[Leica] R8 Critique

["David E. Strang" <dstrang@up.net>]

I've seen many an attack on the Leica R8, but I have seldom seen an attack
on the R8 by someone
who has actually owned one!

The past twenty years has seen me own most of the Canon systems
(F-1/F-1n/A-1/AT-1/EOS-1) and I have extensive
experience with the Nikon systems (F/F2/F3/F4). Last January(99) I bought
into a Leica R8. The motor wasn't
available so I opted for the winder. It's taken a major investment into
Leica optics (19mm/35mm/50mm/80mm/180mm/280mm)
and I just picked up the R8 motor last month. The Leica R5 and R7 serve as
backup bodies.

About ten years ago I bought into the canon EOS-1 and felt it was the best
auto-everything camera with the best ergonomics
going. Canon thought so as well because the 1n is physically identical and
the 1V is very similar in form and function. The
problem was, I still used manual focus for most of my work. Now, Canon EOS
owns the auto-focus market, but I found it
didn't really work as well as manually focusing. I always have better
results without the auto-focus. The other photographers
at my paper shoot auto-focus Nikons, and there stuff is dependent on using
the camera in a manner that allows the auto-focus
to work (poorly). That's not photography. The camera is only a tool, not the
master!

I originally fell in love with the R8's styling. When I first held it in my
hands, I knew it was something special. The winder gave it
an even better feel and the new motor makes the feel superb. The R8 was
designed to compliment the tremendous Leica R lens
system. I don't know if I can ever go back to Japanese systems, though I
have been looking harder at the EOS-1V to compliment
my investment in EOS lens.

Friday night saw me shoot a college hockey game with the R8 and it worked
very well. As an experiment, I shot my Canon and R8
systems between two basketball games and a second hockey game. The Canon
stuff was okay, but the Leica negatives just had
a longer tonal range, especially in the midtones. They just shone! Even the
people doing prepress for the paper say the Leica pictures
are easier to scan and prepare for the press.

Today, I took the R8 with motor and photographed some of the shore ice on
Lake Superior. It was probably 20F with 10-20 mph
winds. I was out for probably two hours in the wind and cold and even got
wet (a little bit). The R8 was marvelous. It fits my hand
(with gloves) perfectly. It actually becomes an extension of my thoughts.
There is no fumbling over switches, changing auto-modes,
fighting the focus system; just pure thought and execution. Yes, it is a
heavy camera, but so are my motorized Canons.

Now, there are problems with the R8. My R8 will have to visit New Jersey
again. I still get garbage on the rear LCD (occasionally)
after loading film and the auto-load fails more than it should. I'll send it
in and have it fixed again. It's frustrating, but not near reason
enough to go back to all Canon. In fact, even though I really like the R7 in
its backup roll, I hope to pick up another R8 body to
keep the now lonely winder company.

I own an R8, I use and R8,I  like my R8.

It is not an EOS, it is not an F5.

It has a niche, it fills that niche extremely well. The R8 is a manual focus
camera which compliments the superb Leica lens system and
provides manual and auto exposure modes without the complexity of the
auto-everything camera. The ergonomics are second to none.

Imagine what would happen to Leica if the R8 (R9) introduced a new
auto-focus lens line which employed a new mount (what Canon did
to the FD lens with the EOS). I personally appreciate the thought and
decisiveness that went into the R8 system.

Regards,
Dave Strang
dstrang@up.net