Click For More Info Login | Register | Email this Page to a Friend Products Home | What's New | Reviews | Classifieds | Directories | Learn | Discussions | Community + Events | Hot Deals | Galleries | Shop >> Reviews >> 35mm >> Leica R/8 Leica R-8 27 reviews 4.56 of 5 Write a Review >> Manufacturer Site MSRP: $ 2595.00 Click here for more Product Specifications information - Fast shutter, 32 seconds to 1/8000 second in half steps; flash synch time 1/250 for fast-moving subjects. - Three exposure-metering modes: selective - setting can be stored, center-weighted-integral and multi-field for successful mastering of every light situation. - Four operating modes: manual, aperture- and shutter-speed-priority and variable programmed automatic control - Stable and solid metal construction Featured Merchants NexTag.com Compare Prices Great Good Satisfactory Poor Retailer Price Would On Customer Products Link Shop Time Support Met Here Delivery Expectations Again $1750 B&HPhoto-Video.com Corp $1799.99 RitzCamera.com $1799.99 WolfCamera.com $1750 FocusCamera.com $1338 645AF Digital Imaging powered by: Compare all prices & stores Other Ways to Shop BizRate.com Shop for Similar Products Compare prices & stores Classifieds Broadway Photo Buy & Sell Quality Gear. Amazon.com Half.com Sell yours now at Half.com! eBay Marketplace Find this product on eBay. Sort Reviews by: Latest Review | Best Rating (27 Reviews Total) | View First 5 Review Date Reviewed by: Christian Nagel, Expert, from Karlsruhe, Germany April 15, 2002 Price Paid: $1200 at Ebay Overall Rating 5 of 5 Photography Experience: 6-10 years, Outdoor Value Rating 5 of 5 Summary: I'm also using a EOS-1 with EF 28-70/2.8 L and EF 80-200/2.8 L. Used product for And a R8 + R7 with 4/35-70, 2.8/70-180 APO, Apo-Macro-Elmarit More than 1 year 100 and 2.8/24. And the R8 and its lenses is way ahead of the Canon L Series. It's well worth the price. The mechanics are also Visitors rate this review way ahead. Not only in sharpness or contrast. There is contrast 4 of 5, 1 votes and shadow detail, sharpness and smoothness at the same time and accurate bright colors ! It's built for a lifetime ! The EF Rate this review? 2.8/70-200 is a good lens, but compared to the Vario-Apo-Elmarit 5 Highest 70-180 just a cheap plastic lens. Chips and plastic are less expensive than brass and premium UD and fluorite glass. Contax + Zeiss Lenses are very good, but the Zeiss 100 macro 4 DVDs for $.49 >> and the corresponding zoom for the Leica APO 70-180 are no match for the leica lenses. The greatest advantage of a quality SLR-System is its flexibility. And that is inceased by premium APO Zoom-lenses and specialty lenses like macro ones. And there, Leica is top notch ! The R8 itself is great. One wheel or knob for one funktion. Fast and intuitive. Not like the Canon EOS-Series with displays and multi-funktion-knobs. The R8 is tough, reliable, easy to use and well balanced for heavy high performance zooms and big hands. The learning curve is as short as possible ! Strengths: Tough, intuitive, reliable, best lens system in the world, very flexible and well balanced Weaknesses: No complaints ! You get what you pay for ! Similar Products Used: R7, EOS-1 Customer Service: Great. Equipment is checked for free. You only have to pay for repairs. Review Date Reviewed by: Jason , Professional March 20, 2002 Price Paid: $0 Overall Rating 2 of 5 Photography Experience: 21+ years, Outdoor Value Rating 1 of 5 Summary: Was given an R8 to take along on a photo shoot to the Everglades Used product for and the ten Thousand Islands for 3 weeks. Got some nice, usable Less than 1 month shots. Camera was nice to use. Extremely bright viewfinder. HOWEVER, I'll stick to my Contax RTS III's for my general Visitors rate this review photography and the Canon 1V for telephoto and autofocus when 2.6 of 5, 5 votes needed. Rate this review? Leica lens prices are ABSURD!! Before rebates, if they are still 5 Highest giving them, (and they should be) here are some comparisons: 4 DVDs for $.49 >> Leica 50 1.4 - $1795. Contax, reviewed as the sharpest 50mm in Pop. Photg.-$385. Leica 80 1.4 - $2795. Contax, considered "legendary" by portrait photogs - $865. Leica 70-180 2.8 (are you sitting?) $5095. Yes, that's correct, a zoom lens in this range for more that 5 grand!! Canon 70-200 2.8 'L', AS SHARP AS THEY COME, $1200. Quite a price to pay to have that "Leica" hanging around your neck. Those kind of prices really tick me off. How can anyone support a company that wants to fleece their customers like this. Sure, there are those who have an almost 'cult' type following for the 'M' series, but even these prices are absurd. And we are talking 35mm!! I guess there 's a lot of money out there! Strengths: bright viewfinder Weaknesses: rediculously priced lenses. Similar Products Used: Contax RTS Canon 1V Contax G2 Review Date Reviewed by: Patrick Pevenage, Beginner, from Wetteren September 24, 2001 (Belgium) Overall Rating Price Paid: $0 4 of 5 Photography Experience: Value Rating 0-1 years, People 5 of 5 Summary: Used product for At 45 years old, a beginner and yet a black Leica R8. I always 3 Months to 1 year wanted to take photos, and now I have the time (but not always the money). I went for a Nikon SLR, but came home with a Leica Visitors rate this review SLR. I love the lens, the sharpness, the contrast, the soul, the 2.67 of 5, 3 votes extravagant design. I buyed a Leica to have it forever. I love the old-fashioned features. (Re)winding manually, no auto-focus. Rate this review? Modern basics. No clics, a silent shutter, well built, and most of the 5 Highest people (in Europe by the way) don't know Leica. They think it's an old East-German name and they don't bother. So I can go on 4 DVDs for $.49 >> shooting. Most of the people don't like the design. Strengths: Easy to understand how it works. Aperture-priority is all I need. Well built. Very nice summicron 50 lens (that's all I need). Black paint is strong (thought I made a scratch, but no). Weaknesses: A little big for my hands. It takes time to learn to handle it well (ergonomics). Always have to turn it on to see how many pictures left. No 100% viewfinder (why?). Similar Products Used: Nikkormat FT3 (very good), Fujica (good for bric and brac), Leica Minilux zoom (made me turn to Leica forever). Customer Service: Not needed yet. Review Date Reviewed by: ubique, Professional, from Australia September 18, 2001 Price Paid: $0 Overall Rating 5 of 5 Photography Experience: 21+ years, People Value Rating 5 of 5 Summary: I have 2 R8 bodies, with the motor drive attached (not the Visitors rate this review winder)the R8 is superb. 3.33 of 5, 3 votes Only complaint I have is that you can't use AA batteries in the drive. Leica claims that AA don't last long enough, who cares? It Rate this review? would be nice to have them as a back up if the NM-HI 5 Highest rechargables suddenly went flat. The shape of the grip on the Motor drive is better than the motor winder and the camera itself, 4 DVDs for $.49 >> it's easier to hold and feels less likely to slip out of your hand. All the controls are in the right places. Overall the best Leica ever. I hope Leica see the light and make a digital back to fit the R8, wouldn't that be the best of both worlds being able to shoot film or digital with an R8 body. Strengths: The TTL flash metering is so good I don't bother with my Minolta spot meter in the studio anymore. The Lenses are truly superb, sepecially the 70-180 f2.8 APO, the 28-70 Japanese built Leica lens surprised me, for portraits it is exceptionally sharp. I am not a fan of zoom lenses but Leica zooms ar as sharp as their prime lenses. Weaknesses: Not being able to use AA batteries, Lithium batteries are expensive and don't last very long, and are hard to obtain in remote places. The rechargable motor drive solved most of the R8 battery problems. Pity Leica didn't give users the option of a AA pack for the drive. Similar Products Used: Leica R3, R4, R6,R6.2, Canon F1, Nikon F4,and FE2, Olympus OM2 Customer Service: Customer service is outstanding in Germany, not so good in Australia, it takes about 3 months to get a camera back through the dealer network here. Review Date Reviewed by: Wilson Chow , Casual, from Hong Kong August 17, 2001 Price Paid: $1070 at H.K. Overall Rating 4 of 5 Photography Experience: 2-5 years, Outdoor Value Rating 3 of 5 Summary: It is easy to understand to use the camera. I found one thing is not Visitors rate this review very wise that I need to change the ISO manually even I use the 4 of 5, 3 votes so called DX function, the DX function just show warning signal and not automatically change the ISO. Also, such a high grade Rate this review? camera body cannot provide 100% viewfinder field and non 5 Highest interchangable viewfinder prism head like F3 and LX.