Jump to content

Leica R3?


assiah10

Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Greetings! Bit of a novice here! I’ve been looking to get into Leica systems and would have the chance to get a R3 for a rather good price I believe (<100€).

So my question would be:

is the R - system worth investing into? (Can’t afford the M system as of now)

are there any non Leica R mount lenses? Which are less expensive than the Leica ones?

alternatively: is there an adapter Olympus OM system to R?

I have an Olympus OM2n with a Zuiko 50mm f1.8, is it even worth getting a R3?

The information on google was a bit overwhelming so any insight would be helpful 🖤

Link to post
Share on other sites

Leica initially had excellent SLRs in the Leicaflex models, but in general I'd say the R models were just typical SLRs, and as a user I wouldn't rate them above other makes. It's the rangefinder models that set Leica apart. I've used Leica (Rangefinders and SLRs) since 1969, but during that time also other makes of SLRs that offered advantages over Leica. I have a soft spot for small SLRs like the Olympus OM and Pentax MX.

Link to post
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, assiah10 said:

Greetings! Bit of a novice here! I’ve been looking to get into Leica systems and would have the chance to get a R3 for a rather good price I believe (<100€).

So my question would be:

is the R - system worth investing into? (Can’t afford the M system as of now)

are there any non Leica R mount lenses? Which are less expensive than the Leica ones?

alternatively: is there an adapter Olympus OM system to R?

I have an Olympus OM2n with a Zuiko 50mm f1.8, is it even worth getting a R3?

The information on google was a bit overwhelming so any insight would be helpful 🖤

I would say the main reason for getting into the R system would be the lenses, and it makes less sense to use the cameras with the limited choice of third party alternatives. Lenses from other systems like Olympus can't be used with simple adapters. Most systems have a shorter flange focal distance than Leica R, which means you wouldn't get infinity focus (at least without adding an extra lens element to the adapter) even if an adapter existed:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flange_focal_distance

You might however use Tamron Adaptall-2 lenses, which are decent quality, reasonably cheap, and have their own interchangeable lens mounts for various camera systems including Leica R, avoiding the problems with conventional adapters.

The R3 was in any case reworked from a Minolta design, and isn't a particularly remarkable SLR - the earlier Leicaflex SL is more interesting as a camera and was fully designed by Leitz/Leica. If you had a Minolta XE series body, it wouldn't be a vastly different camera to the R3, and Minolta's excellent lenses are pretty affordable (some of the Minolta zooms were adopted directly by Leica for the R system with only the lens mount and branding changed).

One thing that might interest you is that the OM2n you already have, like its cousin the OM1n, was directly inspired by Leica rangefinders. Olympus designer Yoshihisa Maitani wanted to build a small SLR with many of the same virtues as the Leica. There's a good account of this from the man himself, starting here:

https://www.olympus-global.com/technology/museum/lecture/vol1/?page=technology_museum

Some people think that the OM system is closer in spirit to the Leica rangefinder than even Leica's own R system is...

Edited by Anbaric
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

The R3 is superb SLR, try one out and you will realise.

But......it's hard to find a good one today. I posted on another thread recently the main things to check. If you find a good one buy it!

Some R lenses are excellent value these days. You can also use Tamron lenses with the R adaptor (I do, I happen to like some of the Tamron optics).

Link to post
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, assiah10 said:

Greetings! Bit of a novice here! I’ve been looking to get into Leica systems and would have the chance to get a R3 for a rather good price I believe (<100€).

So my question would be:

is the R - system worth investing into? (Can’t afford the M system as of now)

are there any non Leica R mount lenses? Which are less expensive than the Leica ones?

 

an R "film" camera, with "non Leica" Lens...?

so you wont really be in the "Leica system"

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, frame-it said:

yep same thing :)

and anyway, in the other thread nobody could actually prove what the "leica look" is ;)

 

But those lenses are Leica lenses.

Some of the L mount lenses are made by other manufacturers for Leica too.

As for the Leica look, there are many. Which Leica look do you want?! A 1930's Leica camera with Summar lens produces a look somewhat different to the M11 with an APO Summicron. They are both Leica looks.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I had R3's and R4's back in the day. I much preferred the Leicaflex SL2 - if you want to stay with film. If you are not against digital - I would get a used Leica 601. You could put any lens you want on that body with ease. Wonderful bright finder.  But that would be if you were open to digital - a used 601 would be my choice.

Link to post
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, earleygallery said:

But those lenses are Leica lenses.

Some of the L mount lenses are made by other manufacturers for Leica too.

As for the Leica look, there are many. Which Leica look do you want?! A 1930's Leica camera with Summar lens produces a look somewhat different to the M11 with an APO Summicron. They are both Leica looks.

i don't want anything and don't care, i only questioned the OP's decision to not buy a real Leica lens

  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

For 100 Euros its hard to go wrong, especially if that is from a dealer who has replaced the seals and tested the meter.  I haven’t tried the R3 myself, but would be tempted at that price. Meister camera sometimes have R3s around that price.  

In my opinion there is not much point shooting an R body unless you are going to use the superb R lenses.  Unfortunately these are not plentiful on the used market and are a LOT more expensive than any other camera brand lenses.  Typical going rate for a 50mm summicron is around 400 Euros. 

 

Edited by andrew01
Link to post
Share on other sites

I have one non-Leica R mount lens. the Hartblei 80mm Super-Rotator tilt/shift lens. The tilt/shift mechanism is excellent but the quality of the optics are mediocre at best. It is based on an old Pentacon MF lens.

It is close to impossible to fit other lenses to a Leica R because the R (and the predecessor Leicaflexes) had just about the longest flange focal distance of any 35mm SLR at 47mm. The only lenses you can fit are those from MF cameras with FFL's enough longer than 47mm to allow an adapter. such as Hasselblad and Mamiya 645. However it is years since these adapters were made, if they ever were and the lenses are large and heavy.

The three cam Sumicrons and Elmarits are not too expensive and they are good. The 28-70 is OK as long as you can live with a bit of pin cushion distortion at the tele end but avoid the non-ROM earlier versions where the wide end is also soft. The really good R lenses are still expensive because Videographers snaffle them up the whole time. the 21-35 is around £2000 for a good one, the 28-90 £3000+ and the APO tele and tele zoom lenses equally pricey. 

Wilson

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

On 6/25/2022 at 4:24 PM, assiah10 said:

... I’ve been looking to get into Leica systems and would have the chance to get a R3 for a rather good price I believe (<100€).

So my question would be:

is the R - system worth investing into? (Can’t afford the M system as of now)

I am afraid that I don't know what to advice a budget-conscious person who wants to dip their toe in the Leica pond.

The general pricing is out of balance with the value of the products IMO.

What I can say for certain; if you lust for the M system, you will be disappointed with the R system, especially if you can't find the funds for some of the good Leica lenses. You are much better served with building on your OM-2 system.

The currently affordable R bodies are affordable for a reason - they will not blow your mind.

I feel lucky to have build my M system more than 20 years ago, and to have stumbled over som cheap R lenses by chance. I wouldn't have paid the steep entry fee to the Leica world at the current prices.

 

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I've owned at one time or another most of the Leica R models, including the R3 (which was given to me when I purchased an R lens). It worked fine, but like others said, it was hardly different from other SLR bodies of the time. Some of the R lenses were really good, some were just OK. But the good ones have been snapped up by cinematographers or are priced in the stratosphere. As for the Leica "look", that really seemed to me to be the provenance of the M system. The R lenses (the good ones) had smooth movements, were well machined, had good color saturation (for the era), and most could deliver when shot wide open. But today, those in really good condition are hard to find and relatively expensive. You already are into the Olympus system, which I also have, and have found to be good. IMHO the viewfinder is much better IMHO than the Leica R ones, except the original Leicaflex and the SL2. If you wear eyeglasses, diopters for the R system are difficult to find, whereas ones for the OLY system are readily available.  While the OLY lenses I've owned seem to deliver a slightly harsher image than the Leica R lenses, they are lighter in weight, less expensive, and more readily available...and the top of the line ones can deliver really stunning images. Lastly, R body repairs may be iffy given their age (I'm speaking mostly of their electronics), whereas OM bodies are quite easily replaceable. You can shoot Leica R bodies with Tamron Adaptall lenses and adapters, which I've done, but they aren't up to Leica's performance standards, so if that is your aim, skip the Leica bodies and use adapters to use the lenses on your OM body.

Link to post
Share on other sites

The real bargain in manual focus SLR's are the Contax CX/Y mount cameras. I do have a number of Leica Reflex cameras but I am not convinced that they are quite as good as the last of various Contax models I had, the RX, with its very clever focus confirmation and DOF indication system. The Zeiss designed zoom lenses are nearly all excellent with the two stand out ones being the 28-85 and the 100-300. I bought a new old stock 28-85 a few years ago to use on my M240 with a Novoflex adapter and from memory it cost me around €400. At that time the nearest equivalent Leica R lens, the 28-90, another excellent performer, was over €2000 and they are now about 50% more than that. The Zeiss primes are every bit as good as the Leica R primes and usually a fraction of the price. If I had not started collecting Leica cameras over the last 40+ years (now at 35 of them) and wanted a good film SLR, I would go for the Contax RX or RX-II every time. I only sold or gave away all my Contax SLR's to fund the Leica M8 and some more modern Leica lenses. 

Wilson

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
On 6/25/2022 at 3:24 PM, assiah10 said:

Greetings! Bit of a novice here! I’ve been looking to get into Leica systems and would have the chance to get a R3 for a rather good price I believe (<100€).

So my question would be:

is the R - system worth investing into? (Can’t afford the M system as of now)

are there any non Leica R mount lenses? Which are less expensive than the Leica ones?

alternatively: is there an adapter Olympus OM system to R?

I have an Olympus OM2n with a Zuiko 50mm f1.8, is it even worth getting a R3?

The information on google was a bit overwhelming so any insight would be helpful 🖤

Consider acquiring a Leica R 50mm f2 Summicron and be amazed with the results. Lens can be sourced for £reasonable especially in the Mk I, 3 cam fitting ... many of the Mk I models have been converted from 2 cam to 3 cam and are thus compatible with e.g., a Leica R3 ... or any other Leica R series camera ... or a Leicaflex SL or SL2 film camera.  And if you source a Mk I 50mm Summicron R, consider adding an Elpro VIa (2.51 diopter), & / or an Elpro VIb (4.92 diopter) ... and use them for close-up imaging. R Elpros are achromatic close-up lenses which screw into the 50mm R Mk I filter threads ... and are capable of superb results.  Also consider acquiring a copy of Leica Pocket Book 8th Edition which lists and illustrates all Leica lenses together with performance data 1925 - 2009; it's a very scarce book as its in demand and out of print ... but Peter Loy lists a s/h copy  https://www.peterloy.com/book-shop.php. ... and he also lists s/h copies of Excellence in Photography: Applied Leica Technique.  Gunter Osterloh, 2nd English edition 1985. 304 pages, 185x245mm, hardback.  ... a superb book on use of the Leica R system cameras and lenses.

 

 

Edited by dkCambridgeshire
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...