Leicas for $500 and under

[Profdaydreamer]

Hey everybody

I used to shoot 35mm mostly but have since moved onto medium format film. I just shoot on a little point and shoot Olympus Stylus now but I am looking to get back into the 35mm’s and get an SLR. I want a Leica because of that crisp lens and I’m looking to spend about $500. Does anybody have some good recommendations? Also, I gotta have a built in light meter with it. Not looking to get too complicated with the focal length either, just 35mm or a little less is good.

thanks!

 

[BradS]

Finding a Leica SLR for under $500 shouldn't be too hard. The Leicaflex SL and SL2 are both excellent choices and cost well below $500.

 

[narsuitus]

KEH.com has a Leica R4 in excellent condition for $136.48.

 

[Paul Howell]

The bodies are not so bad, lens are still in the expensive side.

 

[Sirius Glass]

That means one waits longer between buying lenses.

 

[Huss]

I use the Leica R-E sir (which is an R5 but with "only" Aperture priority and Manual. But still has spot and avg metering patterns). They are in the $200-$300 range and excellent.
Problem is the Leica lenses. A 35 or 50 may by itself be almost $500. They are wonderful though.

You do know that Nikon, Minolta, Pentax etc make excellent SLR cameras with excellent lenses too? You could hit your target for camera + lens for under $100.

 

[ColdEye]

I was considering the leica R a few months ago, but decided and went with an F5. I am very happy, it is not as clunky as the internet would have you believe. I use it with a sling strap and that helps a lot. For $500 you can get that (or an f100) and a nice 50mm or 35mm if you wish.

 

[mrosenlof]

The meter still works on my Leicaflex original. It gets a bum rap for not having a TTL meter, but the last roll of film that went through mine had very consistent exposures. If you go for a leicaflex, you need to be aware that the batteries are not readily available. You can get voltage adapters that fit a S76 battery in place, and there are a few other options also. The non-TTL leicaflex has a mostly non-focusing screen! Kind of like a rangefinder Leica, most of the field in focus with a small spot in the center that shows focus. The SL or SL2 has a focusing screen (nice one) and need the 2-cam lenses for meter coupling. The R series bodies need 3-cam lenses or later for open aperture metering.