Leica R6.2 noiselevel & vibrations

I'm looking for a fairly lightweight 35 mm camera

(I already have a 6x6) with matching good optics.

I will use it mainly as my travelling camera,

without backup (not for a living). Lens range

will be 24-100, two to three lenses. I have

handled a Leicaflex, which is a beatiful camera,

very high quality feel, great viewfinder, but

heavy, heavy (could as well carry my 6x6). The

R6.2 weights 625 gram only. Now, how are the

mirror and shutter vibrations on this camera for

handheld use? And what about the noise, which

will to some extent affect sharpness as well,

since a sharp, loud uncomfortable sound can

make a person (me) shake the camera unvoluntarily.

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Are there any other things about this camera that

would make it good/bad as a travel camera?

I have one and find it superb. I upgraded it from the original R6

which is also very good. The camera is pretty quiet and the shutter

release/meter activation arrangement is very convenient (M6 users

will know what I mean). I take a lot of shots on the Leica table

tripod and find there is no problem with mirror vibrations from 21mm

- 90mm, although at 180mm the table tripod is barely man enough for

the job (but it helps). Of course you can lock the mirror up anyway.

The viewfinder is really bright - I know of no camera with a brighter

viewfinder (R8 perhaps?) although the SL and SL2 were superb in this

regard too. You can use the whole screen to focus most of time. I use

the central microprism spot screen (as in SL) which I find much

superior to the standard split image/microprism.

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The camera is nice and small and light and I have had only one

problem when a cleaning brush hair got into the mirror mechanism and

jammed it. Otherwise it is very reliable and is good in the hand. It

is pretty small and in fact I might argue that the R8 is actually

better to hold - but equally it is much larger and weighs much more.

The metering system is simple and VERY sensitive which is very nice.

The aperture/viewfinder illuminator I never use.

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I cannot praise the Leica R lenses too highly by the way although I

have no experience of the zooms. The bad news about the R-system is

that many of the lenses are hyper expensive (often more than the M

equivalents). The good news is that secondhand they can be much

cheaper than the M equivalents. I have a black one, but aesthetically

would prefer a chrome one next time.

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It is not as quiet as an M - but I have no problem with the noise

and, I know it is heresy for most Leica users, I think that reflex

viewing cannot be beat! I prefer the larger size and therefore ease

of handling of the R lenses compared to the often tiny and fiddly M-

lenses.

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If you like an all manual camera I recommend it as the best there is

available (although I have not tried the Contax S2 - is this still

around anyway?).