Digital Module R +R8
Converting a film camera to a digital camera
A review and Photo example of the Leica DMR (Digital Module R) and LEICA R8
Table of contents
Gallery
Review
1．Overview
The DMR (Digital Module R) is an add-on module that Leica released in 2002 to turn the film cameras R8 and R9 into digital cameras.
To install, remove the film cover from the camera and insert the module equipped with KODAK KAF-10010CE. The space below the lens is extended like a battery grip for a single-lens reflex camera, and digital-related equipment is packed into the space.
Because the sensor size of the DMR is smaller than that of 35mm film, a dedicated screen with a masked edge is included with the DMR, and is used to replace the screen attached to the R8/R9.
Optional DMR screens with masked edges in the same format as the regular R8 and R9, such as grid patterns and crosses, were also sold, but when I purchased a DMR around 2016, I had not seen such optional screens on the market.
The only recording medium that can be used with the DMR is SD cards; it does not support SDHC or SDXC.
As a precaution for use, if you use a LEICA R8 as the host, you need to turn on both the camera’s power switch and the DMR’s power switch when using it.
When using a LEICA R9 as the host camera, the DMR will start up when the camera is turned on.
When shooting with a ROM lens, the lens information used is recorded in the Exif file.
2．Usage
The R8 with the DMR is very large, comparable to the CANON EOS 1D series and the NIKON D single-digit series, and it is very difficult to store in a camera bag with a lens attached. Apart from its large size, it can be used as a normal SLR camera.
The DMR itself only has a digital recording function, and the camera relies on the functions of the LEICA R8 or LEICA R9, which are the mother cameras. Since I purchased the DMR first, I looked for the mother cameras R8 and R9, but the R9 is hardly found on the second-hand market, so I purchased the R8, which has a relatively large serial number. After the DMR broke, I used it as a film camera, which goes back in history.
It also supports 4GB SD cards, but I have hardly seen them on sale, so I think it is difficult to obtain them. If you use a commonly available 2GB SD card, you can take about 100 pictures, which is about the equivalent of about three rolls of 36-exposure film, which is just the right number for me.
The shutter sound is quite loud, which is a problem with the R8/R9 film camera.
I bought a used DMR that worked perfectly well at a reasonable price, but it has deteriorated over time. The internal battery has already run out and the clock cannot be recorded (I consulted Leica Ginza, but they said they no longer have an internal battery), and the ISO dial is not working properly, so it is practically a paperweight with ISO100 barely usable. It is a pity that digital devices have a short lifespan and are difficult to repair.
It is quite well made, although it is likely a coincidence that the battery runs out after about 100 shots, which is the recording limit of a 2GB SD card, with one refreshed battery. The battery has a special shape and there are no compatible products. Around 2018, if you take an old battery to Leica Ginza, they will replace it with a new one that has been refreshed. Two of my batteries have been replaced. Since the DMR I purchased only came with one battery, I purchased a used battery on eBay as a spare.
3．Add Info.
Personally, I don’t have any particular issues with the R8/R9 screen, but for those who are particular about the screen, the Cosmos Photo Gallery in the reference link provides detailed information about the screen. It seems that a personally created screen, Talberg, is used for the R series, and there is a wealth of information about the screen.
Specification of DMR
With the LEICA R8, the camera power switch and the DMR power switch must be turned on.
When using the LEICA R9, the DMR is also activated when the camera is turned on.
The recording medium is an SD card, and although the rare 4GB-SD card is supported, it is difficult to obtain. A 2GB SD card, which is readily available on the market, can be used to take approximately 100 shots in DNG format.
| Items | Value | Note |
| Image sensor | KODAK / KAF-10010CE | Focal length is x1.37 |
| Recorded Media | SD card | Supports up to 4GB |
| Battery | 14447 [Lithium-ion battery DMR] | |
| Size(mm) | W x H x D 165 x 42 × 70〜83 | Excluding protruding parts |
| Weight(g) | 605 | Only body |
| Release date | 2002 | Product end 2006 |
Specification of R8/R9
| Items | Value | Note |
| Finder | Real-image reverse Galilean perspective finder | |
| Viewfinder Magnification | x 0.7 | |
| Shutter | Vertical travel laminar metal forcal plane shutter | |
| Shutter Speed | 1/8000〜1sec | Bulb mode is available |
| Photometry | Center weighted TTL average metering upon light depression of shutter release | |
| Battery | CR2 x2 | |
| Size(mm) | W x H x D 158 × 101 × 62 | Excluding protruding parts |
| Weight(g) | R8:890 / R9:790 | Only body |
| Release date | R8:1996-2002 / R9:2002-2003 |
Options
- 14447 [Lithium ion battery DMR]
- 14392 [Standard Screen DMR]
- 14387 [Cross clear glass screen DMR]
- 14343 [Finder screen universal screen R8/R9]
- 14344 [Ground glass screen R8/R9]
- 14345 [Micro Prism Screen R8/R9]
- 14346 [Ground ground glass screen R8/R9]
- 14347 [Cross clear glass screen R8/R9]
Reference links
Update history
- 2025.1.4
- 2024.2.9:Update the article
- 2023.7.31:First draft
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