Leica R mirror lockup question

I use my R6.2 primarily for macro photography and found the mirror

lockup for the R6.2, although useable, but very awkward. For example,

one needs a pointer to push the mirror lockup mechanism, and the

mirror returns on every shot. Can some tell me if the R8 and R9

without the motor drive works the same in mirror lockup function ?

In the R8 the mirror lockup works independentely from motors, winders etc.

The R8 mirror lockup is activated with a switch on the front of the camera. The sequence then requires two pushes of the shutter release, first to raise the mirror and second to take the picture. This is repeated for each picture. It works very well.

henry: I use the lock-up frequently for tele and macro work and

usually press once and then wait about 5-10 seconds to allow

any pootential mirror-indueced vibration to resolve before

pressing the second time. This is great for

architectural/landscape telephotography and macro but

obviously not a good idea for candids/people shots...

Neither the R6/6.2/7 or R8/9 has a true mirror lockup, only a pre-release so the mirror comes down after every shot. If you want a real mirror lockup in a Leica SLR you'll have to get an original Leicaflex 1. Or get any Nikon F-series or a Nikkormat. I certainly wouldn't buy a R8/9 just for the different (but not better)mirror prerelease mechanism. Get a short (2-3")cable release for the R6.2's mirror socket.

The lack of a true MLU on the R6.2 is one of the reasons I had a Nikon F2 body modified so it could mount R lenses. MLU problems solved! Compose, focus, lock the mirror up and then shoot as many shots as you want without having to think about it anymore. BTW, I have an entry on R6-7 MLU in the Leica FAQ I maintain:<P>

 

<A HREF="http://nemeng.com/leica/009c.shtml">http://nemeng.com/leica/009c.shtml</A>

Henry, following the Leica's R6.2 instruction book, it says one is supposed to use a 'lockable' cable release to pre-release the mirror... try that instead of a toothpick or something.

Contrary to Jay's post, I think the R8/9 does have a true lockup, and you don't need to release before each exposure. I could be wrong.

 

I use my R6.2 with the little pin supplied by Leica. It is great. If you really need to bracket without re-releasing each time, I think that the lockable cable release will work.

 

-ramy

Ramy, I'm afraid you might be wrong. In the <a href="http://www.leica-camera.com/produkte/rsystem/r8/tecdat/index_e.html">R8 technical data</a> the engineers just mention:<br><i>Mirror lock-up (after preselection via shutter release)</i><p>The <a href="http://www.leica-camera.com/produkte/rsystem/r9/tecdat/index_e.html">R9 technical data</a> go further into detail:<br><i>Pre-Release: By means of a separate switch, the shutter release button can be used to raise the mirror and to set the spring-back iris diaphragm of the attached lens to the working aperture without making releasing the shutter ; the shutter is released when the release button is pressed a second time.</i><p>The original German text is more clear and says essentially the same, so it's no translation error.

Henry, I agree that the lock up on the R6.2 is a goofy set up, but I have been using a very short cable release (4") for a couple of years now and it works well.

Jay: What is the difference between pre-release adn lock-up?

They both result in essentially the same thing- a darkened

viewfinder while you are deciding when to shoot. It is just

semantics.

If you do a lot of work requiring MLU, a cheaper alternative may be the adapter sold now on ebay out of Macao that allows Leica R's on a Canon F-1 or FTb, or even old FT-QL. The adapter is $90 and, for my use, landscapes with a 28 Elmarit, it works just fine. We're talking stopped down metering here, gang.

Ort, try cameraquest.com for a Leica R to Canon EOS adapter. I don't know which EOS' have MLU, but I hear some do.

Rammy S wrote:<P>

<I>If you really need to bracket without re-releasing each time, I think that the lockable cable release will work.</I><P>

 

I'm sorry, but this is incorrect. I just tried this on my R6.2 and I can assure you that it does <U>not</U> work. If you lock down the cable release used to trip the mirror, then you cannot fire the shutter until the pre-release cable is unlocked again.<P>

 

I tried it a number of different ways and it didn't work on all of them. So - as we all suspected - the R6.2 only has a mirror pre-release feature, which you have to do every time you want to take a mirror-up photo. There is <U>no</U> flip-the-lever permanent mirror lock-up on the R6.2 which keeps the mirror up for X consectutive shots.

How sad. I thought that was a cute trick.I could have sworn I saw an R8 do real lock-up. Maybe I was wrong about that too. What a pain.

 

-Ramy

You can buy a small screw in button for the R6.2 from Leica. I got one second hand and it works very well. If you do a lot of mirror lockup it is worth it.

Contrary to Jay's post, I think the R8/9 does have a true lockup, and you don't need to release before each exposure. I could be wrong.

 

-ramy

 

Nope, you're right. I was wondering myself, since on my first roll through an R8, the shake seemed similar with or without lock-up. But having finished the roll, I took the lens off and confirmed that the mirror does indeed flip up for the MLU function. Seems the shake with MLU is just the mirror going back to its normal position after the shutter has opened and closed.