Re: Leicaflex

["Charles E. Love, Jr." <cel14@cornell.edu>]

At 07:48 AM 2/4/97 -0400, you wrote:
>As a recent subscriber, I was glad to see a brief flurry of
>messages regarding Leica R cameras.  At the risk of starting
>a series of responses pointing out my folly, it seems to me
>that one of the least inexpensive ways to experience Leitz
>optics is to get an original Leicaflex with a 50/2 Summicron-R
>lens.  This appeals because the camera was made in Germany,
>and the one-cam lenses are considerably cheaper than the
>later varieties of lenses for the R cameras.  Comments?
>
>Keith Stetson
>
This isn't folly at all.  The 1-cam era Summicron 50 is an earlier design
than the current R one, and to me has a slightly old-fashioned look (sharp,
but with a bit less contrast and saturation than the current one).  But it's
still a fine lens. 

 The original Leicaflex does have some compatibility problems with current
lenses--it can't use some of the Minolta-derived ones like the fisheye, the
24, and the early 80-200 (the rear element would hit the mirror), and can't
mount fatter lenses because of the brow over the lens mount (e.g. the 35 and
80 1.4's).  In addition, the strange and wonderful aerial image viewfinder,
in concept like a rangefinder since you can only focus using the center
area, means the camera cannot be used with lenses longer than 180 mm. if you
hope to avoid scale focusing!  Finally, it won't work with any Leica lenses
labeled "for R only" unless you send them to Leica to have cams 1 and 2
installed.  However, the camera is beautifully made, fun to use, and works
fine with many Leica lenses.  The other 1-cam ones available include the 35
f2.8, 90 f2.8, 135 f2.8, and 180 f2.8, all older designs that have since
been replaced, but all OK performers, and all relatively inexpensive.
There's also a wild 21 that can only be used with the mirror lifter which
sticks way back into the camera body and requires a separate viewfinder.

Have fun!--Charlie
Charles E. Love, Jr.
CEL14@CORNELL.EDU