Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/09/07
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Just unboxed my new Leica R8. I've been reading everyone's view as to the eminent demise of the Leica R system on the LUG pages and I thought someone should wade in on the side of this marvelous camera. I switched from shooting Nikon F5's and F100's in order to use the lenses. It's a lense thing. I've been using R5's and find them to be good camera bodies-----I bought the R5 for several reasons that are quite important to working pros. 1. 250 flash sync. 2. 250 flash sync 3. 250 flash sync and, maybe matrix metering. The camera is big. But then I'm not walking the streets of Paris with it. I'm pointing it at corporate clients. Most of the time it's sitting on a tripod and waiting for the Polaroid test shot to be approved by an art director. The art directors I work with can see the difference in the lenses we use for their projects vis a vis the Nikon optics we used to use. Often the quality of the lenses lets us use 35 instead of medium format. Everyone seems fixated on the cost of the R8 but my first two F5's stripped my wallet of $2700 each when they first came out. It's important to keep in mind that they are just tools and we like to work with the best tools available. I was photographing in a Motorola clean room when an engineer put it all into perspective. I had been bemoaning (braggng) about the high cost of Leica equipment when he interrupted me to let know that the electron microscope I was about to knock over was a cool million bucks. There were several in the room. If memory serves correctly----they were Leicas. An R8 is little more than a day rate at the new rebated price. And that's with Passport. In the grand scheme of things these little jewels are downright bargains. Yes,,,, I really shoot professional jobs with this stuff. Please see my website at www.kirktuck.com thanks, KIrk Tuck Austin, Texas