Re: [Leica] Oft rumored Motor Drive for R8

[SP <spaniel@pacbell.net>]

I have obtained the July issue of the German publication, Color Foto, which
contains an article regarding the R8 motor drive and a brief interview with
young R-system product manager, Eric Domhardt. It refers to various electronic
problems, an issue which has been discussed before herein, with some alleging
Leica has been problematic with this technological issue in the past, as in the
R8's motor winder. Using language translation software, I first transcribed the
article in WordPerfect 9 as it appears in German then proofread my typing for
accuracy, word by word. I then opened the document in the translation software,
asked it to translate same, and ended up with the following, which shows various
translation failures as well as disjointed sentences, making it somewhat
laborious to read:

The wait has been worthwhile!

The Leica R8 is together with more refined fundamentalness with a manual
film-transportation
Einfädelautomatik as well as the option for motor film-transportation equipped.
This doubled
Interpretation brings advantages for the photographers and disadvantages for
the designers. Advantages for the photographers, because doesn't pay
her/it/them the motor and must drag along, if not she/it him/it
needs, for example aauf trips, disadvantages for the designers, because the
mechanism-interpretation
for the manual film-transportation a particular Obertragungs - and engine
construction necessitates.
The solution the problem grown-up from it has delayed the market-introduction
considerably and
the final product verteurt.

The wait has been worthwhile however, because the Drive is an extremely
successful construction. He/it makes possible a maximum picture-frequency of
4,5 pictures per second and has three film-transportation-functions: CH
, Continuous High, series-picture-circuit with 4,5 Bildern/Sekundes, CL,
Continuous Low,
Series-picture-circuit with 2 Bildern/Sekundes, just as S (single)
Einzelbikldschaltung. That
Film-transportation perfectly works with very quiet business-sounds. Merely
with the
It will rewind somewhat more loudly. Another Highlight is the
Belichtungsreihenautomatik,
with her/it the distances of the flanking exposures alternatively in half
(0/+1/-1 EVS, steps,)
can be inputed. The half steps are for finely layered exposure-rows on
It been suitable Diafilm while the whole steps are meaningful for difficult
light-circumstances with slide-receptions for receptions on color-negative-film
respectively. The Belichtungsreihenautomatik perfectly works and essentially
increases the attractiveness of the Leica R8. Because exactly professionally
working Diafoto Grafen put in this function perne.

Specifically for the Drive, an efficient will develop accumulator as well as an
universal quickly-farewell-appliance, which loads that accumulator in a hour
completely. The special about the charger is the possibility, it everywhere on
the world, all socket-types and tensions, yes, even to drive at the
car-battery. An accumulator is lent to approximately 1000 drawer-cycles. In the
laboratory-simulation with area-temperature became after 150 films (exposure)
before - and Rückspulung, still the half accumulator-capacity measured. The
drawer-condition is declared by a dreistufige ad.

With accumulator-pack, the Drive weighs 680 grams and lies in the hand very
well. That is applied also to the high-format-stand, but with a small
restriction: The high-format-trigger is placed something too far below, with
high-format-stand. He/it leave itself jedh either with the goat-finger or with
him/it
mittleen fingers still well serves. Another trigger is placed for them/her/it
optimally
Cross-format-stand. The design, that forms Drive, is an optical and formal unit
very successful with the camera. He/it will probably cost 1500 marks. The
delivery at the trade should take place in November 1999.

Interview with Enrico Domhardt, product-manager R-System with the Leica Camera
INC. Solms:

CF: Mr. Domhardt, why does the Drive come for the Leica R8 only three years
after the camera on the market? Which development - and construction-problems
have this postponement caused?

Domhardt: We have introduced to the photokina 1996 a model of the engine Drive
R8. This
original concept intended that alternatively eight batteries (Mignonzellen) as
well as accumulators
, Nickelcadmium, to the use comes. The use of Mignon-Zellen became on the part
of the pros
as necessarily looked at, during the development appeared on the basis of the
very different characteristics of alkali-manganese-cells and NiCd-Akkus,
tension and inside-resistance however, that no satisfactory compromise could be
found regarding the mechanism-interpretation, that that
both principal demands filled: 1. Picture-frequency of at least 4 B/ses with
Raumtempertatur; 2.
at least 250 to aufgzyklen with -20 3. As a result entscholß one itself, the
number of the cells,
from 8, to increase on 12.

CF: These problems would have been to be not recognized already previously?

Domhardt: Songs not. The solution with the 12 batteries was also represented
constructively.
The principal demands were certainly filled with it then, but this alternative
was
energy-economically unsatisfactory, since the capacity of the
alkali-manganese-cells on the basis of the high attempt-stream could be taken
advantage of only too approximately 35 percent. The volume and weight of this
solution were another considerable disadvantage.

CF: What is now become planned with the new Drive as original differently?

Domhardt: Parallel to this development, a simulation of the total-system became
at her/it then
University Duisburg enforced. The result of this simulation showed that an
optimal result is attainable only with constructive interpretation for a source
of energy and that a source of energy
attainable is and that an optimization of the drive-motor would be commendable.
Through
technical innovations on the sector of the up again-loadable accumulators
(Nickelmetallhydrid) have
itself the prerequisites also for the pro-use altered. A renewed examination of
the users showed an increasing acceptance of the accumulator-application,
beinflußt through Handy, laptop, etc the consequence
was that then itself Leica in April 1998 for the development of a kompatkten,
efficient drives on accumulator-basis adjudicated. Together with a renowned
manufacturer became one
particular motor with particular (hochkoerzitiven) magnets for the Drive
develops. For this optimization, we have used alone 100 000 marks. Parallel to
it, also a powerful, fast universal-charger, that makes possible an
amply-freight of the accumulators within a hour, was developed.