Has Leica abandoned R system owners?

[jeff_bridges3]

I am a very lucky guy. I learned to shoot on a Leica R4 — but then digital came along and, well, eventually I got

tired of waiting for Leica to make something like the Canon 5D and went ahead and bought a 5D.

 

Now that Leica's announced this new S-system, I feel completely abandoned. I've held on to my fabulous R glass,

though I assume it has depreciated with every year Leica's failed to introduce a fully digital R system camera.

How did M get digital before R? And then they create this whole new system with a whole new series of lenses?

Really? They couldn't find a way to put that sensor into an R body and make some autofocus R lenses?

 

Am I the only one who feels this way? Considering the plethora of posts from folks putting their R glass on

Cannon bodies I'd have to assume I'm not.

 

Anyone out there have any idea why Leica decided to create a whole new system instead of throwing a bone to us R

system stalwarts? Any idea when we'll get our own fully digital body?

[stuart_richardson]

2010. Leica has been adamant about the fact that they are not abandoning the R line and that there will be an R10, largely

based on the technology developed for the S2.

[stuart_richardson]

Also, R did get a digital before the M -- they got the digital modul R, which is a really great image maker at lower ISO's (400

and below)

[kens]

I think the plan is to take the S2 technology & experience, and scale it down into a full-frame sensor R10. That will take some time though. I'm thinking maybe a year from now.

[doug herr]

Dr. Kaufmann (owner/CEO) and Ms. Harbert (Leica's reflex product manager) have both indicated that the R10 with

AF is being moved to the 'front burner'. Leica has registered the R10 and R11 trademark names with German

authorities. If the S2 is any indication of Leica's thinking regarding the R system I'm very excited about the R10

(except for the price!) and Dr. Kaufmann and Ms. Harbert have both indicated the S2's technology and concepts will

be used to varying degrees in the R and M systems.

<P>

Among the S2 features I'd like to see in the R10 are the big viewfinder, weather sealing and upgradeable sensor. I

suspect Leica's Maestro image processor used in the S2 is designed to be used with a variety of sensors and

camera systems, otherwise they'd lose the economies of scale that would make this custom chip economically

viable. I also would not be surprised if the AF R lenses are weather sealed like the S lenses, and have no aperture

ring. Ms. Harbert has said that existing R lenses will also work on the R10.

[doug herr]

P.S. the R10 will have a 24mm x 36mm sensor.

[paul_neuthaler]

Oh. hum. I'll stick with my Leicaflexes, Threadmounts & M2. I never liked the R cameras.

[aplumpton]

The S2 is like coming back after three games down in the World Series or the Stanley Cup. That thinking will hopefully

come down to the smaller R and M models (although the M8 is no slouch).

[gaijin]

>>Jeff Bridges , Oct 21, 2008; 06:08 p.m.<<

>>Am I the only one who feels this way?<<

 

Yes, I think you are.

[joseph_wisniewski]

Are you not shooting that R glass on your 5D with an R to EOS adapter? And you can even get a split image viewfinder for the 5D from Katz Eye.

 

As far as why the M got digital first (although Modul-R was technically first, it was too bad an idea to take seriously), that's simple. M is Leica camera's bread and butter. R has been nothing more than a curiosity for many years.

[graeme_hodges]

Jeff,

 

We R users are, if nothing else, a patient bunch...and just a little more patience should see us across the line :)

I refer you to the last paragraph of the below article:

 

http://www.imx.nl/photo/Analysis/page119/page119.html

 

Graeme.

[Robin Smith]

Well, I am glad that MF R lenses will work on any new R10, as I am positive that I will not be able to afford to buy a whole new set of AF R lenses. One of the good things about the R system for me has been that it has always been cheaper than the M system as the s/h value showed none of the collecting and mystique characteristics of the M, hence buying a great s/h R system was a "cheap" way to get Leica quality.

[michel_hardy_vallee1]

"I feel completely abandoned. I've held on to my fabulous R glass, though I assume it has depreciated with every year

Leica's failed to introduce a fully digital R system camera"

 

You are bummed out because your lenses are worth less money now than when you bought them? How about using them

instead of wondering how much they cost?

[dr._karl_hoppe]

I just got back from attending the PhotoPlus Expo in NYC at the Javits Center. Not anything "R" sighted at the

Leica booth. There was the usual display cases of M glass, M7 and M8 bodies, some binoculars. They did have the

S2 there to fondle. It was a working model and attendees were allowed to snap away. A closed display case had

some S2 lenses lined up, but I'm not sure if they were prototypes or dummies.

 

I asked one of the guys behind the display cases if there's anything of note on the R system. He just said that

"it's being re-evaluated," but wouldn't elaborate further.

 

My guess is that anything new in the way of an R model will be an offshoot of the S2. Just my guess.

 

BTW, there were no crowds at the Leica booth, just a handful of attendees milling around. Nothing two and three

deep like in past years. There was a reporter interviewing a German woman on the S2 and taking pictures of her

holding it to eye level. I didn't see who he worked for, but I think the lady he was interviewing is the product

manager for the S2 line.

[harvey_edelstein1]

I'd say get the 5dII for $2400 I hear there is a $300 rebate and use your R lenses on it with your R4 as its second body until you see in 3 years if Leica is still alive. Anyway, until then you have a FF 21mp camera to mount your glass and take lots of night and landscape photos. Does that cheer you up?

[guenther_fuernsteiner3]

'You are bummed out because your lenses are worth less money now than when you bought them? How about using them instead of wondering how much they cost?'

 

If bought a Leica 19mm lens for the R System a couple a years ago, you probably paid US $ 2300-2900. As of today the same lens will cost you about US $ 4300.--.

 

Guenther

[harvey_edelstein1]

I'd suppose you already use your R glass on the 5D at full frame manual shooting. If you had the digital R module it would be at a crop factor, probably the new one would also be a cropped body so your already ahead of the game. Since the R cameras have no AF you so far gave up nothing using EOS adapter.

 

Leica seems to make strange decisions like comming up with a digital first for the R than for the much more popular M camera.

[kens]

Not all that strange considering 1) the RF is more popular within the Leica brand, but overall the SLR is more popular in the

industry, and 2) the technical difficulties that had to be overcome to deal with very wide angle RF lens proximity to the

sensor and consequent acute angle of the light path at the edges. I would guess the R was easier to engineer for and they

had to get something on the market, if for no other reason than to gain digital experience.

[jeff_bridges3]

Thanks for all the answers, folks. Some helpful, some not so much. I think I'll get an EOS adapter for my Canon

5D and fumble my way along. Otherwise, anyone know a good place online to sell quality Leica R lenses?