觀景窗

LEICA的觀景器又大又亮，這是非常大的優勢，特別對於手動對焦與低光度下，可達成準確對焦的要求。
關於本問題詢問『尺寸的問題』請恕我也沒有相關資料，僅就一些基本的東西做論述。

首先，關於觀景器本身，要讓人看得舒服（通常就是比較大），就決定於接目鏡的口徑（其實跟望遠鏡道理一樣），就個人使用不同相機，從早年的CANON的手 動相機、NIKON FM2這兩台，為了手動對焦的要求，接目鏡比較大，而容易觀景，就RF相機，高級的LEICA M或是ZEISS IKON也都較大，這當然帶給攝影者容易手動對焦的優點；而後來的自動對焦相機便宜的EOS500N還是近年便宜數位機，明顯的小很多，這當然有成本的考 量，而高檔的自動對焦相機，如NIKON F5一樣能做得很大，帶給使用者許多方便（畢竟它也設計給裝載手動對焦鏡頭使用）。這實在取決於廠商對於機身功能的要求，不過一昧的將接目鏡做大，並不會 帶來優勢，因為相對地要解決視野變大後維持影像品質與亮度的問題。

再來，就觀景器的亮度而言，SLR的光線經由鏡頭，再進入反光鏡與五稜鏡折射後進入眼睛，若要達成高亮度的要求，必須追求上述過程中，光線的損失最小的目 標，此時光學設計就非常重要，若仔細的觀察LEICA R6.2（或R8/R9）的反光版，就會發現，它是個半透明的鏡子，有趣的是，有部分的光線（印象中是30%）穿透供測光表使用，剩下才供作觀景，如此還 能夠這麼亮，實在是廠商的秘密了，另外日系廠商的頂級機身一樣很亮，如此可以推論，觀景器亮度成本不低。

另外，現在有些數位機身的配件有『觀景器放大鏡片』，說真的，不要期待太高，因為就算把影像放大了，也不會放大亮度，在光線較差的情況下，恐怕效果有限。

R6.2
觀景窗範圍：23x34.6 (垂直 96%，水平 96% 整體為 96% x 96% = 92%)
觀景窗倍率：0.80 (無視力矯正，搭配 50mm 鏡頭)
至於反光鏡：17層鍍膜，70%反射(觀景窗)；30%穿透(測光)

R8/9
觀景窗範圍：23x35 (垂直 96%，水平 97% 整體為 96% x 97% = 93%)
觀景窗倍率：0.75 (無視力矯正，搭配 50mm 鏡頭)
至於反光鏡：17層鍍膜，70%反射(觀景窗)；30%穿透(測光)

以上，請參考。

Leica to offer M8 shutter upgrade

LEICA M8 – an Investment in the Future
Leica Presents Innovative Concept for Lifelong Value Retention of Digital Cameras

Leica photographers know what they can rely on: superb picture quality, a special handling experience and a camera they can use for years and spans generations. It is the aim of Leica Camera AG to keep on meeting these high expectations in the age of digital technology, and therefore the company is introducing an innovative concept for the lifelong value retention of the digital LEICA M8 at the PMA tradeshow from January 31st to February 2nd 2008 in Las Vegas.

The development of a perpetual upgrade program makes the LEICA M8 a high-quality digital camera in which today’s and tomorrow’s users will always be able to incorporate the latest refinements and developments in handling ease and technology. “While other digital cameras quickly become outdated and are replaced by newer models, our new concept extends the value retention that stands for the Leica brand. Over time, we will gradually offer new product features and developments as upgrade options,“ declares Steven K. Lee, CEO of Leica Camera AG. “Our customers can therefore still invest in the photographic tools they need without worrying that they will miss out on improvements and technological developments along the way. We are confident that this is the right approach for ensuring customer satisfaction and allowing them to continue to sharpen their vision and refine their skills with the new digital LEICA M8. Our efforts will be focused constantly on giving them the best that the world of photography has to offer.“

Over 54 years of research and development have made the Leica M system an almost perfect instrument. With its extensive portfolio of compatible lenses and accessories, it is able to master the most challenging photographic situations. It is the picture quality and the handling experience that make using a Leica M special. Thanks to its durability, it is in many cases an investment for life: it is a photographer’s constant companion and a key to his or her creativity.

Our upgrade concept comprises much more than the usual firmware updates, offering each M8 owner the option of keeping the camera state-of-the-art by integrating new technological developments. The first upgrade package contains the fitting of a scratch-resistant sapphire glass LCD screen cover, as well as, a shutter that is quieter, one that is closer to a well-tuned classic analog Leica M. With the upgrade the customer also gains an all-inclusive worry-free logistic package: Wherever the M8 owner lives in the world, he or she can ask for the M8 to be collected and returned. In addition, all camera functions will be inspected and adjusted by Leica technicians, who will also install the latest firmware. After the upgrade, a LEICA M8 is given a new two-year factory warranty with coverage equivalent to that of a new camera. Further upgrade packages are being planned.

From a technical point of view, all LEICA M8 rangefinder cameras that have ever been built are suitable for the upgrade. The upgrade process is simple: the LEICA M8 user registers for this service on the www.leica-camera.com website. From March 2008, upgrade certificates will be issued for a price of € 1200.- incl. VAT. As the upgrade capacity of Leica Camera AG is limited, the certificates are only available in limited quantities and for a limited period. The camera owner always keeps his or her own M8, the serial no. is not changed.

The benefits of the upgrade in detail:

For this option, scratch-resistant sapphire glass will be used as a cover for the LCD screen. Sapphire glass is the hardest and most scratch-resistant glass there is. This is the reason why it has been used in high-quality watches for many years. Leica is the first camera manufacturer to succeed in using this material for the coverglass of the LCD screen, which is exposed to extreme mechanical wear. Only diamond glass is harder than the sapphire glass used by Leica. Due to its excellent scratch and abrasion resistance, sapphire glass is completely immune to contact with metal, stone or sand. The advantages are obvious: an undisturbed, brilliant view of the display and an LCD screen that looks like new even after years of use.

The new electronically controlled metal-blade slotted shutter offers the benefits of less noise and vibration, allowing the photographer to work even more inconspicuously than before. In spite of the significant noise reduction, it was possible to retain the fastest shutter speed of 1/4000 sec and maximum flash synchronization time of 1/180 sec.
Leica has also managed to reduce vibrations during exposure even further by reducing the kinetic forces. As a result, hand-held exposures with slow shutter speeds are even more sharply defined, enabling the photographer to make even more of the quality of his high-performance Leica lenses.

New firmware version download

In tune with the overall sustainability concept of the rangefinder camera system, Leica Camera AG is now offering all LEICA M8 users an updated version of the camera firmware, which can be downloaded free of charge from the www.leica-camera.com website. Among other things, the new firmware version contains new, substantially improved automatic white balance algorithms for natural color rendering in nearly all light conditions.

The LEICA M8 is the first digital camera in the Leica rangefinder system. It has all the main features of Leica‘s famous analog camera such as the compact design, the remarkable image quality in combination with Leica M lenses and the unique picture composition with the Leica rangefinder. Due to their high performance standards, almost all Leica M lenses produced since 1954 can be used for digital photography. The combination of lens, sensor and powerful image processing produces excellent picture quality with 10.5 million pixel resolution.

FAQ LEICA M8 Upgrade Concept

Status January 31th, 2008

1. Can all the LEICA M8 cameras in the market now be upgraded, or are there exceptions?
   Any LEICA M8 ever built is suitable for this upgrade.
2. Are there beside the noise reduction other advantages of the new shutter?
   The reduced kinetic energy also leads to a further reduction of vibrations during the exposure, which in turn results in noticeably sharper pictures in the case of hand-held shots with longer shutter speeds. This allows the extremely high imaging potential of Leica lenses to be exploited even more than before.
3. Where and when can I have the upgrade performed?
   As an owner of an LEICA M8, you can book and pay the upgrade directly through the Leica Camera homepage. Booking will be possible as of March 2008. You will then receive a certificate with your M8‘s serial number, which you thereupon send us along with your camera. If so desired, we will have your M8 picked up from your home and delivered directly back after the upgrade. The upgrades will probably be possible as of August 2008. You can still acquire a new LEICA M8 at your dealer as before, if you wish, she/he can initiate the upgrade for you.
4. What advantages does the sapphire glass cover have for the LCD monitor?
   Sapphire glass has a unique scratch-resistance; after all it is the hardest glass of all. It is therefore
   employed for valuable watches and is well-proven in this area. Leica is the first camera manufacturer who has succeeded in using this material for the mechanically very demanding glass
   cover on the LCD monitor. Thanks to its tremendous scratch- and wear-resistance it does not take any damage when coming in contact with metal or stone objects or sand. The advantage is an undisturbed view of the monitor image and a camera whose LCD monitor can look almost new even after years of intensive use.
5. Which guaranties does Leica offer after an upgrade?
   During the upgrade, Leica will test and adjust your camera in all functions including the download of the newest firmware. After that, Leica will grant a new warranty period of two years which encompasses every service a brand-new camera just leaving the company has.
6. Does Leica intend to pursue this system in the future?
   The LEICA M8 Upgrade Program is designed to provide our customers with a long-term assurance of their investment, since you can always bring your camera up to date. We are presently investigating the possibility of further upgrade steps including the camera’s complete digital section, even including the sensor itself.
7. Can I have the upgrades for the shutter and the sapphire glass performed separately?
   This will not be available. Since the camera will have to be nearly totally dismantled, reassembled, and adjusted for each upgrade – a very extensive process, it is more economical to offer both upgrades in one package.
8. Why should I acquire a certificate for an upgrade now, even though the modifications can only be performed as of August 2008?
   The capacities in the Leica plant in Solms are limited, because the modifications can only be performed by experienced experts. Generally speaking, the upgrades will be done in the order of the incoming certificate acquisitions. Depending on the demand, we are expecting longer waiting
   periods, especially during the beginning of the program. So, it is well worth booking your upgrade as soon as possible.

Why do R lenses come in 2/3-CAM or ROM mounts?

Single cam

The original Leicaflex Standard camera, released in 1964, used a cam arrangement inside the lens mount to mechanically communicate the aperture information from each lens to the camera body (similar to the way the Nikon AI mount does it). As there was only one cam, ergo… "single cam".

2-cam

When the Leicaflex SL, with its integrated TTL light meter, was introduced in 1968, a new lens cam was added for aperture indexing. To maintain backward compatibility with older Leicaflex cameras, new lenses were released with two cams, so they could aperture-index on both old and new Leicaflex bodies.

3-cam

In 1976 Leica released the R3, the first of its R series SLR cameras designed in collaboration with Minolta. Because the new camera(s) had auto exposure features, this meant adding another cam, bringing the total to three. This third cam is a black stepped affair, located next to and just inside the chrome 2nd cam.

R-only

An added complication is that some newer R lenses are sold as 3rd cam only. These will only mount on R bodies and are easy to distinguish as they have a collar around the base of the stainless steel lens mount flange, to prevent you from mounting them onto older Leicaflex bodies.

Leica Lens Serial Numbers -> Production Year

Leica Bruger Information -> Objektiv serienr. If you have a serial number of a Leica lens, this list will tell you when it was produced (1933-2000). This list covers lenses from the Leica R series (SLR), the Leica M and the screw mount series (Rangefinder).If you furthermore wish to determine which the model or generation you have of that particular vintage Elmar, Elmarit, Summicron ... or perhaps which hood is designed for your particular leica lens - then look at the pointers at the bottom of this page.
If you are looking to determine the age of your vintage Leica camera based on serial number, you may find some of the references on the Link page useful. [Danish] Liste over Leica objektivers produktionsår med udgangspunkt i serienummeret (1933 and 2000).

Leica M/R/SM Serialnumbers
Start - End: Production year
156 001-195 000: 1933
195 001-236 000: 1934
236 001-284 600: 1935
284 601-345 000: 1936
345 001-416 500: 1937
416 501-490 000: 1938
490 001-538 500: 1939
538 501-565 000: 1940
565 001-582 294: 1941
582 295-593 000: 1942
593 001-594 880: 1943
594 881-595 000: 1944
595 001-601 000: 1945
601 001-633 000: 1946
633 001-647 000: 1947
647 001-682 000: 1948
682 001-756 000: 1949
756 001-840 000: 1950
840 001-950 000: 1951
950 001-1 051 000: 1952
1 051 000-1 124 000: 1953
1 124 001-1 236 000: 1954
1 236 001-1 333 000: 1955
1 333 001-1 459 000: 1956
1 459 001-1 548 000: 1957
1 548 001-1 645 300: 1958
1 645 301-1 717 000: 1959
1 717 001-1 827 000: 1960
1 827 001-1 913 000: 1961
1 913 001-1 967 100: 1962
1 967 101-2 015 700: 1963
2 015 701-2 077 500: 1964
2 077 501-2 156 300: 1965
2 156 301-2 236 500: 1966
2 236 501-2 254 400: 1967
2 254 401-2 312 750: 1968
2 312 751-2 384 700: 1969
2 384 701-2 468 500: 1970
2 468 501-2 503 100: 1971
2 503 101-2 556 500: 1972
2 556 501-2 663 400: 1973
2 663 401-2 731 900: 1974
2 731 901-2 761 100: 1975
2 761 101-2 809 400: 1976
2 809 401-2 880 600: 1977
2 880 601-2 967 250: 1978
2 967 251-3 013 650: 1979
3 013 651-3 087 000: 1980
3 087 001-3 160 500: 1981
3 160 501-3 249 100: 1982
3 249 101-3 294 900: 1983
3 294 901-3 346 200: 1984
3 346 201-3 383 200: 1985
3 383 201-3 422 890: 1986
3 422 891-3 455 870: 1987
3 455 871-3 478 900: 1988
3 478 901-3 503 150: 1989
3 503 151-3 540 467: 1990
3 540 468-3 583 830: 1991
3 585 831-3 610 680: 1992
3 610 381-3 644 475: 1993
3 644 476-3 677 030: 1994
3 677 031-3 730 290: 1995
3 730 291-3 770 920: 1996
3 770 930-3 818 624: 1997
3 818 625-3 857 849: 1998
3 857 850-3 882 996: 1999
3 882 997 ->: 2000 ->

Leica R Mount SLR Lenses

While the Leica screw-mount and M bayonet

mount rangefinder lenses are familiar to most camera collectors, Leitz also produced a wide range of lenses for its single lens reflex cameras. These cameras have a long history, starting out with the original Leicaflex , the auto-exposure R3, the famous all-mechanical R6, and continuing on to the current Leica R9 which accommodates an 11-megapixel digital back.

With the exception of auto-focus, the Leica SLR system is just as advanced as their equivalents from Canon or Nikon. However, because Leica always stood for precision, ruggedness, reliability, and mechanical perfection above everything, they never went towards the lightweight plastics and looser focusing tolerances that auto-focus cameras entailed. Thus, all Leica R lenses are manual focus only. For the same reasons, Leica has not produced as many zoom lenses as its Japanese competitors. In fact, a couple of Leitz's SLR zooms are actually Minolta designs. Ask around, it's easy to find out which.

Leica R Lenses

For the most part, R lenses are interchangeable with any age Leica SLRs. Except for the newest ROM lenses which should not be used on Leicaflex cameras, at most you lose the ability to matrix meter, or to meter at full aperture (stop-down metering only).

There are some series variations in Leica R-Mount lenses:

• One-cam (Original Leicaflex). This is the silver-chrome triangular cam marked (1) on the photograph right. Leica doesn't recommend using 1-cam or 2-cam lenses on the R8 or R9.
• Two-cam (Leicaflex SL/SL2). This is the silver-chrome triangular cam at the top-left (11 o'clock) position in Exhibit A (behind the 3rd cam in the Exhibit B). Leica doesn't recommend using 1-cam or 2-cam lenses on the R8 or R9 because the cam may damage the ROM contacts if it's out of spec.
• Three-cam (Leica R series). The 'R-cam' or third cam is the stepped black metal cam barely visible in Exhibit A, right next to the silver wedge-shaped 2nd cam. The third or R-cam is used on R-series cameras (R3-R7). Three-cam lenses are the most compatible as they can be used on any Leica SLR ever made. In response to my lousy photo, reader Ken O'Kelley sent me a much better photo (Exhibit B) of the 3rd cam.
• R-only (Leica R series only). These lenses only have the stepped R-cam and cannot be used on the older Leicaflex cameras. Leica changed the mount slightly so they will not even mount on a Leicaflex. You need to make sure that you can see cams 1 and 2 if you want to use newerlenses on older bodies.
• ROM lenses: the latest lenses designed for use with the Leica R8 and R9 cameras which had electronic contacts between the camera body and lens. This allows the lens to transmit additional data to the camera. ROM lenses cannot be used on the original Leicaflex series as they will not even mount due to a slight bayonet change. They have the R-cam so they can be used on any R series Leica.

Upgrading older lenses / Using adapters

Although older lenses were originally made with 1- or 2-cams, Leica offered an upgrade service to bring them up to 3-cams (you can also modify a R-only or ROM-only lens backwards to 3-cam as well, although you lose the ROM contacts if you do this). So just because a lens has 3-cams doesn't mean that it is a second-generation lens. You have to use other factors in determining the lens version such as the distinct profile of each version, the serial number, the presence or absence of a built-in lens hood; or the weight.

Many people use their Leica R lenses on Canon SLRs (including digital SLRs such as the Canon EOS 20D) with an adapter that is widely available (see CameraQuest.com for a source in the USA). I use mine with the Hansa adapter which I bought in Japan (picture right). If you have an adapter, it does not matter if you have 1, 2, 3, or ROM cams on your R lens if you are using it on another camera system since you will always be shooting using open-aperture metering. The system works fantastically well. I have some photographs using the 180mm Elmarit on my gallery page.

In order for an adapter to work, there are two factors. The first is the body "lens registration" distance or the distance from the lens mount to the film surface. The second is the mount "throat size" or the diameter of the mount. For an adapter to slip in between the body and lens of differing manufacturers, the registration distance of the lens must be greater than the registration distance of the body; and the throat-size of the lens must be smaller than the throat size of the body mount.