Leica R8

Alan Edward Klein · Sep 27, 2019

Someone in my neighborhood has a Leica R8 with ELMARIT - R 1:2.8 28mm E55 and a LEICA APO - MACRO - ELMARIT - R 1: 2.8 /100 E60. Still in original boxes. What do you think about the camera and lenses? What do you think I should offer?

Bearman · Sep 27, 2019

$2,000

Alan Edward Klein · Sep 27, 2019

How does it compare with a Nikon for image quality and operations?

Bearman · Sep 27, 2019

Have always admired the R8 and their unique design & build quality...and they are cheap now. See if you can borrow it for a roll to test drive, because it's not for everyone...it's heavy and slower than modern SLRs of course (no AF).
The 100mm macro is the sweet one. State-of-the-art MF glass.

Alan Edward Klein · Sep 27, 2019

He says he never used it and now he's retired. Still in the box. Maybe I can get it and resell it. What should I offer for the macro lens that's worth then reselling?

Bearman · Sep 27, 2019

Search ebay > show only sold versions. Recent sales of the 100mm I see are between $1,100 and 1,250.
I'm no expert - can't really tell you what to do, but don't expect to make a big profit. Try not to overpay and sell what you don't want with goal of breaking even.

Alan Edward Klein · Sep 28, 2019

ic-racer · Sep 28, 2019

Alan Edward Klein said:
Someone in my neighborhood has a Leica R8 with ELMARIT - R 1:2.8 28mm E55 and a LEICA APO - MACRO - ELMARIT - R 1: 2.8 /100 E60. Still in original boxes. What do you think about the camera and lenses? What do you think I should offer?

Not interested without seeing it. Can you go look at it and let us know how you like it?

guangong · Sep 28, 2019

With the R8 Leica modified Minox ‘s slogan “Small camera, big picture” to read “Big camera, small negative”.
Check to see if you can sell it. Leica had scores of unsold R8s on shelves, as did dealers. As for lenses, Leica lenses always top notch.

film_man · Sep 29, 2019

R8 is great. It has the brightest viewfinder I've used, does 1/8000, it sits great in the hand and the lenses are top notch. The shutter is really smooth. There are a couple of annoyances (shutter advance is not ratcheted and the AE lock is idiotic) but beyond that can't fault it. Not shot with those lenses but I owned the 35/2, 50/2 and 90/2 and they were all superb.

If it has never been used make sure everything works. the buttons and dials and take a roll of film to waste, put it through and rewind, check that nothings has seized after sitting in a box forever.

Bikerider · Sep 29, 2019

The Leica R8 reflex should have actually been named the R8 Uglyflex. It may work as well as or better than the R7 and all the preceding Leitz reflexes, but it really is a hideously looking piece of equipment. I for one would not even consider buying one. They would not even make an attractive door stop or paperweight.

This may be one of the reasons why they did not sell as well as others and may affect any resale price now even if it is completely unused.

jjphoto · Sep 29, 2019

The R8 is a great body, superb viewfinder and metering. I've just parted with one recently as i can't see myself using film any more. The 28 E55 is one of the most desirable lenses in the leica r stable as is the 100 macro. Check SOLD, not asking prices on ebay but both of those lenses are very expensive.

RalphLambrecht · Sep 29, 2019

Alan Edward Klein said:
How does it compare with a Nikon for image quality and operations?

image quality should be as good or better but it's made for larger hands than the Nikon.

Alan Edward Klein · Sep 29, 2019

The guy just told me he changed his mind after he held the camera in his hands for the first time in years. He said he just couldn't let it go. Maybe I got his interest up on shooting film again. I also think I broke his heartr when I told him what it's worth today.

mann61 · Sep 29, 2019

The R8 is the most user friendly and beautiful camera ever made. I have 6 of them as well as Leicaflex 1, SL and SL 2 ( in my opinion the best flex). I also have various R4- R7 cameras. The old Rs and the leicaflex cameras roll the film on with the emulsion the wrong way to load on to the developing spiral. The R 8 is modern and is easy to load on to the spiral.
Buy it! Is a work of art!
DM

film_man · Sep 30, 2019

Bikerider said:
The Leica R8 reflex should have actually been named the R8 Uglyflex. It may work as well as or better than the R7 and all the preceding Leitz reflexes, but it really is a hideously looking piece of equipment. I for one would not even consider buying one. They would not even make an attractive door stop or paperweight.

This may be one of the reasons why they did not sell as well as others and may affect any resale price now even if it is completely unused.

I strongly disagree! I think the black bodies are some of the prettiest cameras ever made and they sit in the hand better than any other camera I've handled.

guangong · Sep 30, 2019

And to it goes. There is a minority who love the R8. Nonetheless, for Leica it was not a commercial success with unsold cameras sitting on dealers’ shelves and Leica storage facilities. To each his own.

Bikerider · Sep 30, 2019

film_man said:
I strongly disagree! I think the black bodies are some of the prettiest cameras ever made and they sit in the hand better than any other camera I've handled.

No matter how it handles or sits in the hand or even what colour it may be - it is still ugly verging on abuse of the term!

GarageBoy · Sep 30, 2019

I really wish Leica went ahead an did a Nikon f6 kinda camera or improved on the r6.2 - to me, the r8/r9 is in that no man's land in between. Sure, it has a nice finder, and displays, but no way it needed to be that size when there was no built in motor drive or af. On top of that, why did it need two cr2 batteries (that didn't last that long either)?

miha · Sep 30, 2019

One has to actually use the camera to understand the ergonomics. The rest is all theory. As is the claim that the batteries don't last long.

film_man · Sep 30, 2019

guangong said:
And to it goes. There is a minority who love the R8. Nonetheless, for Leica it was not a commercial success with unsold cameras sitting on dealers’ shelves and Leica storage facilities. To each his own.

The R series went the same way every other manual focus SLR went. If I'm not mistaken (I probably am) the only manual focus SLR introduced after the R8 was the FM3a and that was more of a collector's thing than an actual model they needed to make. Bit like the F6. Progess I suppose!

locutus · Sep 30, 2019

The R8/9 is a love it or hate it beast and better seen as its now then when it was released....

As for the 28mm and 100mm, i have both and those things are seriously good.

The 100mm holds up perfectly fine sharpness wise at 96Megapixels its amazing for a optic that old, although its not as APO as Leica claims...

Downside, no 1:1 without the optional front group

Huss · Oct 3, 2019

I have a bunch of SLRs including Nikon F6, F3ltd, F3p, F2As, Minolta XK, Leica R7, RE etc etc
And my Leica R8 and R9 are by far the best. I thought they were huge too until I held them. I have medium sized hands and the camera is ergonomically perfect. As is the minimal and yet perfectly thought out controls.
So simple and clever to use, makes the menus, meter options, menu diving on stuff like my F6 just seem stupid. The only advantage my F6 has is AF. If you want AF, then yeah the Leica SLRs are not for you.
But if you want the high water mark in 35mm manual focus camera design, the R8/9 r it..

GarageBoy · Oct 9, 2019

I'm glad you guys enjoy yours - I had an R8 and sold it (also - left a set of new batteries in it for about 8 months and they were dead) - I love the lenses, and may buy a R9- but it's more of a necessary evil thing than a camera I love

Alan Edward Klein · Oct 9, 2019

GarageBoy said:
I'm glad you guys enjoy yours - I had an R8 and sold it (also - left a set of new batteries in it for about 8 months and they were dead) - I love the lenses, and may buy a R9- but it's more of a necessary evil thing than a camera I love

What do you mean a "necessary evil"?

Leica R8

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency