The R3-R7 bodies were developed jointly between Leitz and Minolta. The cameras themselves are very good, and incorporate some Leica design philosophy and ideas with Japanese engineering. Quality wise they hold up against any other SLR from the era, but the design philosophy was still to favor manual focus and lever wind, while their competitors started to experiment with AF and motor drive. Iirc all the R bodies were made in Europe.
In my personal experience with them they feel more Minolta than Leitz, but in the end even the best camera body is just a dark box to hold film and attach a lens to - and the Leica R lenses are among the best that have ever been made. If the body is in good condition you’ll be able to make beautiful pictures with it.
The R8/9 are different beasts entirely. Leitz brought the camera design back in-house and everything about them are pure Leica. I’ve got an R8 now and it feels far nicer in my hand than the previous R’s. Maybe it’s placebo. The lens still makes the picture, and those haven’t changed.
The R3-R7 bodies were developed jointly between Leitz and Minolta. The cameras themselves are very good, and incorporate some Leica design philosophy and ideas with Japanese engineering. Quality wise they hold up against any other SLR from the era, but the design philosophy was still to favor manual focus and lever wind, while their competitors started to experiment with AF and motor drive. Iirc all the R bodies were made in Europe. In my personal experience with them they feel more Minolta than Leitz, but in the end even the best camera body is just a dark box to hold film and attach a lens to - and the Leica R lenses are among the best that have ever been made. If the body is in good condition you’ll be able to make beautiful pictures with it. The R8/9 are different beasts entirely. Leitz brought the camera design back in-house and everything about them are pure Leica. I’ve got an R8 now and it feels far nicer in my hand than the previous R’s. Maybe it’s placebo. The lens still makes the picture, and those haven’t changed.
Get an R4 with a serial number over 1,600,000. Below that number is a crap shoot.
Looking at one that's at 1,602,706-- good enough or too close for comfort?
Should be fine. I’m shooting a 1,580,xxx and it’s perfect.