Leica CL...any pointers

[jbm]

Hey y'all...after a year and a half of renewed photography addiction, I started to look at my dSLR and say swear

words. It makes amazing photos, but sometimes I wish it would get the heck out of the way and just let me take a

photograph.

 

So I bought a Leica CL. It is essentially untouched and has a new photocell in it. It has a German made

Summicron 40/2. I am about to take my first rolls to the lab.

 

I was just wondering if y'all had any advice for a new rangefinder user and any that might be specific to the CL. I

know there are supposed to be some lenses that might damage the camera.

 

Also, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the CL and see any photos taken with it and the Summi 40/2...there seems to

not be a ton of sample photos taken with it.

 

I hope all of you are having a great thanksgiving...I am working!

 

Cheers,

 

Jay

[cpj]

The CL is an excellent choice to hang on a shoulder strap and keep inside your jacket or coat, ready for immediate use.

 

If the metering seems off--an it sounds like you've taken care of this anyway--just adjust your ISO up or down a bit to produce

the desired exposure. Since the mercury cells for which it was built aren't available in the US, you may find that the

replacement battery is a bit short on voltage and thus gives a half-stop lower reading. Just a warning to check this first as the

compensation with the ISO setting is easy.

 

I wouldn't put a 21mm on it or even a 24mm without being careful to check that at the infiinity setting the rear of the lens mount

doesn't interfere with the shutter.

 

The photo quality relates more to the ability of the photographer and the lens, not the camera body. You will find the CL's 40

mm Summicron is excellent for a single, general purpose lens,

 

I've owned several CL's over the years and I keep itching to buy another just to have it around, but I find it hard to justify since

I have an M-8.2 and an M-7 with the M-7 not getting much use these days. The CL is, however, the best solution for taking

advantage of the Leica glass (I have several lenses) and being both lightweight and very handy.

[johnmarkpainter]

I Was able to use a collapsible Summicron 50 on mine but it made me nervous.

 

Best advice...that 40 is a great lens. USE IT.

The 90 is a very sharp lens and can be bought really cheap.

[aplumpton]

I had one once. Nice camera, but it is highly highly recommended to run a 1/4 inch or wider Dymo tape (or a modern

equivalent) around the front end of the collapsible lens barrel of 50 and 90mm collapsible lenses, to avoid meter

crunching upon retraction. Glad John has had no trouble, but be careful Jay.

 

Agree that the 40 and 90 lenses are very good indeed. Never had focus ramp problems with others, as some

reported, but I didn't use focussing all that critically (i.e., close-up use).. Have fun, a great little Leica.

[svante.johansson]

From MOMA, NY. The date on the painting by On Kawara is the birthday of Linnea, my first child.<br>

<br>

<a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/3432742">

<img border="1" alt="Click for details" src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/3432742-md.jpg" />

</a> <br>

<i> CL, 40mm Summicron, XP2 </i>

<br> <br> <br>

I have a 40x40cm print of the picture below and it holds its size very well.<br>

<br>

<a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/4567500 ">

<img border="1" alt="Click for details" src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/4567500-lg.jpg " />

</a> <br>

<i> CL, 40mm Summicron, Tri-X </i>

[Brian1664876441]

I keep a Canon 50mm F1.5 on mine for a fast 50. One of the few 50mm lenses that fits in the pouch case.

[vivek iyer]

No photos to show. There is one possibility that I can suggest for you to consider.

 

You can use a 28mm lens on it with no extra finder. You can frame using the existing finder.

 

I keep an Orion-15 28mm f/6 lens (Soviet lens, super sharp, tiny, small and lightweight) on mine all the time.

 

The 40/2 is a swell lens.

[Troll]

My standard backup camera for trips. It's a wonderful camera/lens combination, along with a 90mm Elmar or Elmarit. I've been told that the 15mm VC lens fits without problems.

[Gus Lazzari]

Jay, there are still some CL's out there that have the advance lever that doesn't have the later bumper stop version. If

yours doesn't have this type, use caution by gently helping the lever to come back to its rest position. Letting it go

will eventually cause a transport problem to develop!

 

 

The 40mm Summicron has been reborn since the introduction of the M8. The sensor size makes it a proper

normal. (A very compact 53mm Equiv)

 

Bill, the 15mm VC works perfect on CL's.

 

Arthur, minor point; It isn't retraction of the meter arm, it's the charging up into place where the damage really occurs.

 

Not as robust as any M, but the CL is a fine little holder of many Leica & VC lenses.

[jbm]

Well I have spent a few days shooting with the camera...now it's time to take the film to the lab and see what the heck I've done. I will post a few here when I get my results. Learning the rangefinder takes a bit but it sure is nice to slow down the pace a bit.

 

Cheers,

 

Jay

[christopher_a._junker1]

Jay, my percentage of properly exposed images went way up when I learned how to properly use the meter spot reading. I'm also using the Wein replacement for the mercury 625 battery; it doesn't last as long as the mercury, but it is accurate when fresh. I don't use it for low light shots without flash as the viewfinder isn't as bright as my M3 or refurbished M4-2 and the rangefinder isn't as accurate. I have added an Abrahamsson large softie shutter release button. I find it gives much better shutter release control and I am able to keep the body steady at 1/30th. The CL body is not as sturdy as the M series, so I don't use it with large, heavy lenses like the 50 Summilux. In closing, if you intend to use it a lot and it needs refurbishing, Sherry Krauter is recommended as she has all the parts and is also able to upgrade some of the internal components, apparently Leica/Minolta made a number of internal upgrades over the production life of the CL series. In my opinion one of the most underrated of the Leica bodies. Hope you enjoy using yours.

[steve_mareno]

I used a 50 collapsible Summi on mine, but never collapsed it. It looked great on the camera and made very nice images.The 90 is an incredible lens. Never shot the 40, but hear it's just as good. The camera wasn't a quick shooter for me and it was a little too small for my hands (not to mention those backwards *&^%$ strap lugs) so it went bye bye. I ended up buying a Bessa R3a which is much faster to use. It also has a strap lug problem, but the added grip fixes that. Please post your results. I would love to see them.

[aplumpton]

Hi Gus. I was really refering to the retraction of the collapsible lens and not the retraction (or lifting up)of the meter arm. If the meter is in place when you retract a collapsible lens, there is some (significant) potential for damage as the meter is quite a bit forward of the film plane and enters into the back space of some lenses. I believe that certain older Leica wide angle lenses may also have this caveat.

[aplumpton]

Hi Gus. I was really refering to the retraction of the collapsible lens and not the retraction (or lifting up)of the meter arm. If the meter is in place when you retract a collapsible lens, there is some (significant) potential for damage as the meter is quite a bit forward of the film plane and enters into the back space of some lenses. I believe that certain older Leica wide angle lenses may also have this caveat.

[svante.johansson]

Here is one more picture from the CL. It was taken with the camera on a tripod. <b>Be careful when you mount the CL on a tripod.</b> The tripod bush is shallow and if the ballhead screw is too long the metal dome that covers the bush on the inside of the removable back will be deformed. This will cause the back to fit poorly on the body - it happened to me on an earlier occasion. The poor fit will cause the frame counter to reset in the middle of a roll.<br>

<br>

I believe 5mm or 0.197’’ is the maximum length that is OK, which would mean that tripod screws conforming to the ISO or ASA standards for 1/4’’ tripod mounts are safe. As my experience shows nonconforming ballheads are sold.<br>

<br>

<a href=" http://www.photo.net/photo/3593934">

<img border="1" alt="Click for details" src=" http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/3593934-md.jpg" />

</a> <br>

<i> CL, 40mm Summicron, Velvia 50</i>

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