C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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The Leica R9 (2002) is the final camera in Leica's R-series SLR line, refining the R8 (1996) with a 1/8000s maximum shutter speed, improved multi-segment metering, and compatibility with the Leica Digital Modul R (DMR) — a removable digital back (10 megapixels, Kodak CCD sensor) that transformed the R9 into a digital SLR. The body retains the R8's distinctive asymmetric design with the sloped top plate, large grip, and understated black finish. All Leica R-mount lenses (with appropriate ROM chip or non-ROM flagging) attach and meter normally. Manual focus is standard; a focus confirmation LED in the viewfinder assists.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
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Before you buy used
About this camera
Leica's last SLR — the R9 paired the R8's distinctive industrial design with 1/8000s shutter speed, multi-pattern metering, and a unique Digital Modul R that turned it into a DSLR.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Leica R bayonet (3-cam, ROM compatible) |
| Years | 2002–2009 |
| Shutter | 16s – 1/8000s + B, vertical-travel metal blades |
| Flash sync | 1/250s |
| Meter | TTL multi-segment, EV 1–20 |
| Modes | Aperture-priority, Shutter-priority, Program, Manual |
| Viewfinder | Pentaprism, 0.77× |
| Digital option | Digital Modul R (DMR) replaces film back |
| Weight | 660 g (body only) |
Leica introduced the R-series in 1964 with the Leicaflex — a late entry into the SLR market that used the existing Leica lens heritage in a new reflex design. The R-mount evolved through the Leicaflex SL (1968), SL2 (1974), R3 (1976, Minolta co-development), R4 (1980), R5 (1987), R6 (1992, fully mechanical), R7 (1992), R8 (1996), and finally the R9 (2002).
The R8 and R9 were developed wholly in-house by Leica without Minolta involvement (unlike the R3–R7), giving them a more distinctly Leica character. The R9 added the 1/8000s speed and re-engineered electronics to support the DMR digital back, which was developed with Imacon/Hasselblad and launched in 2004. The DMR was a genuine hybrid attempt — allowing R9 users to switch between film (the film back) and digital (the DMR) on the same body with the same lenses.
Despite its technical sophistication, the R system never achieved the iconic status of the Leica M rangefinder. Leica formally ended R-system production in 2009 and ceased DMR production shortly after.
The Leica R9 is significant for several reasons. As the last Leica SLR, it represents the end of a 45-year lineage of German precision SLR manufacture. The R-system lenses — APO-Summicron-R 90/2 ASPH, Summilux-R 80/1.4, Elmarit-R 19/2.8, Summicron-R 35/2 — are among the finest SLR lenses ever made, and they mount and meter on the R9 with full compatibility. The 1/8000s shutter speed and 1/250s flash sync are genuinely superior to most film SLRs.
The DMR option, while now obsolete as a digital capture device, was an innovative engineering solution that prolonged the R9's commercial relevance past the peak of the DSLR transition. Today the R9 is used primarily as a film camera by photographers who own R-mount lenses and want a modern body for them.
Leica R bayonet (1-cam, 2-cam, 3-cam, ROM variants). All Leica R lenses from Leicaflex era onward mount with appropriate cam configuration. Notable lenses: APO-Summicron-R 180/2 ASPH, APO-Macro-Elmarit-R 100/2.8, Summicron-R 35/2, Summicron-R 90/2, Elmarit-R 28/2.8 ASPH, Summilux-R 50/1.4, Noctilux-R 50/1.0 (extremely rare). Accessories: Digital Modul R (DMR), Motor-Drive R (adds ~3.5 fps), Leica SF58 and SF40 flash for TTL, ROM adapter for older lenses.
BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
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