Re: [Leica] M lenses on CL

[Peterson_Art@hq.navsea.navy.mil]

     Robert,
     
     Leica M lenses should have full mounting compatibility with the Leica 
     CL (except for those lenses about which, as you noted, Leica provided 
     warnings).  Leica advised that when using a 35mm lens on the CL, the 
     picture frame should "approximate" (I think that's the word they used) 
     the entire area of the CL's viewfinder (i.e., outside of the camera's 
     40mm framelines).  When using the Tele-Elmarit, you may want to stop 
     down to f/4.0 to ensure focusing accuracy, as you suggest, but I have 
     used the Tele-Elmarit wide open on my CL many times without focusing 
     problems (at least none that are apparent to me, although I do focus 
     carefully in those instances).  I hope that helps.  Enjoy your trip!
     
     Art Peterson
     

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: [Leica] M lenses on CL
Author:  leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us at internet
Date:    2/17/98 9:18 AM


A question for CL users/owners.  For an upcoming extended trip to central 
Asia I will be taking two camera sets, one with 35mm SLRs and the other with 
a Leica M.  My Leica set is a new M6, new 50/2 Summicron, recent (but not 
asph) 35/2 Summicron and a older 90/2.8 Canadian Tele-elmarit.  I also have 
an older Leitz Minolta CL with the Minolta 40/2 and the German Minolta 90/4. 
 The CL has been CLA'ed about 3 times in the 20 years I've had it. Seems to 
work fine.  I would be bringing it along as a backup camera and was hoping 
to leave the 90/4 and if possible the 40/2 home (to save weight/bulk - it 
all adds up).  Last night I was interchanging lenses and noticed that the 
35/2 would not easily mount on the CL (this was the first time I tried it).  
The lens would not turn to the "click" stop with usual force (I did not want 
to try "unusual" force). The 50/2 and 90/2.8 mounted easily and appeared to 
focus properly.  The 90/4 and the 90/2.8 are very similar in size and I 
think I can leave the 90/4 home. I guess I will take the 40/2.
     
My questions are:
     
1. Should I expect any problems with focusing the 50/2 and the 90/2.8 on 
the CL.  I would probably need to keep the 90/2.8 stopped down a stop to 
cover for the shorter rangefinder base.  The focusing cams on the two CL 
lenses are angled much more than the cams on the M lenses and I don't know 
if this makes any difference.  I know the "official" statement from Leica 
(at least Leica USA, when I called a few months ago) was that CL lenses "do 
not focus accurately" on an M body and that this is not the experience of 
many users. I wondered if there was any focusing problems with M lenses on 
a CL
     
2. I am surprised that I cannot mount the 35/2 with usual effort.  Since 
the Leica will be used primarily for B&W I can tolerate "guessing" at the 
frame line (guessing at 35mm from the 40mm lines) which I would need to do 
to use the 35 on the CL but I don't want to break or jam anything, 
especially while traveling. Any thoughts on CL mounting compatibility with 
M lenses? (besides the warnings of meter damage by some retrofocusing wide 
angles and collapsable normal lenses).
     
Thanks for your help.
     
Robert
     
Robert H. Ardinger, Jr., M.D.