The Leica Digital Back R that was released July 2005 and fit the Leica R8 and R9 film SLRs - you can simply change the back to digital and back in a matter of seconds and thus have a film and digital camera in one.

For comparison, check out the Leica D1 examples and the D2 examples

I had the opportunity to test the camera for half an hour in June 2005 just before it was released in July 2005. Here is a couple of test shots made with my own 80mm f/1.4 and the 21-35mm zoom. These shots were made with the original 1.0 firmware. The latest firmware can be downloaded here.

The DMR manual can be downloaded here.

I will add further shots when I get my own sample later in 2005.

Leica DMR with 21-35mm, 100 ISO. Download original RAW file here [20 MB]

Leica DMR with 80mm f/1.4, 100 ISO. Download original RAW file here [20 MB]

Leica DMR with 80mm f/1.4, 100 ISO. Download original RAW file here [20 MB]

Leica DMR with 80mm f/1.4, 100 ISO. Download original RAW file here [20 MB]

My impression so far?
Well, that it handles files very like Canon EOS 1Ds MkII but is a Leica. It is very simple to use (they could have saved the manual) and the few things that did not work (memory count and battery) was fixed in the firmware release 1.1 that came at the same time as the DMR in July 2005. Contrary to others belief, I don't thinkt he 21-35mm zoom is great with the DMR.
Else I'll wait till I get my own. The above shots were done in strong sunlight and I usually don't shoot that kind of pictures.

For a briefing from LFI on the deveopment of the Digital Back R in October 2003 [PDF] click here.

23 November 2004 there was a live chat on Leica where Leica answered questions on-line via chat. Two seperate forums, one in German, one in English. You can download PDF's of what was said here:
English PDF / German PDF

For a briefing from LFI in May 2004 on the deveopment of the Digital Back R at Hasselblad-Imacon in Denmark, read this excert from their May issue [PDF] click here.

Also LFI August 2005 has a comparison test between DMR and Canon [not online]

A shot released during the chat on 23 November 2004 of a DMR picture. 19 mm F 2.8 @ 2.8 100 ISO. The full-size image can be downloaded from the Leica homepage: 7 MB JPG or 29 MB TIFF

19 mm F 2.8 @ 2.8 100 ISO

A dummy of the R9 with the Digital Back R (graphics, May 2004)

A R9 with the Digital Back R (photo/graphics, August 2004)

A dummy of the R9 with the Digital Back R (May 2004)

Digital Back R will fit the R8 and R9 cameras and will have a 10 - 11 Mpixel resolution.

The Digital Back R will allow the photographer to use the full range of R lenses from Leica.

It is being deveoped with Danish scanner-manufacturer Imacon and Kodak.

From LFI no4, May 2004