Leicaflex

miha · Jul 2, 2015

flavio81 said:
I've wanted to own a Leicaflex SL for years but when I got the Canon New F-1, i never looked back. A friend of mine -camera collector- owns several Leicaflexes. They feel really great in the hand and are extremely well made. But i dare to say that the viewfinder on the Canon F-1N ("New F-1") is brighter. It is the best viewfinder i've found on a SLR. Plus the shutter and mirror shock is really, really smooth, as smooth as it gets, I dare to say. You can also have extremely precise spot metering on the F1, by the way.

It's not necesarely the brightness that made the viefinder stand out, it's the magnification (0.9 - same as M3), chrispness and the pop effect when the image is sharp. Easy to shoot with a f/6,8 telyt. Bare in mind that the viewfinders are half a century old now and that many didn't age well; desilvering and brown spots are common.

Hatchetman · Jul 2, 2015

I have the original Leicaflex version. Weighs a ton. Goes KACHUNG when you trip the shutter. Very pleasing sound. Crude meter, but works well enough.

flavio81 · Jul 2, 2015

miha said:
It's not necesarely the brightness that made the viefinder stand out, it's the magnification (0.9 - same as M3), chrispness and the pop effect when the image is sharp. Easy to shoot with a f/6,8 telyt. Bare in mind that the viewfinders are half a century old now and that many didn't age well; desilvering and brown spots are common.

Yes, i've seen desilvering and brown spots with many of them.

As for magnification, i don't care so much for it, to be honest. I'd prefer a light and crisp, and zero distortion, 0.8x viewfinder than a 0.92x finder that was inferior in some regards.

Not to discourage anyone from the Leicaflexes, of course, which are nice machines. But i'm offering my alternatives.

I'd also include, as alternative, the Nikon F2AS. Viewfinder is also great, machine is very smooth as well.

ColColt · Jul 2, 2015

The only difference between the F2A and the F2AS is the finder...same F2 body and metering system. The latter of which has silicone photo diodes and the F2A Cds with the needle. Did I ever show mine? Lovely camera and spot on metering...not to mention absolutely pristine.(My avatar)

...and, my old FTN Photomic

chip j · Jul 2, 2015

God, wish I had those cameras.

ColColt · Jul 3, 2015

Now, now-no lusting in your heart allowed.

frank · Jul 3, 2015

Coveting thy neighbors' cameras is okay.

gone · Jul 3, 2015

I had several of the SL models, which I liked more than the SL2s. Loved them. They are quite big and heavy though. Best viewfinder in any SLR in my opinion (if it hasn't developed issues), and the meters are just great. The original Leicaflex had a very different, rudimentary meter.

The cameras are fiendishly complicated to repair, but the good news is that if you get one that works right, you won't need any repairs. Mine never did. Owned the R3, R4, and R5 models too. Not at all the same build quality, but loads smaller and lighter.

Finally, I went w/ Nikons to shoot my Leica R glass w/ an inexpensive adapter. They just did a better job for me, and an N8008s (or even a tiny FG) using stopped down metering and AE is very fast to shoot. The R 50 is a nice lens (get the first version, the later Canadian versions have harsh bokeh), but the 90's are the jewels of the system. The early model R 90 2.8 Elmarit is just a fantastic lens for portraits or anything, and the R 90 2 Summicron is magic at f2.

frank · Jul 3, 2015

Please tell me about that adaptor.

miha · Jul 4, 2015

frank said:
Please tell me about that adaptor.

You need to change the mount: http://www.leitax.com/

benjiboy · Jul 4, 2015

flavio81 said:
I've wanted to own a Leicaflex SL for years but when I got the Canon New F-1, i never looked back. A friend of mine -camera collector- owns several Leicaflexes. They feel really great in the hand and are extremely well made. But i dare to say that the viewfinder on the Canon F-1N ("New F-1") is brighter. It is the best viewfinder i've found on a SLR. Plus the shutter and mirror shock is really, really smooth, as smooth as it gets, I dare to say. You can also have extremely precise spot metering on the F1, by the way.

I've used Canon New F1's for about about thirty years, and have never wanted a Leicaflex or any other 'flex.

miha · Jul 4, 2015

A man of modest needs

Hatchetman · Jul 4, 2015

variety is the spice of life as they say.

flavio81 · Jul 4, 2015

miha said:
A man of modest needs

A Canon F-1N in very good shape is not one of the cheapest 2ndhand cameras around, to be honest.

Anyways, back to the Leicaflex; I recall when I had the chance to purchase a fully working SL for $150 or 200, complete with 50/2. I regret not taking the offer, but I wasn't *that* impressed. It surely felt like the most solid and massive 35mm camera (at that time), though.

ColColt · Jul 4, 2015

Age old question since Leica lens history are a bit confusing. Will a 2-Cam R lens fit the R5-R7 cameras?(without having to be stopped down for metering).

miha · Jul 4, 2015

ColColt said:
Age old question since Leica lens history are a bit confusing. Will a 2-Cam R lens fit the R5-R7 cameras?(without having to be stopped down for metering).

No (it has to be stopped down fot metering). You need 3-cam, 3rd cam (R-cameras only) or ROM (which is 3rd cam + some electronics).

ColColt · Jul 4, 2015

That's a shame. I had ran across a NIB 50 f/2 Summicron but was of the 2-cam variety.

Theo Sulphate · Jul 4, 2015

ColColt said:
Age old question since Leica lens history are a bit confusing. Will a 2-Cam R lens fit the R5-R7 cameras?(without having to be stopped down for metering).

2-cam requires stop-down metering on R3-R7.

Best site I've found for this:

http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/Lens-R.html

benjiboy · Jul 5, 2015

Hatchetman said:
variety is the spice of life as they say.

They also say "enough is a feast", I just don't believe that greed is good and subscribe to the received wisdom on this forum that "more is better" and am more interested in photographs than the equipment used to produce them.

Theo Sulphate · Jul 5, 2015

benjiboy said:
They also say "enough is a feast", I just don't believe that greed is good and subscribe to the received wisdom on this forum that "more is better" and am more interested in photographs than the equipment used to produce them.

I respect that.

With what you do have, you're definitely not missing out on anything.

Leicaflex

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