R6.2 vs. R8

I am an M user but I am interested in the R series. Perhaps foolishly, I asked to look at an R8 when I recently purchased a flash for my M6. Given it's size, I was surprised at how comfortable the R8 was.

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I'm curious about one thing in particular: why do the R8 and R6.2 cost the same? The R8 would seem to be more advanced; is the R6.2 constructed more solidly?

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I don't think the R series will make me abandon my Nikon AF gear (see why I like fast AF at http://www.dingoboy.com) but it's certainly interesting.

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Regards,

Fergus

Fergus, I also shoot mainly with Nikon AF and leica M, but had a

chance to put together a small Leica R7 outfit a while back, which is

similar to the two models you mentioned above. I can understand your

attraction to the cameras. My R7 is built like a tank, has a great

metering system and nice touches like mirror lock up, spot metering

and a much easier to use AE lock than my Nikon. The lenses are also

super solid and yes they are a bit sharper than most of my Nikkors,

especially wide open. The camera is also slower to shoot with, and

harder to manual focus than my Nikon N90S, which has a much more

obvious "in focus/out of focus" image in the finder when trying to

capture the correct focus point. I also still haven't gotten used to

the way the lenses focus to infinity the opposite of the Nikkors, and

I often turn the wrong way at first. I have come to the conclusion

that I really do not need this Leica SLR, as it is a duplication of

my Nikon stuff, where I also have a much more extensive lens

assortment. That said, I enjoy using it whenever I pull it out, and I

love looking at the images that hop off the page with that special

look the Leica glass delivers. I can't get myself to sell it. I hope

I haven't started to become a camera collector!

The R 6.2 is purely mechanical. It can work without batteries, except

for the meter. It's just a guess, but the R 6.2 is probably costlier

to build...

I think the answer is that they have always priced the R6 and the

current auto-R the same price, so they are not go to reduce any

prices just because they introduce a new model (well the R8 is not so

new). The manufacturing cost is only some of the story. Essentially

they probably cost about the same to produce, the R8 probably a bit

more is my guess, but they need to make the same profit on any R

camera they sell since they are essentially selling to the same

market. As it happens for Leica it is just as well as the R6.2 is

outselling the R8.

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They are both really excellent cameras - ergonomic and practical if

you like to be in control. The R8 is the best ergonomically of any

camera that I have used, but it is a little large, so I stick with my

R6.2 which is wonderful. If I had money to burn I might possibly

invest in the R8 too.