Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/10/03
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Some Differences between CL Lenses and CLE Lenses
CL Lenses
40 Summicron-C and the 90 Elmar-C both have Series 5.5 filter holders.
The combination Hood and filter holder must be used to retain the
filter.
40 M-Rokkor (first version) and the 90 M-Rokkor (first version) have
40.5 mm filter threads. The 90 M-Rokkor is unique because it was the
Elmar-C with a 40.5mm filter thread. It is the only lens, to my
knowledge, that Leitz ever made with another company name on it.
All four of these lenses have a steeper cam than that on a standard
M-Lenses.
CLE Lenses
The 28, 40 (second version), 90 (second version) M-Rokkors are all new
barrels, with slightly tweaked formulas on the 40 & 90. The filter
thread is 40.5 mm.
The 90 M-Rokkor will key the 90mm framelines on an M. Depending on the
particular sample of the 40 M-rokkor, it will usually key the 50 mm,
but two or three that I have seen at camera shows have actually keyed
the 35mm framelines. The 28 does not key the 28/90framelines, but the
50/75 lines instead. You can have it specially modified to do it. Or
like I do, just use the 28mm Briteline finder.
The cams on the post 1980 M-Rokkors are the same steepness as the
M-lenses.
Just a note, the CLs also differ from the CLEs in one important facet,
the mount on the CLs is not as strong as that of the M. The CLE mount
is an exact copy of the M mount.
Just my $.02.
Pablo
pmendoza@ucsd.edu
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: CL vs CLE features?
Author: dlevy@worldy.com at @UCSD
Date: 03/10/1996 3:05 PM
At 01:24 03/10/96 +0100, you wrote:
>Could someone who is familiar with these two cameras please list their
>features and explain the differences? This information seems quite hard
>to come by. I notice most of the discussion here is about the CL but the
>CLE sneaks an honourable mention here and there.
>--
>joe b.
>
I am not all that familiar with the CLE, but I'll try to give you some
background. Leica developed a relationship with Minolta some years ago (late
60s maybe). Their first cooperative effort according to Leica resources was
the CL. It appears that Leica wanted to develop a lower priced rangefinder
to compete with the developing slr competition and as a result developed
several designs one being a design protype of what evolved into the Minox
35mm clamshell cameras and the CL. It is said the design is totally Leica
with input from Minolta, and others say the opposite, but it really does not
matter. The final body was assembled in Japan at Minalta under Leica
supervision and QC. The Leica CL lenses were from Leica Germany.
As part of this arrangement, Minolta got the rights to market an almost
identical camera in Japan. Mistakenly, it is thought to be the same camera,
but according to several articles from the period there are differences. The
lenses for the Minolta were manufactured in Japan and the body backs are not
interchangable. The filter thread of the lenses are also different because
in Japan they apparently use a different thread.
This accounts for the Leica CL and the Leitz-Minolta CL. Leica marketed the
camera from about 1972 through 1976. After they ended production, Minolta
assumed world-wide sales of the Minolta version and Leica produced the 90mm
Rokkor for it. I do not know when final production ceased.
Minolta thereafter (about 1980, I think) using a body shell which looks very
similar to the CL series and using the Leica M mount produced the CLE. I
think it was aperature priority and manual. Its main differences from a user
stand point was the metering system was changed to read from the film (or
shutter curtain) and the viewfinder was changed to outline a 28mm, 50mm and
90mm lens, rather than the 40, 50 and 90 of the CL series.
The 2+ cameras address the same market conceptually from 2 different ways.
1) Those who like strictly manual cameras and a built in light meter and
those who like more automation. Technically, the CL is more akin to the M
series than the CLE, while the CLE is more akin to the G-1. I think this is
why there is some debate between various owners of these cameras as to which
is preferable. If another poll were taken as to preferences, I surmise the
CL owners would prefer the M series in concept and the CLE owners would
prefer the G-1 in concept. Maybe this would be an interesting marketing
surve for both Contax and Leica.
Now, before everybody rips apart this commentary, I don't have any of my
reference material available and therefore this all from memory. Also, I am
not a collector, or a Leicaphile on the type where I get into the technical
stuff. PLEASE embellish add to, and correct this information so we may all
learn.
Oh, one more thing, though I still don't understand it logically; the
Minolta lenses will work on the M series, but not the Leica produced CL
lenses. Most, but not all M series lenses will work on the CL (because of
the metering arm), but should work on the CLE (with the same limitations as
they do on the M6 because of the metering.
Brian Levy, J.D.
Toronto, Ont.
dlevy@worldy.com
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