john_h_osterholm

Absolutely love the Leicaflex SL and the (older) lenses I have for it, especially the 28/2.8, the 35/2 and the 90/2. Never tried a R4 or later models. I switch between M and Leicaflex depending on my current mood. I don't need the maximum sharpness for the kind of stuff I shoot with film-based cameras, that's why I don't care about resolution-tests anymore.

I recently acquired an SL and I like it all over again. I have had them years ago. This one was sent to Don Goldberg and he went through it. As someone else has posted, used Leitz slr glass is expensive once again. I also bought a nice R4 for not much money - $125 from George Ury. I have found that I can get Tamron Adaptall 2 mounts for the R4 so I can at least use a Tamron lens if needed. Better than nothing and some of what they made was quite good. I bought their 24-48 f3.5 and so far I like it. I bought a good user 50 f2 2 cam for the SL as well as a 3 cam 35-70 Elmar

I have looked at that and you are right it is a decent lens for macro.

I ended up finding a nice R4 to buy from George Ury so I am good now. In retrospect I should have done that in the first place. The SL was mailed to Don Goldberg to repair the meter. Yesterday I found a Leica R adapter in a camera shop in Vancouver BC for $12 so I bought it. Assuming it works I will use my Tamron macro on the R4.

I shipped the body to Don Goldberg, He is well skilled with Leica and he has the parts. I have had him repair things in the past

The contact for the meter in the battery compartment is broken. Have any of you had experience in getting the meter repaired? There is a shop near Portland that might do this but I have not yet spoken to them. In the meantime I will get a Gossen Luna Pro to use.

 

Thanks, John

It will all be alright as I found a nice 35-70 f3.5 Vario Elmar to buy from the retiring George Ury. This is as you probably know is a 1983 Minolta lens made for Leica. The price at $295 was right, I thought. I have purchased from George in the past. I also have the Minolta version on a Minolta XD11 so I can make some comparisons. $200 for the working body and $295 makes a nice budget Leica kit. The Leica R4's & 5's can be bought for reasonable money as well. I just happened to have a bit of nostalgia for the older, more clunky looking SL.Thanks for all the responses. The picture was taken in 2012 with the XD11 and the Rokkor 35-70 macro in Hawaii.

 

I tried and tried to mount this adapter and it did not fit the Leicaflex SL body so I went through EBay and sent it back. Tonight the seller sent me an irate message calling me ignorant and telling me that the camera was either tampered with or that I basically didn't know what I was talking about. I should have done more research first or at least questioned what he assured me of. This adapter was marked L/R which is not supposed to work with any body other than an R system. So I guess you could say that this was my fault, but all I wanted to do was return it and he could then sell it to someone else. No harm done - I thought.

Yes, I do. I only bought this because the seller assured me that it would fit. Now I am sending it back and I hope that he repays me. I also found a Leica Vario Elmar 35-70 f3.5 to buy for a reasonable price so that is what I will do.

Someone on EBay sold me an adapter that he said absolutely worked on his SL but when it arrived and then when my SL just arrived, his adapter did not mount. It is marked L/R. I questioned him on that but he insisted that it would work so now I have a lens that I cannot use and an expensive adapter that I cannot use.

Thank you. I know that there are a couple different mounts out there but they are scarce. As I wrote, I hope to buy a Leica lens or two. The funny thing is that before the digital adapter for Leica digital cameras, these Leica SLR lenses had a much lower value. Not so anymore. The digital cameras I own will still be my primary camera option. I gave up my M4-2 and M2 because of their weight and the fact that my arthritic fingers made reloading film all day to be difficult.

Blasphemy I know, but I am reentering the Leica film cameras with a nice Leicaflex SL and a Tamron 35-70 f3.5 BBAR macro lens - for now. This is obviously a budget kit. I found a used Tamron Adaptal -2 mount which is marked L/R which the seller says worked on his SL. Is this supposed to couple to the meter? The body arrives on Monday. I have owned Leica 35's many years ago and have used Lumix cameras with Leica and near Leica lenses since 2004. I regretfully had to sell my M4 and M2R some years ago as well as later Leica cameras.

 

Have any of you used Tamron lenses with a Leicaflex SL? I intend to get Leica lenses when I am able to.

Thanks for reading - John

reenactor/resident<div></div>

Taken at Jamestown, October, 2004<div></div>

Victoria with an M2, 50mm Dual Range and Fuji Astia.<div></div>

I forgot to ask in my Contax post if any of you were planning to

attend the LHSA meet this month in Williamsburg. I have been away

from this forum for a while. My wife and I are traveling from Oregon

to be there.

I didn't know what else to call this photo. I just liked it. Sorry

Victoria BC harbor<div></div>

Victoria BC, April, 2004<div></div>

Arizona<div></div>

You too, Brad

Mark, I missed you in Victoria - I have film coming from that. Grant, once again you show fine work.

Winter in Albany, Oregon<div></div>

The price I paid for a complete cleaning and overhaul was $75 plus shipping. She also replaced the little red dot that was missing.

I received my Dual Range Summicron from Sherry Krauter today and it

looks great. A complete overhaul was done. Now, on to Victoria BC in

April for the Leica shoot!

My wife and I will celebrate her birthday by going to Victoria and the LHSA event. We always wanted to stay at the Victoria, anyway!

I hope to meet all of you!!

John