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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slr-35mm
The Leica R3 (1976) is the first camera in the Leica R series and the direct successor to the Leicaflex SL2. It represents a fundamental strategic shift: rather than continuing to develop SLR bodies entirely in-house at Wetzlar (as the Leicaflex line had been), Leica entered a co-development agreement with Minolta to share body engineering and reduce manufacturing costs. The R3's internal architecture is closely derived from the Minolta XE-7 (known as the XE-1 in Europe) — a sophisticated aperture-priority camera that had established Minolta's reputation for precision engineering.
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
The R3 marked a turning point — Leica's first SLR built in partnership with Minolta, sharing its body architecture with the Minolta XE-7 while retaining Leica R-mount optics and German quality standards.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Leica R bayonet (3-cam; ROM not supported) |
| Years | 1976–1979 |
| Shutter | 1s – 1/1000s + B, vertical-travel metal blades |
| Flash sync | 1/100s |
| Meter | TTL centre-weighted, EV 1–18 |
| Modes | Aperture-priority, Manual |
| Viewfinder | Pentaprism, 0.8× |
| Weight | ~600 g (body only) |
| Battery | 2× PX13 or SR44 silver oxide |
| Mechanical fallback | None |
The Leicaflex SL2 (1974) had been a refinement of the manual-metering Leicaflex concept, but by the mid-1970s Leica was under significant financial pressure. The Japanese SLR manufacturers — Nikon, Canon, Minolta, Olympus — had surpassed European rivals in both technology and production volume. Leica's solution was to partner with Minolta for SLR body engineering, freeing Leica's Wetzlar operations to focus on M-series rangefinders and R-mount lens development.
The R3 debuted at Photokina 1976. It was manufactured partly in Portugal at Leica's new facility, a further cost-reduction measure that was controversial among traditional Leica users who associated the brand exclusively with Wetzlar. The R3 MOT variant added a winder connection port for an early motor drive accessory, produced in small numbers.
The R3 was produced until 1979, when the R4 (1980) succeeded it with a substantially upgraded feature set including the full PASM mode selection and wider metering options.
The R3 is the entry point to the R-system's co-development era and the most affordable Leica SLR with a modern shutter and metering system. For photographers who want to use the Leica R lens range — particularly Summicron-R, Elmarit-R, and Summilux-R optics — on a working camera rather than a collector piece, the R3 offers aperture-priority automation and a reliable vertical-travel shutter at prices that significantly undercut the SL2 and later R bodies.
Its limitations relative to later R bodies are real: no shutter-priority or programme mode, 1/1000s maximum speed (vs. 1/2000s on the R4 and later), and no ROM lens compatibility. But as a lens-testing and occasional-use body, the R3 is entirely capable.
The Minolta XE-7 heritage also means that certain spare parts and service knowledge overlap with a very common Japanese camera, which is practically useful for repair technicians.
Leica R bayonet mount (3-cam for open-aperture metering; 2-cam lenses work in stop-down mode; 1-cam Leicaflex lenses stop-down only). Compatible lenses: Summicron-R 50/2, Summilux-R 50/1.4, Elmarit-R 28/2.8, Summicron-R 90/2, Elmarit-R 90/2.8, Elmarit-R 135/2.8, Vario-Elmar-R 35–70/3.5. Accessories: Motor R (winder for R3 MOT variant); cable release; interchangeable focusing screens.
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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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