Leica R8 / R9 question

[cpclee]

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I just bought a beautiful and minty R9. It has been a few years since I last had this camera so I can’t remember anymore: I noticed that if the DOF lever is slightly pushed down from its fully returned position, the shutter will not fire. Is this normal?

 

More specifically, when the DOF lever is pressed all the way down, upon letting my finger go the lever will return automatically to just a nudge short of its highest position. At this position, the shutter will not fire. If I bring the DOF lever all the way up, the shutter will now fire. Seems to me that this is intended to prevent the shutter from misfiring when the DOF lever is in use, but I’m not 100% sure.

 

Thanks.

Edited November 6, 2017 by cpclee

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[masjah]

Mine won't fire if the DOF preview lever is depressed. This doesn't surprise me in the least, since part of the shutter firing sequence involves stopping down the aperture to the pre-set value, and the DOF preview would interact with that mechanism, so an interlock makes complete sense.

 

What I don't think is quite right is that you seem to be implying that your DOF preview lever won't fully return on release. Does it do this if no lens is attached? Does it do it with more than one lens. Since you've just got the camera, my first step would be to exercise the lever in case it has stiffened-up a bit, and to do it with and without lenses attached, and see how you get on.

[cpclee]

I tried the DOF lever again. Indeed it returns fully to the top position if I let it go. Earlier, I think I was being super gentle on the lever and was letting it return very slowly while my finger stayed on the lever.

 

Thanks for confirming.

 

What a beautiful camera! I’m glad I bought one back. It’s an anthracite like the one I used to have.

 

Mine won't fire if the DOF preview lever is depressed. This doesn't surprise me in the least, since part of the shutter firing sequence involves stopping down the aperture to the pre-set value, and the DOF preview would interact with that mechanism, so an interlock makes complete sense.

 

What I don't think is quite right is that you seem to be implying that your DOF preview lever won't fully return on release. Does it do this if no lens is attached? Does it do it with more than one lens. Since you've just got the camera, my first step would be to exercise the lever in case it has stiffened-up a bit, and to do it with and without lenses attached, and see how you get on.

[jip]

My DOF preview lever is quite stiff but returns all the way to the top on release. (Leica R8)

[SilentShutter]

What a beautiful camera! I’m glad I bought one back. It’s an anthracite like the one I used to have.

 

 

The best SLR Leica ever build in my opinion..... 

[thebarnman]

I love my R9; I still use it for travel/family shots.  I mainly shoot B&W negatives for reverse processing and present the images through a slide projector on a really big screen.  Though I probably should mix it up a little bit by shooting some color slides along with color negatives once in a while.   

Edited December 5, 2017 by thebarnman