Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/06/24
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Sure! The Leica CL is in some ways my favorite camera (and I'm sure I
will overlook some of the many reasons why). As some on this list get
exercised over things like red dots and baseplate stick-ons, let's get
looks out of the way first: I think the CL is as fine a looking camera
as Leica has ever came up with, and finer than many. Concerning more
important matters, the CL is really, REALLY! pocketable with its 40mm
Summicron lens, and we all know, you can't take pictures unless you've
got your camera WITH you. That 40mm lens and the 90mm Elmar designed
to go with it seem to me to be excellent lenses (although if you want
details of lines of resolution and such, you'll have to get that from
someone else). As it happens, I use the also-dropped-from-production
90mm Tele-Elmarit, which is comparably lightweight, compact, and for
my purposes satisfactory as a picture taker with the CL. The CL has a
wonderful spot meter, which is, however, of older, slower technology
than the M6's meter (and requires 1.35 volt batteries, although you
can get around that with the C.R.I.S. voltage-adjusting insert and a
standard #76, 1.5 volt, silver oxide battery); and it has a very handy
edge-overhanging shutter-speed dial (with the shutter speeds visible
in the viewfinder)---which it is inexcusable for the M6 not to have.
Almost all of the M lenses work perfectly well on the CL, exceptions
being older model 21mm and 28mm lenses with rear elements that were
extended back inordinately and so interfere with the CL's meter arm;
and for some reason I don't fathom, my pre-aspherical 35mm Summicron
will not mount on my CL, but so what---I've got the 40mm! And extreme
wide apertures (like f/1.0 or f/1.4, or the 90mm f/2.0) provide too
shallow a depth of field for the CL's small rangefinder baselength to
focus accurately, but I've never had any problem focusing my 40mm f/2
or my 90mm f/2.8, and those lenses are fast enough for most purposes.
Finally, the CL is not as tank-like solid and rigid as the M6, but why
should it be? After all, it was designed to be smaller and lighter,
and you can't have you cake and eat it too! In any case, the CL is
plenty tough and well-made enough to be seen for what it is, a REAL
Leica, and for my money (oh, yes, the CL costs much less than other
Leicas too), it's one of the best---incomparably tiny, convenient, and
unobtrusive---an honest-to-God gem!
Art Peterson
P.S. Collapsable M lenses should not be collapsed on the CL, again due
to interference with (and possible damage to) its meter arm.
Hope that helps!
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: [Leica] leica CL
Author: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us at Internet
Date: 6/24/98 10:24 AM
could someone please discuss the merits or lack thereof of the CL, and the
question of lens interchangeability with the M
TIA
Tom
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<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>could someone please discuss the merits or lack
thereof of the CL, and the question of lens interchangeability with the
M</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>TIA</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>Tom</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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