Re: Minolta CLE Reliability and Repairability

[dlevy@worldy.com]

At 10:00 AM 12/19/96 PST, you wrote:
>     In the past several days a lot of discussions have been made about CL 
>     and CLE.  Repairability of CLE has been quesitoned a lot and concerned 
>     me.  How reliable has CLE been compared with Leica?  If they are not 
>     so reliable and repair work is not readily available, I will take it 
>     off of my list.  Thank you for any info.
>     
>     Regards,
>     David
>     seungmin@luxcom.com
>
I don't think it is a matter of reliability, but repairability. While there
has been some statements questioning the reliability of the CL, it doesn't
seem any worse than any other high quality camera. Considering we are
discussing the reliability of a camera now some 24 years old. Even my Volvos
aren't that reliable. The CLE seems to have had its problems as well.

The issue then is when (if) something goes wrong; what to do? Leica still
supports the CL without question, but there seemed to be some issues as to
Minoltas support of the CLE. I had talked to Minolta some years ago and was
told they not longer supported the Minolta CL or the CLE. I never confirmed
this since I never owned a CLE. A few questioned whether this was actually
Minolta's position. Here is e-mail from Ed Kowaleski's experience with
Minolta and the CLE: 'I sent a CLE in to Mionlta about three months ago
because the shutter would not operate in "A" mode.  The shutter worked fine
in Manual but when in the Automatic Mode, it would open and not close.  The
diode would 
glow above the 1000 mark and would not change irrespective of light value.
Minolta returned the Camera saying that repair parts were not available but
they would take the Camera and replace it with an X700 (or something like
that) for $200 or $300 (I cant remember - the offer was so absurd I drove it
from my mind).  I wrote a note asking for help or suggestions in this forum
as well as rec.photo.35-mm.equipment but the only response I had was to
change batteries. I sent the camera to a locl repairman who had done some
delicate repairs on an irreplaceable Lihjt meter on a Linhof 220 for me.  He
repaired the unit by disassembling and cleaning the contacts.  I've run
about ten 
rolls of film through it since and it has worked well. I agree with those
who say that the CLE is what the M6 should have been. Hope this helps. Ed
Kowaleski'.

I think that this addresses the issue as to Minolta's support. The Minolta
and CLE are not serviced by Minolta, and therefore except for the remaining
existing stock they sold in NJ some years ago, you will need to scavange
parts. This means increasing scarce and more expensive parts. I think the
reality is for the USER, the Leica CL is the way to go, and for the light
user/collector the Minolta CL/CLE.

  

Brian Levy, J.D.
Agincourt Ont.
dlevy@worldy.com