It’s alive!!! It’s alive!!!

The FrankenLeica lives!!!!!

Is it a monster … or a really neat camera?

I was happy for a long time with my Leica R9. In many ways it was a stupendous camera, but not absolutely perfect for me. I say was, because now it’s gone. But, why?

Yes, I have said it before … it’s not about the gear, but damn it, I am only human!

A long time ago I tasted the forbidden fruit … yes I owned a Leica SL. Some say it’s the best single lens reflex ever made.   Built like a tank and able to stand a nuclear blast. Brightest viewfinder ever. A heavy piece of hand made metal and brass gears that perfectly mold to the hand. Unreal fit and finish. And yes, fully mechanical … except for the meter. For me it was as close to perfect as an SLR can be.

In my humble opinion Leica pretty much got it right with the Leica SL (although I prefer a split image focusing screen as found in the SL2 that came later – more on that below) without any useless microelectronic enabled “features” for needless choices to make. So simple, so pure.  And yet it was gone. Sent away due to the incredibly lucky acquisition of the latest Leica R ROM lenses at great prices. Unfortunately they were incompatible with the SL lens mounting flange, mirror box and other inner protrusions. It broke my heart to see it go, but lets face it, as important as it is to have a meaningful tactile relationship with one’s camera isn’t it really about the glass in the final analysis?

So earlier this year I found a few references on the Web concerning how the SL could be modified to accept certain Leica R ROM lenses – but not my 35mm Summilux R f/1.4, as it fit too far into camera body, hitting the mirror box. Was I interested? Silly question! Then I read that Doug Herr, the great wildlife photographer and Leica SL devotee had some silver parts found on the original Leicaflex transplanted to his SL.

My devious mind started to think about all the diabolical possibilities and soon the plot was hatched!

Yes a beautiful Leica SL was about to be dismembered and put back together again with added body parts!!! My partner in crime in the fiendish plot was none other than the great Don Arthur Goldberg (DAG), Leica repair guru extraordinaire.

After a number of conversations we agreed the dastardly deed could be done. The trick though with a Leica SL is to find one where the prism isn’t de-cementing or doing other strange things causing the viewfinder to look yellowed. Fortunately, Don had nice SL body with a perfect viewfinder. But the SL incorporates a non-split image focusing screen. No problem … we could remove the split image focusing screen from a Leica SL2 body and transplant it to the new host. Of course the SL needed a complete cleaning, lubrication and alignment (CLA) too. Then Don would remove the lens flange from the SL body; file it down where necessary so that the ROM lens could be mounted. Nice!

I sent off my 35mm lens to Don and the operation began. But nothing is as easy as it sounds. While adding the silver self timer switch and shutter speed dial from an older Leicaflex body and filing the lens flange was an easy task, getting the 35mm lens to fit into the body cavity without hitting any of the innards proved to be a nightmare!!! There were several internal parts that needed to be dramatically filed down just so, and the camera ended up traveling back and forth from Pennsylvania to Wisconsin several times.

But finally … the FrankenLeica came to life … it lived!!!!

But alas, there were evil consequences to my actions.

Soon decided I wanted a second body for use with slower film for some long-term projects I am starting … so guess what … I decided to get a modified SL2 (also considered by some to be the greatest single lens reflex ever made)!!! At a minimum it could serve as an emergency back up should something really strange happen like slipping on a wet rock, and watching the camera fall into the drink! Don’t laugh; I witnessed this happen last year when I was photographing with a fried in Vermont!

Of course Don had a body and it only needed the lens flange modified, as well as the requisite CLA. Again, the deed was done.

The only minor downside of the modifications to both cameras is that their internal meters are now decoupled from my ROM lenses – although they would be coupled with standard 2 Cam and 3 Cam Leica R lenses. However, this is of no matter to me, as I use a hand held meter anyway.

Frank and Elsa (if you don’t get it see the movie!) are now happily in my possession! Together, they will last longer then I will.

Was this all insanity? I don’t think so. Excessive? Perhaps to some. Am I happy? Yes!!!

Will I now be making better pictures? My brain says no … but my heart says yes.