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Best manual SLR


S. Wong

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If you're after a manual Leica SLR then it has to be an SL SL2 or R6/6.2

 

If you just after a good manual SLR then there's lots of options, Nikon FM's, Olympus OM1, Pentax Spotmatics, MX, K series, not to mention Canon F1's and Nikon F2's thought they are likely to have led a harder life than an 'amateur' camera.

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David:

Where would you advise I look to for a replacement screen?

 

 

Steven, try Googling for Beattie (or Beatie). They made replacement screens for many reflex cameras.

 

David

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Dunk: What make is the 200-500 lens??

The 200-500 is a Tamron with a 2cam mount

 

I have 4 Leica lenses, one of which is the 80-200/4.5. I don't think it will mount properly on the SL2 (I'm unsure about the SL).

 

How do the R6's & SL's compare when in use? I've never seen a Leicaflex in person. I did get to hold an R6 years ago, but that camera shop closed down. It was heavy, but not unreasonably so.

 

Thank you all for your time and responses. I'll check out the Brightscreen and Beattie.

-Steven

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I have 4 Leica lenses, one of which is the 80-200/4.5. I don't think it will mount properly on the SL2 (I'm unsure about the SL).

 

the 80-200/4,5 is made between 1974-78 and fit to all Leicaflex SL-SL2 and R cameras.

.but it is a Minolta for Leitz objektiv...;)

 

regards,

Jan

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I looked at an SL recently having read so much about them. The finder was bright, but not really much different from my R3 IMO, and the one thing I really didn't like was the rounded off corners in the viewfinder - that alone would put me off using one.

 

It sounds like the simple answer is to buy a new screen for your camera, but any SLR with a split screen will suffer the blacking out problem you mention, at smaller apertures. Maybe you should look for a plain ground glass of microprism rather than split screen.

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I, too, have good memories of the Nikon FM, in my case an FM2 I think. But you might look at whatever is available. Used lenses (AI, in Nikon speak, if my memory serves) should be available and inexpensive since they are manual focus.

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I have 4 Leica lenses, one of which is the 80-200/4.5. I don't think it will mount properly on the SL2 (I'm unsure about the SL).

 

The 80-200 f/4.5 will not fit the SL because it requires more mirror clearance. It works fine on the SL2.

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SL, SL2 or R8 or R9, the latter two are like brilliants looking through.

 

But I would say R4 should be 80% of what those above are. It is not a dark viewfinder and compared to the Nikon F3HP I once had, the R4 is about the same, perhaps a tad brighter.

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I have become very dissatisfied with my R4's dim screen, especially after seeing a D80 @ f/3.5 being brighter than the R4 @ f/1.4.

No time to read the whole thread, but don't be fooled. The current Nikon screens are indeed very bright - that in the F6 compares well with the SL2 believe it or not. However, they are optimised for autofocus, and are not in the same league for manual focusing.

 

IIRC, the Canon EOS-1V had a choice of two screens (not in the same box, mind) of which one was suggested by the company as being better suited to manual focus. No surprises that it was a bit darker than the other. ;)

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Guest Motivfindender

The best leicas --> see postings above.

 

The best manual SLR of all cameras ever ?

 

The OM 1/2/4Ti series, perhaps?

 

The Olympus OM-2 served me for more than 15 years for many thousands of Photos and I NEVER had a problem. Even at -25 °C in the mountains or +50 °C in the sands. Although never protected and receiving a thousands of shocks, some of them really brutal , it did nothing than work correctly.

 

It is an astonishing, fine little gear, the R4 is much more bigger.

The OM got a VERY silent shutter/mirror noise , BTW, the most silent ever existing (with very effective damping mechanism) , I am nearly shure of that. The sound of a R-Modell in comparison is more like a hammer, not to talk about Canon, Nikon or others at that time. didn´t want to, but had to learn to accept that when I switched to leica SLR.

The OM had a bright viewfinder near 100%, but not the brightest, focussing was never a problem, even for available light.

Excellent auto-exposure, at that time top-of-top.

Very ergonomic, too. It was a damn revolution at that time, a real masterpiece.

I gave it away only - really ONLY - because I wanted to shoot with Leica lenses.

 

About that loss of an quite excellent SLR, I was unhappy for 10 more years with my R4´s until I purchased my R7.

The R7 is still much more louder (hate that) . The shutter/mirror noise of the OM is not only less loud, it is softer and a more comfortable tone, because made of textile curtains. It was easy to shoot even in a church without disturbing anybody by noise. Liked that.

 

regards

 

Dirk

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I had been using a Zeiss Ikon Contarex Super for ... decades, until about 5 years ago. It had a very bright screen, but only if you limited yourself to ¨normal¨ lenses (35 - 85 mm). I wound up using the center split-image with ground glass field screen, because it worked well with all lenses from 16mm Fisheye to 250mm Sonnar. But it was not as bright as the bright-field Fresnell-field ¨standard¨ screen.

 

I am now using an R6.2 and an R9. I love both.

 

Best manual Leica SLR? R6.2

Cheapest best manual Leica SLR? R6

Most versatile manual Leica SLR, with all options open, including DMR!: R9 in manual mode!

 

What else can I say.

 

And we are still waiting to hear about the R10!!!

 

Guy

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Guest Motivfindender
Dirk you really ought to try using an SL.

 

Well I confess....I didn´t do that until now. Despite the fact, that my best friend owns one ! Perhaps I should have a look and handle it a little bit . Oh boy, he will laugh at me, that I to demand that after all the years... :D

 

Jan has the same opinion... well, seems to be worth a look at it.

 

Dirk

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You never said SLR, so why not buy a rangefinder. Brightes "screen" there is. Beware of the useual limits - close range is problematic, focal length limited to 135max, no DOF control.

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