Broken Camera . Club

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Leica CL

Introduced in 1973 and produced for 3 years. The CL came in two variants: Leica CL and Leitz minolta CL. Both seem to be identical in function and design. Both were made by Minolta in Japan. It was design for use with specifically marketed 40mm and 90 mm lens but will work with most (some debate here, specifically don't use collapsible lens or you will damage the meter) M mount lens. The 40mm frame lines are always displayed. 50mm and 90 mm frame lines display dependent on the lens used.

Simple meter on the viewfinder side with a needle and a target box, make it easy to adjust. Shutter speed on the front is a bit strange to use at first. The speed is also displayed in the viewfinder. 

It is good that the camera in not battery dependent (other than the meter) because the battery is located inside the film area and can not be changed without opening the back. Battery is the dreaded PX 625.

My Take:

This is a great little camera. I think its biggest problem is that it is a non-Leica Leica that is also not an M. So the serious M users overlook it because it is not an M (not even German) and the non Leica folks pass because of the perceived cost of the M mount environment. They may both be right. I do see the CL as a potential gateway drug to harder Leica usage. But it is not an M. My experience was positive. If you want to get in to the M mount environment or want a back on body, CL is a nice choice. If you are looking for a compact rangefinder but do not care about changing lens, there are simpler solutions (not with Leica glass but...slippery slop). 

Lens: Leitz Summicron-C f2 40mm

Film: Ilford HP5 Plus 400

Links:

https://cameraquest.com/leicacl.htm

http://www.leicapages.com/CL.html

http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/LeicaCL.html

http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Leica_CL