Book excerpt: Researched and written with the full co-operation of the factory, here in definitive detail is the story of the SLRs that saved the Leica brand, along with the numerous lenses sold alongside them. All variations are covered, including official limited editions, allowing collectors to use the book for reference, or simply enjoy the stunning photography - mostly contemporary and original, some taken specially for the book - gathered from all over the world. Successful immediately, these SLR models ran alongside the legendary M-series to defend Leica's honour in the showrooms at a time when it looked like the Japanese had the camera market sewn up. Today, the R-series (1976-2009) is becoming more and more collectable, so this authoritative guide is timely.