Leica R or SL questions

If any of you were going to purchase an older Leica R (R3, R4, or R5) or an SL which would be the better choice. I'm told that the R3 can't be fixed everywhere an R4 or R5 are.

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What are the lens compatibility issues? I know the ROM lenses are for the R8 but I don't know much else. I'm thinking about something for use with a couple of zooms and maybe one macro lens. Something like a 28-70 and a 70-200. I've got an M for the fixed focal length stuff but there are times you just want a zoom?

I have been happily using an R3 for a few years ago that I picked,

mint, for half the price of an R4. From what I've seen in

Shutterbug this is still the case, because I think of the larger size

of the R3. I have verified that Gerry at Kindermann Canada has

no problem fixing this camera and has a good supply of parts.

Check their website at 'www.kindermann.ca'. Personally I like

the feel of the camera, and it has all the features I need (spot,

multi exp, etc). The only downside I've found is that if you want

motor operation, it takes a specific drive (and you must have the

R3mot to do this) that can be difficult to find.

For the price I think the R3 is a great camera.

Mark, I have an R4. It's very good for the money, but I get

frustrated by the difficulty of reading the shutter speeds in

anything less than a fully illuminated (typical outdoor daylight)

scene. You can see the LED's that correspond to each shutter speed,

but the actual speed markings are lighted only by the general finder

illumination. I would rather have an R5 because the LED's actually

display the speed, rather than just a dot lighting up next to the

speed marking. I find that the size and shape of the R3 affords a

better grip on the camera than subsequent models, but didn't like the

less bright finder.

Thanks for the help. How about the lenses? What's the deal with 1

cam, 2 cam and 3 cam lenses? Which bodies do they work with?

Mark

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The R3 can be fixed by Leica just like any other Leica R camera

including the SL and the original Leicaflex. Best deal is the SL in my

opinion - real beauty (with a very bright screen) and a bargain but no

hotshoe and the meter less sensitive than the later Rs. ROM-ed

lenses will not fit the SLs without modification. The R3 is also

probably a bargain. The R4 is fine now but if you can afford it I

would go for an R5 which offers TTL flash. In general I suggest if you

want to use zooms go for an R then you should pick an R3 or later as

all later zooms (except some of the very early Angenieux type) will

have the third cam and may not have the second cam required for use on

the SL - this is particularly the case if you pick the later

(manufactured in the last ten years or so) zooms.

If you are going to pay Leica prices for zooms, then you have a very

narrow choice. The current 35-70/4, 80-200/4, 70-180/2.8 and 105-

280/4.2 are the only ones (plus the discontinued 35-70/2.8) that are

Leica-designed lenses. The 28-70 is a Sigma design, identical to one

Sigma made in other mounts and sold at a fraction of the cost. The

older 35-70/3.5 and the 80-200/4.5, 75-200/4.5 and 70-210/4 were

Minolta lenses produced in Leica mounts. This is not to say they

were bad lenses, but unless you already are heavily into Leica R and

want a couple of zooms, you could do just as well buying a Minolta

manual SLR and a couple of older zooms, which altogether would cost

less than the R body alone. So what if parts weren't available, you

didn't spend that much. If you do choose one of the "true" Leica

zooms you will be well-rewarded. In terms of bodies it doesn't

matter that much, as all of the R series will accept those zooms (not

the Leicaflexes) and as of now Leica still repairs them all. The

main thing you should look for is one in very nice shape, because

even though they've got parts for them, the service is very expensive

and in the case of the R3 or R4 probably almost as much as the body

itself. My personal favorite R is the R6, which is a mechanical

body. I own one of these, an R6.2, R7 and R8. The R6 is about 2/3

the price of an R6.2 and works just as well...how many times have you

used 1/2000? The R8 is the most versatile of all, but it is huge by

comparison. The R7 is a fantastic body, but not much less expensive

than an R8. I personally avoid the R3-R5/RE because they lack mirror

lockups and viewfinder diopter adjustments, both of which are

requirements I have of any SLR.

To cam or not to cam:

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<A

HREF="http://members.tripod.co.uk/JemK/Pic-A-Week/cams.htm

"> Cam Link</A>

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Info is there.

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Art

I agree with Jay about the R6, although it is said that the R6 has a

noisier shutter. The most irritating thing about the R6 I had was the

aperture illuminating light being constantly flicked on which drained

the battery very fast and you needed to constantly remember to switch

it off. In the R6.2 the direction of the switch was changed so you do

not accidentally flick it on during use. A small thing I know, but I

found it annoying. Personally, I have never found the mirror lock up

necessary for lenses up to 180mm on either the R6 or R6.2 or the SL,

but I do tend to agree with Jay about the desirability of a diopter

adjust.

My R6, R6.2 and R7 all have the same finder light swith

configuration...switch down=lights on, switch up=lights off. Maybe

they made the change in late R6 bodies rather than waiting for the

6.2. In any case the finder light goes off with the meter display.

The shutter in the R6 is not noisier than the R6.2, in fact at 1/250

the R6 lacks the strange 2-sound clack-buzz of the 6.2. The shutter

is also no less precise than the 6.2's (as some Leica books state),

as I have checked both with a digital tester and they've equal

tolerances...which, BTW, are quite remarkable for a mechanical

shutter. Much more precise than any other I've checked, almost as

consistent as an electronic shutter.

A follow up to Jay's post. I owned an R-E for a brief time. The

R5/R-E does have an eyepiece diopter correction. Jay is correct that

these cameras do not have a mirror lock up function. Ask yourself how

often you would use it. Some people do find it handy. I cannot

recall ever using MLU; it's not a deal-breaker for me. The TTL flash

capability of the R5/R-E is quite poor. TTL flash can only be used at

the sync speed of 1/100. When the flash is set to TTL this speed is

forced by the flash regardless of your selected exposure mode,

including manual. I like slow-speed flash. I would have preferred an

R6/R6.2/R7. Ultimately I just switched SLR brands.

Depends on what your reasons are for buying an older Leica system.

If price is a consideration the leicaflex SL is a true beauty with a bright vieuwfinder and a very robust build. I agree the meter is less accurate then later R models but the built of the camera is better. Also it is alot cheaper then R6.2/6 models and the SL lenses have a supreme built quality (quality of glass and coating)and also are cheap relative to modern lenses.

I would not recommend buying zoom lenses anyway. Just get the old 35/2.8, the 50/2, the 90/2.8 and a 135/2.8 and you could be set for about 1000 US$.

If money is not an argument, get the R6.2 (more silent, lighter and 1/2000 over R6) with a 35/2, the new summilux R 50/1.4, the APO-macro 100/2.8 and the APO elmarit 180/2.8. You might want to look for an older telyt 400/6.8 as well. ROM lenses don't have any use in either R6.2 or other R models, they are there for the future Leica says and there are little essential applications on the R8/9.

The 3cam lenses fit a R6.2/6 as well as the leicaflex SL and the other models (also R8/9) so that if you were to decide to get a second body you are still able to get a cheap leicaflex or R3.

If you want to travel light and you like to take pictures of the world and people surrounding you then consider a M6TTL with a 50 summilux and 35/2 asph.