Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/01/21

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Subject: [Leica] CLE... ?
From: douglas.sharp at gmx.de (Douglas Sharp)
Date: Sat Jan 21 00:43:10 2006
References: <A9CC5D6B-62F9-4786-9709-45C366F5A327@cox.net> <f0285b596499ea3f125c56814518286b@ncable.net.au>

Hello Seve,
I still use one, same set as Alastair had. As Sonny mentioned, you can't 
easily use it manually because the meter switches off in manual mode. 
Otherwise it's a lovely little camera and has excellent accurate auto 
metering, even for very long shutter speeds. Perfect automatic TTL-flash 
too.
There are some limitations, Minolta published a list of lenses which are 
incompatible and some which are not recommended for use with the 
CLE.When I find the sheet I'll let you know which lenses, AFAIR, it was 
the usual issues with aertures of f2 and under (Noctilux for example) 
older 21mm, the 2/90, 135mm were not recommended either.There was also 
something about lenses/hoods obscuring the RF/VF windows
Although Minolta refuese to repair them,  repairers can replace the 
electronics with the circuit board with the "innards" of one of the 
Minolta AE SLRs,
I think it was the XG or XM, maybe someone else on the list knows.
Douglas

Alastair Firkin wrote:

> Hi Steve,
> I'm having a bit of a nostalgia trip anyway, so I was working on my 
> Tribute to Minolta as I caught up with the LUG. I fell in love with 
> the CLE in the 80's and here is one of the articles which had me lusting.
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/Articles
>
> There are 4 pages, you can download the pdf of the pages here:
>
>  http://homepage.mac.com/firkin/FileSharing45.html
>
> Then I found one in about 1985: a complete kit: camera, lenes, the 
> leather carry bag, the flash, the cable release, filters boxes and 
> loads of information. I sold it all giving up all my accumulated stuff 
> to the next owner, who I hope was as delighted as I was when I got the 
> "kit". I had sold it because it was beginning to play up and Minolta 
> would not touch it with a barge pole. Everyone I asked about it said 
> this was a known problem with a circuit board: my meter was "dicky", 
> so with great sadness and as one of the only things I have ever sold, 
> I gave it up.
>
> Great camera: expensive at the time: lousy back up
>
> Cheers
> On 21/01/2006, at 12:36, Steve Barbour wrote:
>
>> I have been intrigued by a Minolta CLE body...a mint specimen,  
>> almost enough to buy it...
>>
>> but I am concerned re its usefulness for an M shooter, it non- 
>> compatability with certain M lenses, and in the event of a failure...
>>
>> trying to get it repaired, especially its electronic circuit board...
>>
>> your thoughts? yeh or neh..?
>>
>> thanks,  Steve
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>>
>>
> Alastair
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>

Replies: Reply from douglas.sharp at gmx.de (Douglas Sharp) ([Leica] CLE... ?)
In reply to: Message from kididdoc at cox.net (Steve Barbour) ([Leica] CLE... ?)
Message from firkin at ncable.net.au (Alastair Firkin) ([Leica] CLE... ?)