Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/07/31

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Subject: [Leica] R4 or M?
From: "Jason Hall" <JASON@jbhall.freeserve.co.uk>
Date: Sun, 1 Aug 1999 00:58:19 +0100

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I'm new to the LUG so excuse excuse me for raising old debates.

I have an R4 post 1.6 million (Portuguese) with a 50mm Summicron f2 =
(Canada) which I inherited.  The camera hasn't been regularly used, I =
have had a lapse from photography but intend to become active again.

I like the solid engineered feel of the Leica but some of the features =
just don't impress me on such an expensive piece of kit.  First off the =
black finish on the top plate is beginning to bubble and corrrosion has =
actually broken through around the eyepiece frame, this on an otherwise =
mint body, I expect a replacement top plate would exceed the s/h value =
of the body and in any case I would worry that a repaired camera might =
come back to me with more faults.  I also have an R4 Winder (Austria) =
similarly exhibiting signs of corrosion, although the metal is =
different, white metal alloy instead of the brass of the top plate.  My =
old OM1N through much heavier service has never suffered in this way, =
even though some of the paint has worn off to reveal brass underneath.

With regard to the design of the camera I find the viewfinder difficult =
to use, the shutter speeds would be easier to the left of the frame (I =
use my right eye) and in many lighting situations the meter readings are =
very difficult to read.

The film speed and compensation buttons and dial seem poorly designed =
and not well engineered and the preview lever seems to be almost an =
unsubtle afterthought tacked on (tendency to stick on mine).

The light seals inside the back cover have all perished, but this seems =
to be common on any camera of similar age.  The lens, is perfect in =
every respect, why were Leica unable to manufacture the body to the same =
standard?

I have considered changing to a rangefinder instead of the R, the main =
use of the camera will be travel/trekking/landscape photography, weight =
and size are an issue but I wonder if I would lose too much flexibility. =
 The M's are beautiful looking cameras and feel suberb to handle.  Is it =
generally true that M's do not suffer the same quality problems as R's?  =
They clearly hold higher resale values.

Any views/comments/suggestions gladly received.

Jason Hall
Birmingham, UK







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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I'm new to the LUG so excuse excuse me =
for raising=20
old debates.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I have an R4 post 1.6 million =
(Portuguese) with a=20
50mm Summicron f2 (Canada) which I inherited.&nbsp; The camera hasn't =
been=20
regularly used, I have had a lapse from photography but intend to become =
active=20
again.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I like the solid engineered feel of the =
Leica but=20
some of the features just don't impress me on such an expensive piece of =

kit.&nbsp; First off the black finish on the top plate is beginning to =
bubble=20
and corrrosion has actually broken through around the eyepiece frame, =
this on an=20
otherwise mint body, I expect a replacement top plate would exceed the =
s/h value=20
of the body and in any case I would worry that a repaired camera might =
come back=20
to me with more faults.&nbsp; I also have an R4 Winder (Austria) =
similarly=20
exhibiting signs of corrosion, although the metal is different, white =
metal=20
alloy instead of the brass of the top plate.&nbsp; My old OM1N through =
much=20
heavier service has never suffered in this way, even though some of the =
paint=20
has worn off to reveal brass underneath.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>With regard to the design of the camera =
I find the=20
viewfinder difficult to use, the shutter speeds would be easier to =
the&nbsp;left=20
of the frame (I use my right eye) and in many lighting situations the =
meter=20
readings are very difficult to read.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The film speed and compensation buttons =
and dial=20
seem poorly designed and not well engineered and the preview lever seems =
to be=20
almost an unsubtle afterthought tacked on (tendency to stick on=20
mine).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The light seals inside the back cover =
have all=20
perished, but this seems to be common on any camera of similar =
age.</FONT><FONT=20
face=3DArial size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>&nbsp; The lens, is =
perfect in every=20
respect, why were Leica unable to manufacture the body to the same=20
standard?</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I have considered&nbsp;changing to a =
rangefinder=20
instead of the R, the main use of the camera will be =
travel/trekking/landscape=20
photography, weight and size are an issue but I wonder if I would lose =
too much=20
flexibility.&nbsp; The M's are beautiful looking cameras and feel suberb =
to=20
handle.&nbsp; Is it generally true that M's do not suffer the same =
quality=20
problems as R's?&nbsp; They clearly hold higher resale =
values.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Any views/comments/suggestions gladly=20
received.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Jason Hall</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Birmingham, UK</FONT><FONT face=3DArial =

size=3D2></DIV></FONT>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
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