Leica R8–R9

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About 1990 Leica management decided to break away from the Minolta co-developed cameras and design a completely new replacement in house.

A new team of developers were put on the project and some of their design briefs were:

  • A completely new design with no links to previous models
  • Best possible ease of use especially in manual control
  • Maximise benefits of electronic control

An industrial designer was employed and given the brief to make the camera look less like a conventional SLR and more like the flat topped M cameras.

When the camera was released in 1996 it met a very mixed reception, attracting criticism for its size. The styling was also not universally appreciated, some derisively calling it "The Hunchback of Solms".

R8

Metering

The highly sophisticated metering system allows free choice of metering mode and exposure mode. (By contrast, the earlier R4-R7 series lack multi pattern metering and offer only pre-set combinations of metering and exposure.)

Three metering modes are offered:

  • Integrated centre weighted
  • Selective
  • Multi pattern (Matrix)

and five exposure modes:

  • Manual
  • Aperture priority semi automatic
  • Shutter priority semi automatic
  • Program fully automatic
  • Flash pre exposure measurement

Mounted on the secondary mirror itself is a single cell for selective measurement, and in the camera base is a five-segment cell for integrated measurement with multi-pattern measurement; the use of both giving six measurement areas. Switching of both metering mode and exposure mode is electronic. Flash pre-exposure measurement is provided, allowing the camera's meter to measure manually controlled flash such as studio flash. Pre-flash measurement is always selective and in addition to automatic TTL flash measurement during exposure with suitable automatic flash units which is always full-field using two small light cells either side of the main multi pattern cell. Exposure compensation is available in all exposure modes.

Program mode can be biassed towards longer or shorter shutter speeds by using the shutter speed dial. Also in program mode automatic flash exposure is fully controlled by the camera: off in daylight conditions, fill in flash with low light, full flash when dark. Normal flash synchronisation speed is 1/250s with suitable flash units. (When using many older professional flash units a slower synchronisation speed must be selected.)

Viewfinder

Viewfinder data display was entirely electronic LED visible in any lighting. Data was grouped together below the image view in a single display showing:

  • Metering mode
  • Exposure mode
  • Exposure compensation set
  • Shutter speed
  • Aperture
  • (Manual mode) Exposure segment display from +3 to -3 EV of metered value
  • Flash ready
  • Warning

A view finder shutter was built in as was dioptric correction. The optics were adjusted to allow use while wearing glasses, however this resulted in reduced size of view.

Digital Modul R

The camera was designed to accept a digital back and for this purpose there was a row of additional contacts inside the camera back. The digital module came with its own battery and motor to cock the shutter and was as bulky as the motor drive.

The sensor had 10Mb resolution and a 1.37x multiplication factor, for example turning a 50mm lens into efectively almost 70mm.

Winder & Motor Drive

Fitting either involved removing the moulded grip / battery chamber with both camera & drive being powered from the same supply.

The 2fps winder was quiet and compact; an R8 fitted with winder was almost exactly the same overall size & weight as an R7 fitted with winder & grip.

Lens mount changes

The same bayonet and stepped cam of earlier R cameras is used, but additional electrical contacts called "ROM Contacts" are added to convey lens focal length setting. Any lens fitted with the R stepped cam may be used, but very early lenses fitted only with sloped cams (1 or 2 cam lenses) may damage the ROM contacts and should first be fitted with the stepped cam.

Lens / camera combinations are as follows:

Leicaflex SL/SL2 R3-R7 R8-R9
1 Cam Y S S S!
2 Cam Y Y S S!
3 Cam Y Y Y Y
R Only X X Y Y
ROM X X Y Y+

Y = full metering
Y+ = full metering + focal length data
S = stop down metering
S! = stop down metering, possible damage to camera contacts
X = will not fit

Leica 1 cam, 2 cam, 3 cam, and R stepped cam lenses may be fitted with ROM contacts, but as this entails removal of the original sloped cams they would then be incompatible with the original Leicaflex cameras. This was the first exception to compatibility of Leica reflex lenses.

Notes

After initial excellent reliability, the R8 began suffering regular failures when the winder was finally released. This was eventually traced to substandard contacts and Leica had to recall all cameras for modification.

Another problem was related to the flash speed of 1/250s. This was faster than any previous camera and many existing flash units, especially large professional units, could not be used as, at high power, the flash duration was longer than 1/250s. The instructions were quite clear about the limitation but this did not prevent some "knowledgeable" photographers from blaming the camera for their own mistake. Leica's own SF20 and SF24 of course were suitable, as are more recent Metz units.

R9

The R9 was an update of the R8 and perhaps would have been better named "R8.2". Changes to electronic control, reduced weight, and improved flash control were the main revisions.

References

  1. Leica:Instruction Manual:Leica
  2. Eastland, Jonathan:Leica R8:1998 Hove Press ISBN 1-8978802-09-9