Leica CL Review (35mm M-mount rangefinder)
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- čas přidán 15. 01. 2018
- In this video, Jules and I review the original Leica CL which was first introduced in 1973 but already discontinued only three years later. Despite being a Leica, the camera was "made in Japan" and created in collaboration with Minolta. The camera is also the cheapest way to get into the M-mount system but it comes with a couple of shortcomings.
We've tested the camera during photo walk in Munich and Salzburg. Let's take a closer look and see whether we would recommend it.
Equipment:
Leica CL with
40mm Voigtländer Nokton f/1.4
Films used:
Kodak T-Max 400
Fujicolor 400
Dev & Scan:
www.meinfilmlab.de
If you'd like to get in touch or see some early behind the scenes footage, find me on Instagram: / analog_insights
Love your videos, the music, the comments, the way it all comes together.
Keep up the fantastic work!
This was my first quasi-Leica camera. It’s charming in its own way and I had a lot of memories in my life associated with it. I ended up selling it a few years ago but some of my favorite photos were taken with it.
I love my CL! It's little, light, and very ergonimic in my little hands!
I like where the speed dial is, and I also like the way to load the film.
The new 50mm Summarit 2.5 is perfect for it!
And always your great scans...
I've got the Japanese Minolta CL version, which is basically the same camera, with a Rokkor 40mm, and it's really great to shoot with. See it as an affordable M mount camera!
What's up Max? Yes what makes your videos special is the emphasis you put on history of the camera. And also not rushing. There's only a few channels that put all that together in one package. I actually never heard of this camera before so it was even more interesting.
Thank you for your comment and please excuse my late response. Glad to hear you like our mixture so much. Really appreciated! :)
The quality of your videos is so excellent - the best out there in my opinion. Thanks, and please keep them coming.
David van Sluis Thank you so much for your kind words. I really appreciate your feedback a lot! 🙏🏻
Another nice vlog. Love the B&W architectural shots. Keep clicking keep inspiring ta
Thanks, Hugo! :)
I like this calm friendly intimate atmosphere of your videos. Info and reviews r great. I may add only one suggestion. Will be interesting to see crops or original scans from your shoots.
another entertaining and informative video. i was considering this or the minolta cle for a long time but ended up getting an M5 which ive very much enjoyed. also nice to see you guys use some color film again. i always love the results you get.
Love your videos -- I own the Leitz Minolta CL version of this camera and really love it! All of its quirks you really get used to and I've found it to be a great lightweight, discrete street photography camera. I think the 40mm focal length is great for street shooting too.
Can't wait to see more of your reviews.
The CL had many of the same problems in manufacture as the Rollei 35, and the Leica M5 they were designed and built in an analog era without the kind of sophisticated design and materials that we enjoy now. It was only a small improvement in the design of a ttl light metering system that really separated the CL and the M5 from the M6, and maybe Minolta recognized this in the CLE. Regardless, the evolution of design of a small pocket sized high quality camera has advanced well into the digital age. I have many fine Kodachrome slides that I shot with my Leica CL.and the 40mm summicron and 90 Elmer, a kit that I bought in the 1980’s for $450.00, and eventually traded in for a Leica M6. In photography as well as science, the idea is paramount, if an idea of a camera is good it can be built upon to improve and evolve it for generations. I still enjoy using a TL 30+ years after I first bought mine, and I have happily used the 40mm summicron on my M6 and M240.
I have a CL as a backup for my M6. But I like it so much, I've started using it by itself more and more. It really is a very handy size for carrying around. Looking for the 40mm Rokkor lens now :-)
I had always wondered about this model, and was always advised against it. Now I understand why. Thanks for a fantastic review.
Another great , well put together video guys.
Thanks! :)
once again great fun to watch your video. And I like the performance of the Voigtlaender lens.
Thanks for your comment. Yes, the 40mm Voigtländer Nokton is quite a decent lens. The only thing I don't like about it is its performance when shot wide open or around f/1.8 due to the busy bokeh and other quirks. But once you stop down a bit, it creates a wonderful look. The S.C. version (which we are using) is ideal for black and white.
Great review as always, wonderful video!
Thanks! :)
Another great review guys, good work
Thanks so much! :)
Nice images from one of the best compact rangefinder.
Only one correction: the Minolta CLE is a very different camera (not like the Leitz-Minolta CL, which is virtually the same). The CLE has a rangefinder with a wider frame for the M-Rokkor 28mm. And it has an aperture priority automatic exposure with a different light meter system.
Besides I think the limiitations you mentiioned, smaller range finder measuring base and some incompatible lens. are not as limiting as many people say. I have a 90mm 2,8 on my CL and rather any issue with metering, to me it iis more important to have a bright and cleat "double spot" to adjust the distance than a extremely wide measuring base (like the M has). The "double spot" of the fuji 645 (which you presented here also) for example is really bad compared to a CL, dark and difficult to recognize.
And for the incompatible lenses, the sensor is not popping out of the bottom (like the M5) but "swinging" from the side, very flat over the shutter. So my collapsible summicron 50mm doesn't scratch the senso... ( a hologon probably will do... but who owns one..?.. I guess less than 100 people at all..)
Wish you all the best...and more videos of classical cameras..
Didn't watch this before I purchased a CL myself in March, but after shooting with it for two months, I've no regrets. Perhaps having smaller hands help, but the handling (especially the shutter speed dial) becomes quite intuitive after a while. The film spool worries me a little, but for someone with no prior experience with Leica M cameras, the CL is a great small rangefinder, very pocketable, and focussing is easy enough with the bright rangefinder patch. Loved this video though, very well-paced and thought out!
Awesome content! i just love your videos, so informative!... I was going to get my self a Leica CL last year but after some research I opted for a different camera. And now that I have watched your review I would probably be saving my money for a Leica M2 or M3 instead
I love my M3 so much. Also, I sent you a message on Insta, Jess. ;)
I love watching your videos! They're very informative and motivates me to keep on shooting. Hopefully, in the future you have time to do a review for the Leica M2 or M3. Cheers!
Thanks so much for your kind comment and please excuse my late response. Yes, there will probably be a review of my double-stroke Leica M3 at some point. :)
A real quirky little camera.....well presented as always, really enjoy your video's
Keep watching your clips for last couple of months. Love them very much (actually I’ve finished all of your clips)
Hoping there will be a review for Nokton 40mm f1.4 ( I’m looking for it for my very first m lens)
Please keep making these amazing videos^^
Thanks so much for your kind comment. Makes us very happy to read that. Puh, a review of the 40mm Nokton is a bit unlikely as we have so much other ideas in the pipeline right now. It's certainly a good lens to start. Yet, personally I would recommend getting a standard focal length like either 50mm or 35mm (depending on your preferences). This is much more compatible with Leica M rangefinders that you probably might want to buy later down the road.
I can also recommend the 35mm Voigtländer Color-Skopar or 35mm Nokton (as long as you're aware that you shouldn't shoot it wide open and expect magic). I also have a review of the 50mm Nokton f/1.5 up on the channel, a lens I consider amazing and also a great entry to the system. :)
Hope this helps.
Thanks for the great review of the ‘original’ Leica CL - thank you also for making the beautiful settings in Germany. When I was in Berlin last year I took my Leica M9 with the same lens you used here (40mm Voigtlander f1.4) on a photowalk. You will see the video on my chanel. It is such a great little lens! But sadly, it does not get frame lines in the Leica M9! I have been tempted to buy a Leica CL because of the size, but also because they are affordable. For now I am shooting film on a Canonet QL17 III. Which, as you mentioned, is also a 40mm focal length. Thanks once again for a great video! I have subscribed. Regards from Cape Town.
Thanks so much for your incredibly kind comment. We really appreciate it. Interesting to hear that you have the same little lens and enjoy shooting it. I'll take a look at your channel, thanks for pointing that out. :)
Thank you for this very informative video. By coincidence I just bought this camera and the very same lens. (from separate sellers) I hope I can take pictures a tenth as good as yours....
Thank you very much. As a budget way to get back into film this may be an aswer for me. I can buy this CL and spend the money on a good 40mm lense. Later buy a Leica M.
This was my first Leica camera in early 2000’s. I managed to get a good deal on eBay for £600 that came in the original presentation box with a Leica Summicron-C 40mm f2 and the Elmar-C 90mm f4. Excellent small body camera. Love it!
Edit: Both lenses in good condition. I occasionally use the 40 on my M-10P if I want to travel (digital) light.
Definitely no chance of picking up one at that price today.
I bought a CL yesterday with original bag, shoulder strap, Summicron-C 40mm, Elmar-C 90mm, Both Rubber Lens Hoods, Lens case for 90mm and b&w 5.5 UV filter. Lenses in Great condition. Camera Rangefinder is slightly off, light Meter doesnt work correctly (2 stops off) But shutter speeds are Perfect. I paid 500€. Even with the Problems at the camera, a Great Deal.
I don't own a CL but I do own the 40mm kit lens that the camera comes with and it is one of my absolute favorite lenses that basically lives on my Sony camera when I don't need the speed of autofocus or a longer focal length for professional work.
Great review Max. At one time I had thoughts about acquiring a CL, but feel better now about my decision to get a M6 instead (future wish list lol...MF comes first). Keep up the good work.
Very informative ! I suggest also a review of the excellent Konica Hexar RF! Keep up the good work.
Thanks for your review on this little camera, Max. My father passed his on to me just recently and after giving it fresh batteries and a roll of B&W film, I too noticed the quirkiness of the light meter and other features. Loading the film frustrated the hell out of me, but I eventually worked it out. I took a few test shots with my Summicron-C 40mm F2, but obviously I'm way off finishing the film. I decided not to trust the built-in meter and used the external light meter. My version of the Leica CL doesn't have the red Leica symbol on the front, so it's interesting to see the differences in the built finish of these cameras - this one my father had was sold by a dealer in Australia. Anyway, thanks for this review and I look forward to seeing more content.
He added the red logo
Toller Review, qualitativ sehr gute Infos, toll produziert, mehr geht nicht! Eine Freude das anzusehen. Jetzt bleibt für mich die Frage ob ich mit der CL einen Versuch wage oder nicht:)
Hey Max, great review and many other great videos on your blog. I've been looking for a really small camera for the last few months and I thought the CL could be my choice, but she didn't convince me 100%. As you said, the CL is a "cheaper" way to get into the M-mount system, but today I decided to drive a lot cheaper and got a Minox 35 GT for free ;-) (my claim was "very small", not necessarily the entry into the Leica world). I hope to see you on the 26th of May.
Rob G. Thanks for your comment. That sounds great. Congrats on your free new camera. How did that happen?
Sure, I’ll be there at the 26th of May and promote the meet up on the channel soon. :)
As happens sometimes, a good friend found the Minox in the attic and didn't know what to do with it. Looking forward to the meet up ...
I like the look of these as a companion to my M3 and M8
Great video! Thank you for these reviews!
Guys, please let me know whats is the music that you use in this video? Shazzam gave me 4 different tracks but none of these seems to be right.
What a beauty camera!!! Nice pictures You take 👌
As always, this video and the images included in it are fantastic! Thank you for this very informative review. Just wondering if you guys are interested in the Voigtlander Bessa rangefinders. It will be super nice to see some reviews about those cameras and the native Voigtlander lenses of course.
Thanks so much for your comment and kind words. Yes, the Voigtländer Bessa rangefinders are definitely interesting as well. We'll review one of them if we get a chance to do so.
It’s always such a strange sight to see you walk through Germany in your videos because you’re the Frenchest looking person I’ve ever seen
Germans marching through France is standard procedure though
@@Greg88888 LOL
it is austria not germany in that video
@@torbenweber4281 He still looks peak French
Cartier-Bresson used one late in his career. I would get the Minolta CLE. I love 40mm on the current digital Ms.
Hello, nice vid! I have the cl, but I can't get the light meter to work. Could you please let me know what battery you are using for it please?
Thanks so much for this review. i know it’s a little older, but it has been extremely helpful in my decision to buy this camera or not. I already own an M4-P and am looking for a second body as a light backup. Looks like this camera and a 40mm Rokkor might work well for me, based on your review. Thanks!
M4-P + CL is what I just for some time. The CL is a neat addition indeed. Did you get one in the meantime?
I have one to sell actually, it comes with a new battery and the 40mm f2 objectiv. There are no dents at all just some minor scratches, otherwise it is faultless.
Interesting review - I'd value your opinion on the CLE too.
Excellent review as always, Max. Interested in your comparison between the Voigtlander Nokton/Ultron asph. and Leica Summicron 40mm lenses sometime. Surprised you used a Nokton f1.4 40mm lens for this review, when the primary interest in having a CL body is having access to Leica M lenses in a compact format.
Lots of excellent shots in there.
hello～thanks for great video, can i use the Elmar 90mm f4 Collapsible lens on this camera, is it possible to damage the inside light meter?
A very informative and fair review. I was waiting for you to mention the short rangefinder base, which is the chief reason I sold my Minolta CL (same camera) after shooting just three rolls. But thanks to this video I just revisited those three rolls and was reminded of how good this camera can be. Now I'm sort of regretting getting rid of it. Oh, such is the life of a photographer and gearhead!
Thanks for your comment and sorry to hear that you feel a bit bad about your past decision. Personally, I still think you made the right choice. There are simply much better Leica M rangefinders. :)
I just enjoyed having a compact RF. I used LTM lenses with adapters, anyway, so not a bit loss.
And you're right about there being better Leica M mount rangefinders - any of them, in fact.
Veei useful video, thanks. I am thinking to get one leica cl. Which battery are you using? Any issue with Px625a with 1,5v? Thanks
Great review ... and maybe a camera I’ll search for.
I have one to sell actually, it comes with a new battery and the 40mm f2 objectiv. There are no dents at all just some minor scratches, otherwise it is faultless
HI Guys, another very good review. I'd just like to make a note that the absolute best viewfinder and rangefinder patch can be found on the M3.. which you compare to the Leica CL! Viewfinders from Leica since then have not been up to the same standard, so perhaps you might want to compare the CL to perhaps the M6 (which also has duplicated frame-lines, and has flare issues, and has a exposure meter).. Otherwise excellent, and nice music selection.
Great review of the Leica CL. It really gives you a chance to decide for yourself even without actually touching the camera.
Any chance you can review the Nikka 5L or the Tower 45/46 camera? Tthey are almost the same camera. It's a Japanese Leica copy with the best of IIIF and M3 combined for LTM lenses. The Tower 46 came equipped with a highly regarded Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 lens.
A very informative and pleasant video. What was the music? Thank you.
Great review, that's how it should be done
Great review. I'm using the same combo.
Please help, how do you get the red logo below LEICA CL? Where can I buy it?
Huy Tran It’s a sticker,you can find it online
Gut dass ich immer weiß dass es ein analog Insights review gibt wenn ich über eine neue Kamera nachdenke... 😄
The CLE is a far superior camera and way more Leica like.
The CLE has a lovely metering system and very easy to use, and I love mine, as does everyone else that I’ve heard of.
The other great advantage of a CLE is that you don’t have the ridiculous film loading that you have with most old Leica’s, as it a conventional back that swings open, this coupled with great optics.
agree, the CLE is great. And having the ability to attach a remote shutter cable, and also a self timer can be very useful for low iso long exposure shots.
The prices are pretty high these days. Also, not a huge deal, but that ridiculous light for the self timer right on the front really throws off the aesthetics for me. Again, not a huge deal, just looks cheap and consumer. Like, someone who is serious about photography is using a self timer so much where it warrants a blinking light?? Gotta make sure Aunt Sue knows when that shutter is about to go off... she ALWAYS ruins family portraits.
The CLE is all electronical though....once it's done it's toast. The CL is mechanical so it can be easily serviced or repaired :)
I bought one of these when they first came out and never regretted it-- it's needed to be serviced a couple times, but still works fine, even the meter. It is my standard travel camera.
The limitations that they mention are real, but not that serious. You learn the meter needle direction quickly. The viewfinder is a bit confusing if you use a 50, yes, but new Leica Ms all show several frames with each setting as well.
I like mine so much that when I was worried it had worn out I bought a second, although I was able to repair the first so it's just fine again.
These cameras work very well with wider-angle lenses. The Canon 25 (very old) and the Voigtlander 15 that I have both stick back into the camera a bit, but not enough to worry about.
I would like to ask Voigtlander 35mm f / 1.4 and 7artisans 35mm f / 2 for Leica M6 which is better?
Great review as always. It would be nice if you could incorporate the aperture and shutter speed in the photos. Helps a lot as a guide for exposing in different light environments
Extremely enjoyable review. You should review the Rollei 35 sometime.
Thanks for your kind comment, guys! I'll put it on our list. I'm also quite curious about this little camera. :)
We just did: czcams.com/video/J9PwqDf3AMQ/video.html :)
Excellent review. Based upon your comments, I would forego buying a Leica CL and get a regular M mount Leica instead, if I were making that kind of substantial investment. I would love to see you review the Leica R series, as I have 3 of these cameras.
Thanks for your comment. Yes, this sums up our suggestion quite well. Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to try any Leica R so far but would certainly be interested. Maybe I get a chance to do so and then we'll see whether we put up a review. :)
Interesting as always. Would perhaps have been useful to mention that you either have to use the expensive Weincell batteries or buy a camera where the voltage problem is solved (since you no longer can buy PX625 batteries)
Thanks for your comment. Yes, you're right. I forgot to mention that. Sorry, and thanks for pointing it out. :)
Maxxy I just thought of something no one has before mentioned. Jules seems like a cool dude, very focused. Is there a reason we don't hear him speak in the episodes? He reminds me of myself, a camera geek/collector.
Thanks for your comment. Well, Jules simply prefers to stay in the background. And yes, he does talk and is one of the coolest dudes out there. :)
Sweet, another great video from you guys!! It seemed like you had a couple vertical photos in the video, is that what you or Jules prefers?
Thanks for your kind comment. No, not generally. It really depends on the subject and which composition fits best. .)
Thank you my friend! Very good video 👍🙌
I love the Nokton 40mm f/1.4. It produces the prettiest bokeh of all Voigtlander lenses IMO.
Seunghwan Lee It is a pretty nice lens as long as you stop it down a bit. :)
Can I ask what the background music is? I really like it, Thank you
I hope you could make an episode for Minolta CLE.
Should the shutter dial be difficult to turn? Mine isn’t very smooth and it’s not easy to turn it with one finger
You said it yourself. It wasn't DESIGNED to compete with the Ms, but it did because people REALLY disliked the M5 ... a lot. But it was really designed to compete with the compacts put out by its competitors. Compared to THEM, the build quality was fine. For me, I wanted a camera I could carry around in my pocket with a rangefinder and a meter and full creative control. Bonus it could use my M2's lenses, but even if it couldn't, the Leica CL 40 was a great lens and it stayed on the camera most of the time. I'd much rather use it than cameras like the Konica, Minolta, Nikon, and canon compacts of the 70s (good as they were). And I liked it better later than the Rolleis, Minox 35s, and even the Contax T2 because I had the meter and rangefinder and manual focusing. Sure I'd rather use the M2 but that was a bit too heavy to throw in your pocket. I just wish they had made the standard lens a 50. Oh and yes the lack of a 35 frame line is annoying, but the M3 had the same problem. It needed the 35 with the "eyes" assembly. Which is why I got the M2. As always good review and keep up the good work.
Idk if sale numbers back that. Leitz build and eventually sold 35.000 M5 in a product live of 4 years. The M4 sold around what? 69.000 in 8 years? The M5 doesn't sound as a failure at. Might be even more if I'd had not been discontinued that early.
A wonderful video, and also Salzburg is a lovely city , I enjoyed it every time I was there.
What Scanner did you use ?
Sorry ... you were using a lab for scanning, I get it :-)!
Why did you add a red Leica dot to the body when it never was produced with one?
Like your work!
Thanks! :)
Nice music Jules ;)
as standard wonderful video absolutely loved it and the image at 12:40 i would love as a print its great :D
but i do have a question about the 40mm as a focal length
A. how would you compare it to a 50mm (that being my main focal length)
as always keep up the great work
Thanks for your comment and sorry about my late response. Well, the 40mm focal length is very close to how the human eye perceives the world and, as you probably know, became a standard in the 1970s and later for compact cameras. I am not terribly fond of it as it lacks a bit of the special look of other focal lengths. I'm a 50mm shooter as well and will always prefer shooting a 50mm over a 40mm. In my opinion, 40mm is not wide enough to be interesting and yet not "normal" enough to serve well for portraits. Simply not my cup of tea. :)
The 40mm Minolta Rokkor is a superb lens. I'm loving the 40mm field of view. (Also, on an M9 the 40mm matches the 35mm frame lines perfectly)
My CL is my standard travel camera because of its size and internal meter, plus it works beautifully wth the new voigtlander lenses such as the 15mm. I also have an old Canon 25mm that works well with it. I usually take the 90 with but never use it.
I got the opporutnity to shoot with one of these at my local camera store. So funky. Not very "Leica" but I enjoyed it a lot. By the way, what's the best way to reach you and Jules? I just helped launch a modern film camera on Kickstarter that I'd love to talk to you about. :)
Thanks for your comment. Sure, just reach out to me via Instagram (instagram.com/maxplustwo/) or sent me a message via my website (www.maxplusone.net). I'd love to talk about your project. Sounds very interesting.
Nice little camera, the Minolta CLE is far superior ( I have used both) the upside down metering is not uncommon - my beautiful REAL Nikon FT2 does the same thing. You just get used to it. Wish Nikon still made cameras to last forever not the Made in.... for the cheapest lowest quality possible. Nothing against Leica (have an M6 ttl) the CL has its place in history. Great fun video.
Thanks for your comment. And yes, I agree the CL certainly has its place in history. :)
Love your videos :)
Thanks so much! Glad to hear that. :)
Hey awesome video guys!
Just a small thing that might help us the name of the band/song name! This one reminds me a lot of The XX.
Thanks for your comment. Yes, I also instantly really liked this song. As all of our music by now, I found it on Epidemic Sound (www.epidemicsound.com). The song is by Jack Elphick and called "Lonely Guitars Nr. 02". Hope this helps.
I sold these cameras new when they were introduced. Leica (originally known as E. Leitz Inc.) only wanted to offer the two lenses, the 40mm and the 90mm. Their opinion was that due to the shorter rangefinder base, there was not sufficient accuracy to allow precise focusing with longer focal lengths. The regional rep at the time told us that over 80% of the product (manufactured by Minolta) received by Leica was manufactured so far out of tolerance, they were unable to adjust them in to tolerance with they arrived into the USA. Minolta would continue on the produce several of the R series Leica SLR cameras up into the 1980's. At a minimum, several R series SLR models shared their designs with Minolta models produced at the time.
That's very interesting. Thanks a lot for pointing this out and letting us know! I really appreciate it. :)
Want to know what background music is?
Nice video and review. I love my CL. It's just me I know but it kind of irks me to see the Leica dot on the camera. It never came with it and I wonder why people feel the need to add such things to cameras. :)
Thanks for your comment. Yes, I agree. We also wondered why the previous owner had added the Leica dot on the camera. But hey...never mind. :)
War meine erste Leica; konnte ich mir gerade so leisten.
Nun habe ich sie noch immer. Im Vergleich zu den heutigen digitalen Apparaten mit irre vielen Menüs und Einstellungsmöglichkeiten, die mich jedenfalls oft überfordern, einfach intuitiv zu bedienen.
PROBLEM, vor allem: Es gibt die passende Quecksilber-Batterie nicht mehr mit 1,35 V (PX625). Also keine korrekte Belichtungsmessung möglich mit 1,5 V- Batterie.
Wie hast du denn die Belichtung gemessen?
Dafür gibt es mittlerweile sogenannte Weincells als Alternativen. Zudem gibt es Adapter mit denen man 1,5V Batterien auf die benötigte Spannung reduzieren kann.
Fine review Max, excellent as always. But only a question - why is that, hereby a "fake" red Leica dot, because it isn't ordinary being attached to this Minolta "Made in Japan" Leica CL ? 🙂
Thank you. Well, the previous owner had put it there and Jules just kept it on the camera.
@@AnalogInsights No problem, i was just curious. 🙂 Love your videos since 2016, Max. A fine sunday.
@@marcp.1752 Thanks so much. This means a lot to me. 🙏🏻
Schöner Film mit Werbung für München und Schoenwalde. Danke!😎
i have the choice to get this or the M3 .. what do you guys think?
m3. build quality is on another level
At the same price? I hope you took the M3
Accurate and easy to acquire target
Its a nice camera.
Another excellent review. Maybe the best way to get into the Leica M system is to buy a user M3, the oldest but also the best of the early Ms, and produced in large quantities, so now better valuethan the other Ms.
Max and Jules, another very well put together review, and the results speak for themselves, but I do prefer the handling of my M2. Looking forward to your next video.
Thanks for your comment. And yes, I personally also prefer the handling of my M3 and M6 a lot over that of the CL. Bu they, as mentioned somewhere else here in the comments, the Leica CL certainly has its place in history. :)
Hello Max, I'm not a photographer but a hobby shooter. I'm a little bit confused because you say that you are not satisfied with the image quality of the pictures! For me is important 1) the film es flat, 2) the film has a high resolution, and 3) the lens is high quality. In the end, the body is not so important, OR AM I WRONG? rgds wolfgang
Quite ok the image quality
How does that have a red dot?
I was thinking the same thing
Thanks
6:47 hahahahahahaha
Really made my day
Hi guys, love the channel and reviews. Could you do a review of the Panasonic DMC-LX5 please? Phil
I absolutely adore your channel and i have watched almost all of your videos. There's only one thing I wanted to get off my chest. All those upwards building shots are practically by default rubbish. Waisted frames in my opinion. Work on those interesting compositions.
Thanks for your kind and honest feedback. I really appreciate it and can see your point (by now). Will try to avoid these in the future. :)
Did you glue a red dot onto the camera? I have seen many, many CLs and never one with the dot.
Thanks for your comment. The previous owner put the red dot onto the camera and I forgot to mention that this is quite unusual. Good spot. :)
Analog Insights Thanks. Trying to decide if I like it or not(for my CL). Leaning towards keeping the camera original. :)
I think it's a bit crowded and feels unnecessary. Reminds me of the Leica M4-P which also looks like it's from a time where Leica desperately needed to put its branding everywhere two or three times. Hamish over at www.35mmc.com once wrote that you can see from the amount of branding how self-confident (and healthy) Leica as a company was at the time of the release of a camera. I really like that thought and believe there is quite some truth to it. :)
what is the background music?
I think I will stick with my Zorki 4k.
£40 and built like a T34. (the tank).
I have a Mamiya Ranger with a 40mm 2.8 lens.
£10 from a charity shop.
A good lens but not interchangeable.
The Minolta CLE has framelines for the 28 mm f 2.8, 40 mm f 2.0 & 90 mm f 4.0.
The CLE Meters TTL, OTF & INCLUDES TTL Flash for Minolta !
As for focusing; the CL doesn't have the roller follower on the end of the rangefinder focus arm,
THE CLE DOES !
Finally; a Fast 90 mm f 2.8 or faster CAN'T BE SHOT AT f2.8, due to the short Rangefinder Distance,
EXCEPT @ INFUINITY...
NOW TEST A MINOLTA CLE vs. a CONTAX G2 !
F.G. Kaye As said in the introduction of the video, the Minolta CLE is a more advanced and later camera and not the topic of this video.
F.G. Kaye Why would we do that? The G2 has auto-focus and is a completely different, largely automated camera. Review coming up soon by the way. ;)