[Leica] Ten years behind? I think not.

[gregj.lorenzo at shaw.ca (GREG LORENZO)]

Hi Kit,

It is lighter... but not worth making my wallet about $800.00 lighter!

My favorite R lenses are: The 100/2.8 (unless I'm shooting Grandma), 180/2.8, 280/2.8 and 35-70/2.8.

Regards,

Greg

----- Original Message -----
From: Kit McChesney <kitmc@acmefoto.com>
Date: Friday, May 7, 2004 10:32 am
Subject: RE: [Leica] Ten years behind?  I think not.

> Greg--
> 
> Not to make you feel bad, but the R9 is considerably lighter than 
> the 8.
> What is/are your favorite lens/es, by the way?  
> 
> Kit (kitmc@acmefoto.com)
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: lug-bounces+kitmc=acmefoto.com@leica-users.org
> [lug-bounces+kitmc=acmefoto.com@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of GREG
> LORENZO
> Sent: Friday, May 07, 2004 9:12 AM
> To: Leica Users Group
> Subject: Re: [Leica] Ten years behind? I think not.
> 
> Hi Douglas,
> 
> I was hoping that Leica would be updating the R6.2 when they 
> brought out the
> R9 two years ago. They minor changes between the R8 and the R9 
> (weight,lockup, etc.) were just not worth the price differential 
> between the two of
> them.
> 
> The R8 last a number of advantages over the R7 to me: The shape 
> fits my
> hands like a glove, the incredibly bright viewfinder and the meter 
> is the
> best meter in any camera I've ever used. I really like to use the 
> R8 the
> most when in the studio. You can shoot from full Manual mode to 
> Full AE. I
> generally use manual or Aperture Priority with the R8.
> 
> The only downside to me is the weight. It is one heavy camera for 
> a long
> hike in the woods.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Greg
> 
> PS: I found the prices you mention astronomical for CLA's. I use 
> KindermannCanada and Gerry Smith and I have never paid more than 
> $275 (Canadian) for
> an Leica M or R CLA/Repair.
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Douglas M. Sharp" <DouglasMSharp@netscape.net>
> Date: Friday, May 7, 2004 9:47 am
> Subject: Re: [Leica] Ten years behind?  I think not.
> 
> > Greg,
> > I agree with you on the feel of the R8/9, I found that my 
> fingers 
> > just 
> > fall into place to turn twist or press whatever they should,
> > BUT  , after using  Leicas from IIIG through M2, M6 , all the 
> SLs 
> > and 
> > all the Rs except the R4, for ME  it is the ugliest brute of a 
> > camera 
> > I've ever laid eyes on.
> > The SLs looked and felt as like really  serious bits of 
> > engineering, 
> > The R3 was ok and the rest of the Rs were light, compact, quite 
> > ergonomically built and a dream to use whilst retaining  the 
> > combination 
> > of precise workmanship, stability and all the other factors 
> > contributing 
> > to what the Germans call "Wertigkeit"
> > 
> > If you look at the basic shape of the R8 it seems to be a retro-
> > design 
> > harking back to the body shape of the Exaktas, and when you put 
> > the 
> > motor-drive
> > on it's shaped like an army water canteen. (I think the people 
> > from 
> > Leicas binocular design group must have been  in on the design 
> > process 
> > too.)
> > A camera doesn't  NEED to be the size of the R8,  with the 
> > advances in 
> > micromotors and micro-electronics available at the time Leica 
> > could have 
> > reduced its size and weight by a third without any loss of  
> > stability or 
> > function. Contax started going in the right direction with the 
> > 137MD - 
> > compact, motorised and  running
> > on AA batteries, but unfortunately didn't follow up on this 
> design 
> > trend.I was on a tour of the factory in Solms a couple of years 
> > ago, just 
> > after the R8 came out. From what the users had to say about its 
> > bugs 
> > Leica should
> > have waited a bit longer before releasing it :  flash 
> > problems,electronics, scratched films, a weak tripod bush and 
> > various 
> > other teething troubles. To me it was a confession on the part 
> of 
> > the 
> > constructors that the R9 was released,considering a typical 
> Leica 
> > timeframe, such a relatively short time after the R8.
> > 
> > Don't  get me wrong, I love my Leicas and wouldn't do without 
> > them, I 
> > only wish they could have packed the new stuff into an R7 body.
> > 
> > My real complaint about Leica is that for pretty basic 
> repairs,CLA 
> > or 
> > whatever you pay nearly the price of a mid-range SLR of any 
> other 
> > marque 
> > you'd
> > like to name. (example : general service and adjustments plus a 
> > little 
> > bit of electronics on an R4mot electronic would have cost me 
> over 
> > 600 euros,
> > 100 euros more than the price I had intended to pay for it s/h)
> > 
> > Douglas
> > 
> > BTW to those of us out there who took the plunge and bought the 
> R8 
> > or 9 
> > -- what real advantages did you get from it ? how often do you 
> use its
> > extra functions ? do you feel that it's helping you to record 
> > better 
> > images ?
> > 
> > GREG LORENZO schrieb:
> > 
> > >I don't know any R8 users who don't like the feel, layout and 
> > features of the R8. I believe some people on the list who 
> > purchased an early R8 had some electronic gremlins which Leica 
> > seems to have dealt effectively with. (I've never had a single 
> > problem with mine.)
> > >
> > >
> > >  
> > >
> > 
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
> > Leica Users Group.
> > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> > 
> 
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