Re: Leica R4

["Dan Post" <dwpost@email.msn.com>]

Stefan, I don't pretend to know where you are-- I think .se suffix denotes
Sweden, so buying a camera in the US might be out of the question. I bought
an R4 from KEH here in the states in EX+ condition for $484 US, and they
have them now for about $450. My shutter speeds are shown in program mode as
well.  I didn't get a manual, but was told that the program mode makes the
best combination decision of shutter speed and aperture; if you set the
speed dial higher, the camera will exhaust all possible aperture openings
before slowing the shutter speed. Setting the speed lower, the camera gives
you the smallest aperture possible, and slows the shutter until it would be
below the 1/15 speed, then it adjustes the speed... If I am wrong- somebody
stop me! The R4 is pretty straighforward- I figured out the about all I
could one evening sitting in a comfortable chair and trying everything!
The is a website that had manuals and copies of manuals for sale- anywhere
from 5-20 US... I'll track it down and post it to you as soon as i can..
Dan
- -----Original Message-----
From: Johnsson Stefan <stefan.johnsson@km.se>
To: 'Leica User Group' <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Date: Monday, 24 November, 1997 2:39 PM
Subject: Leica R4

>Hello!
>
>My name is Stefan and I am new to this group. Since a while I am a
>member of the Leica User digest group, which I find is a good way of
>getting information about Leica cameras and other things. But I want to
>take more active part in the discussions so therefore I have decided to
>join the Leica User group.
>
>My main camera is a Leica M6 with a couple of lenses, but now I am
>considering to buy a Leica reflex camera, because I would like to take
>macro-pictures (with a Macro-Elmarit-R 1:2.8/60). Since I cannot afford
>a Leica R7 or R8 the next choice for me is the Leica R4 (of course I
>prefer the R5 but it is a little bit more expensive).
>
>I can get a R4 with serial nr 1607xxx for about 750USD, but I am not
>sure it works as it should do. As I understand it the time scale on the
>right side in the viewfinder should only show the times between 1/15th
>and 1/1000th in the Program-selection, but on this camera all the times
>are shown, from 1 sec to 1/1000th sec. Does anyone of you know if there
>are some variations of the R4, so that it could be right that the camera
>should show all the times in the P-selection?
>
>My second question is: Is it possible to find any user manuals for this
>camera? It would be nice to know exactly how it works. I contacted the
>Leica agency here, but they could not help me.
>
>Thanks in advance.
>
>/Stefan
>