Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/07/16
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]someone said: Back to the R3 - When the battery is dead, what shutter speeds should the camera be capable of? The collected opinion is that the R3 was unreliable, and astromonical to repair. Hmmm - the first throw-away Leica. ..Vick hmmmm. yourself. So, the Leica R3 that I've been using for almost 20 years and which has only been in the shop once (disconnect of the mirror-shutter mechanism, cost $170 for DAG to fix it and completely service the camera about 8 years ago, a fair price I think) and which meters as accurately as any camera I have ever seen, combined with simplicity of use to the point of being idiot-resistent, is in reality a disgustingly poor piece of equipment, prone to breakdown, impossibly expensive to maintain, and a "throw-away" Leica? How foolish of me not to notice! I'd better go spend $2000 on an R8 immediately! Oh no, there's an auto focus Contax! I find myself irresistably drawn! What shall I do????? Nothing, actually. I'm sure I'll get my comeuppance some day. With a dead battery ithe R3 works at 1/90th mechanical speed, by the way. I believe you have to take the battery out to get this, but could be mistaken. It's so dependable that I repay the compliment by always keeping a spare battery handy. They last about a year under heavy use unless I forget to turn the camera off, it's one weak point in my opinion. charlie trentelman ogden marching to a different drummer utah