow a strategy like Hasselblad.

 

After only two years in production Leica pulled the plug on the DMR without unveiling a successor (I don't call an adaptor to the Digilux-3 a successor!), and hanging current DMR owners out to dry regarding a much-anticipated firmware upgrade that will never come. That kind of practice would be detrimental if not suicidal to any other brand, but seeing as the M8 is still selling despite all its issues, Leica has no reason to believe that they need fear market backlash no matter what they do. They understand that regardless of how long before they reveal a new R-DSLR or what its specifications will be, they can count on a set number of loyal-to-the-core customers to queue up. At that time there will come a resurgence in demand for secondhand R lenses and their prices will rise, exactly as happened with M lenses since the M8.

[jerryharwood]

Yes; I sold the whole lot to buy an nikon pro digital; in london, prices of R lenses are dropping by £10 per day; in fact, London is about the only place to get a trade in at all.

I didn't want to do this, but film is getting more and more difficult to get hold of, and there are only two processing outlets within 50 miles; hence it was a no brainer. sad, but true.