Leica R3

Leica R3 is 35mm film SLR camera made by Leica and produced between 1976-79.

It is the successor of the Leicaflex SL2, and was developed in cooperation with Minolta, together with the Minolta XE bodies.

Leica borrowed the electronics and some of the chassis technology from the Minolta XD cameras to produce the Leica R3 and Leica R4 cameras. They were designed with some Minolta XD series technology, but were manufactured by Leitz in Portugal or Germany.

There are some different coloured body models. One of them is to commemorate the 100th birthday of Oskar Barnack, the inventor of the Leica camera. Body is covered in black lizard skin and 24 carat gold plated with matching gold plated lens. Edition of 1,000 produced. On top of the prism housing is Barnacks signnature with the dates 1879-1979. Produced in 1979.

Leica R3's successor is Leica R4.

Some features[]

Lens: Leica R mount lenses
Shutter-priority / aperture priority Autoexposure or manual
Shutter: Copal Leitz CLS electronic, metal vertically moving focal plane shutter
Metering: center-weighted and spot
EV range 1-18
ASA range 12-3200
Multiple-Exposure Switch
Eyepiece shutter
DOF Preview
Self-timer
Hot-shoe
Meter on/off
Batteries: 2x SR44 silver-oxide or 1x CR1/3N
Battery self-check
Body: metal; Weight 780g