R8
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- Shown with 80mm f/1.4 Summilux-R lens
- Code numbers - 10080-chrom, 10081-black
- Production era 1996-2002
- Variants - Black (shown) and chrome versions
- Shutter
- "The shutter used was a Copal vertically running metal-leaf unit[1] capable of speeds between 1/8000 and 32 seconds steplessly in automatic modes, or to 16 seconds in half-stop steps in manual mode, as well as Bulb. The flash X-sync speed is 1/250 sec.
- "The shutter release is in the center of the shutter-speed dial and is threaded for a cable release. The optional Motor-Drive gives additional front and vertical-grip releases." -jcb
- Metering
- "The highly sophisticated metering system allows free choice of metering mode and exposure mode. By contrast, the earlier R4-R7 series lacked multi pattern metering and offered only pre-set combinations of metering and exposure.
- Three metering modes are offered:
- Integrated centre weighted
- Selective
- Multi pattern (Matrix)" -jcb
- Exposure modes
- Manual
- Aperture priority semi-automatic
- Shutter priority semi-automatic
- Program fully automatic
- Flash pre-exposure measurement
- Accessories - DMR - Motor-Winder R8: 14209 R8/R9 Winder - R8/R9 Drive
- Designers - Alfred Hengst and Manfred Meinzer February, 1996
- "It can be fitted with the Digital Modul R (DMR) digital back (discontinued in 2007 . . .) and used as a digital camera making them the only 35 mm SLRs to take a user-installable digital back. The R8 was the first R-series camera to have no association with Minolta, being solely a Leica design and showing a clear stylistic change compared to prior bodies. . . A key design goal was to evoke the Leica M and its smooth top plate instead of a raised pentaprism as in previous R series cameras, the R8 has sloped "shoulders" that blend almost seamlessly into the pentaprism housing. The shape is strongly asymmetrical, especially in plan view, with a bulged right handgrip and smaller, tapered left-hand side. . . The R8 was without doubt the most complex camera Leica had ever constructed containing extensive electronics including a microprocessor, despite its manual operation bias, and in addition was built in a very modular fashion to integrate seamlessly with motor drive units and new backs such as the Digital Modul R." -jcb
- Manuals & brochures
- Users Manual courtesy of Mike Butkus
Comment
- On the street - €EU 895 in 2009 - €EU 230 in 2011 - €EU 490 in 2015
- Reviews
- Forum discussion
R8 Serial Numbers
Serial numbers from Serial Numbers Leica Cameras with computed batch total.Version Discussion
~ stolen camera, please report if found on sale
| SN Start | SN End | Product | Year | Batch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2285000 | 2285000 | Leica R8 | 1996 | 1 |
| 2285001 | 2286000 | Leica R8 | 24 Jul 1996 | 1000 |
| 2290501 | 2291500 | Leica R8 (chrom) | 1996 | 1000 |
| 2291501 | 2293500 | Leica R8 (chrom+black) | 1996 | 2000 |
| 2293501 | 2295000 | Leica R8 (chrom+black) | 1997 | 1500 |
| 2297001 | 2299000 | Leica R8 (chrom+black) | 1997 | 2000 |
| 2412001 | 2414000 | Leica R8 (chrom+black) | 1997 | 2000 |
| 2416001 | 2418000 | Leica R8 (chrom) | 1997 | 2000 |
| 2420001 | 2422000 | Leica R8 (chrom+black) | 1997 | 2000 |
| 2nd | ||||
| 2427001 | 2429000 | Leica R8 (black) | 1997 | 2000 |
| 2429501 | 2431500 | Leica R8 (black) | 1997 | 2000 |
| 2433801 | 2435800 | Leica R8 (chrom+black) | 1998 | 2000 ~2435539 |
| 3rd | ||||
| 2464101 | 2466100 | Leica R8 (black) | 1998 | 2000 |
| 2475301 | 2477300 | Leica R8 (chrom+black) | 1998 | 2000 |
| 4th | ||||
| 2552501 | 2554500 | Leica R8 | 1999 | 2000 |
| 2725401 | 2726400 | Leica R8 (black) | 2000 | 1000 |
| 2751401 | 2752400 | Leica R8 (chrom+black) | 2001 | 1000 |
| 2775001 | 2776000 | Leica R8 (black) | 2001 | 1000 |
| 2847001 | 2847200 | Leica R8 | 2002 | 200 |
| 2847201 | 2847450 | Leica R8 | 2002 | 250 |
| 2847451 | 2847750 | Leica R8 | 2002 | 300 |
| 2854751 | 2855050 | Leica R8 | 2002 | 300 |
| Total | assigned | serial | numbers | 38,551 |
