[Leica] Admiration for Ted and many others!

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)]

Michael J Herring asked:

>>>Which Leica R bodies do you recommend for someone who is currently
shooting with a 20 year old Contax RTS and the following Zeiss lenses: 25mm 
f2.8
Distagon, 60mm S-Planar Macro and 85mm f1.4 Planar?
I have been thinking about getting the 100mm macro and a wide angle.
Some folks have suggested the older Leicaflex bodies as being more robust.
What's your take on this?<<<

Hello Michael,
>From experience of using nearly all the "SLR models to now 3 motor driven 
R8's" I'd take an R8 or possibly an R9 ahead of all the others.

Now having said that, of course it depends on ones income availability to 
purchase, say a Leicaflex SL or the R8? If money isn't a major problem I'd 
go with the R8 as the metering and viewfinder are excellent. For me, 
superior to the Leicaflex SL MOT even with it's very good viewfinder.

The SL is a pretty damn fine camera, I still have the very first one I 
bought in 1969! :-) And yes it still works. It's built like a Tiger tank and 
the metering always worked fine in the 3 I used with motors.  However, it's 
still an old camera and yes as the stories go... "Leica's last forever." ;-) 
However, my bet would be with the R8 if your income allows for the purchase.

And given what I'm hearing about "film cameras" loosing value you might be 
able to find an R8 for a fairly good price.  Then I'd have the "all matte" 
screen installed or you can buy it from Leica NJ and install it yourself, no 
big deal.  However, if you're like me I don't finger fiddle with the innards 
of a camera and had Leica in Toronto install them in the 3 bodies.

And if you're thinking of using the 100mm macro on the R8 it works like a 
dream because the matte screen is so bright and it allows you to focus 
anywhere on the screen. As far as wide angle lenses? I use the 15mm probably 
more than any other wide. I also use 3 zooms, 21-35, 35-70 & 80-200 and a 
couple of prime wides without any problem what so ever.

>>Some folks have suggested the older Leicaflex bodies as being more robust.
> What's your take on this?<<<

Well to some degree yes they are, as I said, the Leicaflex SL is built like 
a Tiger tank. So it's still an old camera and I think you should ask 
yourself how hard will you use it and or bang it around. Probably more 
important to ask is ..... "How hard has it been banged around?"

Then how hard will you use it and how much will you bang it around? By the 
same token the R8's I use are motor driven tough hard working cameras that 
haven't failed me, they're well made and for my hands have an excellent 
inhand feel.

I suppose my simple answer would be, if you can get your hands on an SL and 
see how you like the feel and the viewfinder, then do the same with an R8 
with the same lenses. Then make your decision.  Mine would still be the R8 
providing the monetary situation wasn't a problem.

I trust this helps.

ted