Leica CL -- Addendum

[Afterswift@aol.com]

<<The CL, due to its delicate mechanism (a less sturdy semiphore meter 

     than the M5) and shorter rangefinder base, is designed as a travel 

     camera, not an everyday use professional rig.  It produces wonderful 

     photographs, and I saw quite a few used by the college paper, but it 

     lacks full compatibility with the entire Leica range, so cannot be 

     truly considered professional. --Pablo Mendoza>>

Pablo,

I'm a partisan of the Leica CL because it stands outside the M and any other
class -- in its own.

I wouldn't think of using M lenses with it, or any M accessory. And I
wouldn't use CL lenses on an M. The CL has its own use, which to me has
always been the quiet, cerebral work of field and art photography. 

The reason I call attention to the CL is simply that I'm sending a message to
Leica that the CL should be resurrected. There's a large market for it now;
folks who've graduated from auto P&S pablum and want a really good lens
system under full manual control, but who can't afford the thousands of
dollars a new or even used M system would cost -- and who don't want to lug a
heavy system.

 The new version should have an LED meter display and a faster take up spool
method. A hinged back should also be considered; altho I'm now accustomed to
the present very compact, solid system. The vertical shutter dial is
innovative and might be retained. Flash could be synchronized up to 1/250.
The 2-lens 40/90  should remain the same. 

As for the short rangefinder base, personally I seldom use the rangefinder
with the 40mm, setting the distance by judgment mostly. A magnifier at the
viewfinder eyepiece could easily improve it.

I assume that most of the original CL manufacturing dies may still be
available; and that Minolta would work with Leica to produce the new CL.   

The fact is that pro work can be done with a CL within its sphere. A new CL
would sell a lot of other Leica models. I haven't outgrown my Leica CL; tho I
do use other Leicas for more strenuous projects. The CL is the true compact
complement to the M system.

Re the M5, I never considered buying one. I felt it was out of proportion.
Almost all its advantages could easily have been incorporated into the
standard M body design -- which proved to be the case.

Bob Rosen