R-Mount.com is an independent, non-commercial enthusiast resource with one purpose: to give the Leica R-mount camera system the attention it deserves.
Ask most photographers about Leica and the conversation quickly turns to the M-mount — the rangefinder system that has defined the brand's public identity for decades. The M system is iconic, beautifully made, and supported by a vast body of literature, communities, and collector enthusiasm. It is, in many respects, the best-known camera system in the world of serious photography.
But Leica made another system — one that spent 45 years in quiet parallel with the M, producing some of the finest single-lens reflex cameras and lenses ever manufactured. The R-mount system, born in 1964 as the Leicaflex and concluded in 2009 with the final R9 bodies, is today frequently overlooked, passed over by collectors drawn to the M, and undervalued by photographers who don't realise what they're missing.
We think that's a mistake — and this website exists to make the case.
The R system's relative obscurity in collector circles is, paradoxically, one of its greatest practical advantages. R-mount bodies and lenses regularly appear on the used market at a fraction of the price of equivalent M-system glass — not because they are inferior, but simply because fewer people are looking for them.
What they offer is remarkable. The lenses produced for the R-mount — Summicron-Rs, Summilux-Rs, APO-Elmarit-Rs, and the legendary APO-Macro-Elmarit-R — are genuine Leica optics, manufactured to the same exacting standards as any glass bearing the Leica name. They use the same optical formulas, the same glass types, the same quality control. The "R" in R-mount does not stand for a lesser tier of Leica engineering.
On film, these lenses produce images that are immediately recognisable as Leica: precise, luminous, with a tonal character that no amount of post-processing can replicate. Adapted to modern mirrorless cameras — where the R-mount's 47mm flange distance makes it a natural fit — they perform extraordinarily well even on today's highest-resolution sensors.
R-Mount.com aims to be the most useful English-language resource for anyone interested in the Leica R system — whether you are considering your first R-body, looking to understand which lenses are compatible with your camera, researching the history of a particular model, or seeking practical guidance on using R-mount glass on modern digital equipment.
We publish camera guides, lens reviews, buying advice, historical articles, and community showcases. Everything on this site is written by enthusiasts for enthusiasts, without commercial interest or manufacturer relationships of any kind.
If you have questions, corrections, or contributions, we welcome you to get in touch.
Reach the webmaster at webmaster@r-mount.com