Leicaflex SL2

<p>Yes, another one! I have been at home with an inflamed tendon for the last week so I have used the time to do some scanning and posting...hop I'm not outliving my welcome!<br>

Leica reflex cameras have been coming and going out of my life for a lot of years. The one I actually owned was a R3, a camera that served me well until I traded it on a R4 and that was a mistake. Not that the R4 wasn't nice, the R4,5,6 and 7 cameras are just fabulous to use, but the early R4's suffered from terminal electronic problems, and my R4 was one.<br>

Decided to try the earlier cameras and started with an SL, a camera that I still have and I love. The SL2 is a slight improvement with more sensitive metering etc. The SL2 has garnered a lot of collector interest, being the last of the all-mechanical Leicas, until the R6 anyway.<br>

I still use both cameras on a regular basis, and of course the lenses are a very big part of the attraction. While the cameras, particularly the Sl, can be obtained for a reasonable cost, the lenses are still expensive, but not Leica rangefinder ridiculous fortunately.<br>

I have the standard 50mm Summicron, 90mm Elmarit, 135mm Elmarit, 180mm Elmar, 35mm Elmarit and a 250mm Telyt. One day I will add the superb 28mm Elmarit. For those not familiar with Leica nomenclature, the names tell you the maximum aperture ie, Summicron is F2, Elmarit 2.8, Summilux 1.4, anything slower than 2.8 is an Elmar.<br>

I had the Leica with me when I was using the 500ELM, but have included some older pics as well. First the camera.</p><div></div>

<p>Another one.</p><div></div>

<p>Now for some photos.</p><div></div>

<p>2.</p><div></div>

<p>3.</p><div></div>

<p>4.</p><div></div>

<p>5.</p><div></div>

<p>6.</p><div></div>

<p>7.</p><div></div>

<p>8.</p><div></div>

<p>9.</p><div></div>

<p>10.</p><div></div>

<p>That's all. Mixture of film here, mostly Pan F+ outside, inside shots with Tri-X, developed in Pyrocat HD and scanned on an Epsom V750.</p>

<p>Very pretty camera Tony and nice set of glass too. I'd love to pick up an SL2 like that, but I'll probably have to stick to my chrome SL like you have pictured. I have the 28mm Elmarit, 35mm f2.8 Elmarit, 50mm f2 Summicron, 90mm f2.8 Elmarit, 180mm f2.8 Elmarit and the 400mm f6.8. All 2-cam except the 400mm. I don't use the SL much anymore since for film I like a bigger negative than 35mm. I do use all the lenses, but I cheat and put them on my Canon 5D. They are excellent lenses on film, but equally as good on that nasty digital camera as well. If I had an SL2 that looked like yours I'd be afraid to take it outside. When you hold a Leicaflex in your paws you know you've got a real camera. JohnW</p>

<p>I had one for years, and it was a favorite, easy to use, bright viewfinder. It was definitely a tank and it always drew attention wherever I went. However, in the great camera cutback, it and its lenses fetched very good prices when I needed the money, and my remaining gear performs (almost) as well....but not quite the precise feel of the Leica gear. Yours is much prettier than mine, and your shots demonstrate the excellent quality of the glass. Enjoy it and use it lots...those things need lots of exercise!</p>

<p>Yet further proof that it is the photographer, not the camera, that makes the difference!<br>

;)</p>

<p>Lovely images. I couldn't pick out one for special praise.</p>

 

<p>Years ago I had a black SL w/ an R 50 Summicron, much like your SL2. One of the best viewfinders in photography, and the metering was perfect. But it was huge! Medium format huge. Sold it, and from then on used the wonderful Leica R glass on Nikon bodies in stop down metering mode. The R4/5/7 were not my cup of tea either. I don't think Leica ever really understood the SLR market. The R system seemed like it was a side line to them, and it was the first system to be orphaned. Unfortunate, as Leica R glass is as good as it gets in 35mm photography. My favorite is the original Leicaflex. Built like a Swiss watch, but again, just too big and heavy for 35mm.</p>

<p>Great stuff again, <strong>Tony</strong>, with enough peeling paint, derelict vehicles and old doors to keep you-know-who happy... Beautiful kit, both collectible and very usable, as your fine images demonstrate. Is there quite some barrel distortion with the 90mm, or is it just the door? The 250mm pic along the beach is a classic. Interesting that a sore foot has produced this flurry of creativity, even if it wasn't quite what you'd been intendon...</p>

<p>Tony, all nice photographs, but honestly, except for the L Monochrome, and the format of pic, they all look similar to me. Meaning that you know how to use your gear and I can't really distinguish one camera's pictures from another. </p>

<p>There's something about the "Old Trucks" shot that draws me in.</p>

<p>Great results. I've never gotten into the Leica R series, but that SL2 is hard to resist. Thanks for posting.</p>

<p>Great shots. I too have never been into the R series, but do appreciate their charms.</p>

<p>I'm with Rob on the old trucks. You have made quite a few posts on your cameras lately, keep<br>

them comming. Hope the tendon heals soon.</p>

<p>PS. The fisherman was pretty good too.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>There's something about the "Old Trucks" shot that draws me in.</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>I am drawn in to Old Trucks with peeling paint. Just kidding Tony. Another wonderful post. I think the guitar pictures are great.</p>

<p>Some nice photography, Tony. Thanks for this post. I recently got a Leicaflex SL myself with a pile of R lenses. Of special interest is an Angenieux zoom lens. Your good post served a reminder to me to get going to try this gear out. </p><div></div>