[LRFlex] Re: R3-R4s reliablilty, service issues and sources for help?

   Hi Steven,
 I shoot both Minolta and Leica SLRs. I have for many years.  I believe the
only problem with the early R4 was with electronic problems that were ironed
out in later version R4 cameras. So by the time the R4s and the R4sP came
around they were quite dependable.  I have had no problems with my R4s and
R4sP.  Also, the Minolta XE which inspired the R3 and the XD series which
inspired the R4 through R7 have all been very dependable in my opinion.  I
have used them for many years with no problems except for the need to
replace gooey foam light seals on them which is very typical with all old
cameras.   Stop being paranoid about your R4s and just use it.  :-)

Dave
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steven Rosenthal" <steverose108@xxxxxxx>
To: <leicareflex@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, October 22, 2004 10:44 AM
Subject: [LRFlex] R3-R4s reliablilty, service issues and sources for help?


> Hi Kent, do you mind if I ask you about the R3 you mentioned? I  was
> wondering where you like to send it for service and if you think they
could
> work on an R4s. I have an R4s that appears to be in near mint condition, I
> got it from a place that offered a six month warranty on it and stated it
> had been serviced, is in super operating condition and no problems. It
> really is in good shape, even the rubber seal around the film canister
> see-thru window is like new, so I believe that is is as they
represented...
> it seems really strong and reliable but I confess I am a little leery of
it
> every time I use it, I guess I am expecting it to just go SPROING one day
> and parts shooting out from it or something. Also I am a bit gun-shy of
> cameras that seem reliable and then one day, let you down at the worst
> possible moment with absolutely NO warning, which is why I have given up
> Russian and Eastern Bloc cameras, despite their amazing and virtually free
> Carl Zeiss lenses....
>
>  I needed a body to use with a battered but working great, 35mm f/2
> Summicron 3-cam. But I have heard these Minolta-inspired Leicas are
> unreliable etc. on the one hand...and from others, that if you get a good
> one like the one I have, no worries, that it will be reliable. I would
just
> like to have on hand the name of some good, and hopefully not too
expensive,
> service groups for future reference if necessary, or should I not be
> worried? I have heard they are more dependable than the R3 or even the
> original R4s. On the other hand if you have been using the same camera
since
> 1978 it is certainly reasonable to send it for a service at this point! I
> don't shoot that many rolls of film, not like a pro at this point, maybe a
> few a month during the year and more on vacations (not that I ever get
> one....)
>
> I don't want to bore everyone or open up a 'can of worms' as we say,
meaning
> a tired subject that has probably been flayed to death in earlier
postings,
> so if there is a discussion of this in some archive feel free to point me
to
> it, I understand.
>
> I don't know if anyone in the group dabbles in camera repair as I do, at
> least I do on a limited basis..I always seek the opinion of  a real Guru
of
> that field, an old guy named Ed Romney here in the US, a lifetime of
> experience, publishes still in semi-retirement, dozens if not hundreds of
> books and courses on camera repair, etc. I finally found some comments of
> his on these Minolta inspired R's and he is not too keen on them, in terms
> of reliability. I had hoped to find that this was just hysteria about this
> series, but apparently there have been problems. On the other hand, I have
> read elsewhere that most,  if not all of these problems surfaced in the R3
/
> electronic; were worked out by the R4s era... with the P or Model 2 being
> even better?
>
> Mine is not the P, just the plain R4s.  Interestingly it has manual spot,
> auto exposure spot, and auto exposure averaging metering... I saw one
> on-line manual that seemed to state this model only had manual spot and
auto
> averaging, is mine an unusual model or an early unmarked P or Model 2 ?
> There is no engraving on the hot shoe.  I recognize that many in this
group
> have used them also over the years and welcome your comments.
>
> If I could, which would be the first of the more reliable, later model R
> bodies, the 5 or 6? Anything later or current is just priced out of
> possiblity, I'm thinking.  Or should I just calm down and trust my R4s? It
> sure feels solid and like it will work forever, not like a camera that
could
> go out at any second. Frankly I have not read any specifics of what does
go
> out on these and under what circumstances. Sometimes it helps to know
> this... for example the Sov Bloc Pentacon 6x6cm cameras have a notoriously
> weak wind, but if you get a good one and are careful to wind smoothly and
> gently, manually return the wind lever to its resting position, rather
than
> just letting it slap back as on a Nikon etc. it will run forever, if not,
> plan a trip soon to the repair shop (inconvenient for those not residing
in
> Prague....)
>
> It should cheer everyone up here that Romney absolutely raves about the R
> lenses and thinks if Leica had had any sense, even back then, they would
> have made their lenses in an adaptall-type mount , e/g. Tamron's strategy,
> to be used on - dare I say it- Nikon, Canon  or other bodies so that
pro's,
> who universally recognize the superiority of Leica glass and would use
them
> if they could, and also have a reliable and relatively affordable camera
to
> use them on, maybe on the bodies they already own. Of course Leica would
> have sold many less expensive (unreliable, reputation-damaging ) cameras,
> and a ton more expensive (reliable, reputation-increasing)  lenses.
>
> Thanks and I would sure appreciate any insight and tips from the group...
>
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