[Leica] Re: Leica CL quality

["Doug Richardson" <doug@meditor.demon.co.uk>]

"William Gower" <wgower@eco-tec.com> asked:

>Does the CL have a nice Leica "feel" in terms of film advance,
shutter, etc?

And Peterson Arthur G NSSC <PetersonAG@NAVSEA.NAVY.MIL> replied:

>Does the CL have the Leica "feel?" Yes and no. In terms of materials,
fit,
and finish, yes. In that sense, Leicas feel like Leicas, whether made
in
Germany, Canada, Portugal, Japan, or wherever. But in terms of
structural
weight and solidity, no, it does not feel or operate like an "M"
camera,
because it was not designed or intended to match the "M" in that way

As an enthusiastic CL user, I think the full text of Arthur’s reply is
a pretty good response to your question.

A point to keep in mind is that the CL weighs less than 400g, while an
M body is more than 600g. Yet inside both are similar focal-plane
shutters with moving blinds and drums. The M shutter blinds move
horizontally but those of the CL move vertically, but basically when
the press the release there is a comparable amount of mass and
movement involved when the shutter operates.

However there is much less body mass to absorb the mechanical
vibrations and noise from those moving parts. Some people use the word
‘snick’ to describe the sound of a Leica M shutter - with the CL it’s
a louder ‘click’ sound, and you can really feel the mechanical shock
of the shutter tripping. In some respects, it’s a bit like the shutter
of a pre-war screw-mount camera (a model built before brakes were
fitted to the shutter blinds) firing at 1/20, but the sound and
vibration is harsher because the CL body is smaller and lighter than
that of the screw camera.

The CL is a well-built little camera, but in terms of feel is not a
"baby M". It feels different to an M, just as a reflex feels different
to an M.

As to reliability, I’ve only had mine for five years, and the shutter
is starting to hang at 1/60 or slower. I suspect that this is simply a
matter of dried-out lubricant. Leica UK recommends that mechanical
cameras be given a full service every 10 years. My SL2 is of similar
age to my CL, and although little used by its previous owner(s) is
also showing shutter problems, so is currently at Leica for a service.

Regards,

Doug Richardson