Amateur Photographer

[DTD]

Interesting article in this week about the CL and Minolta CLE.
I spent a lot of the 1980s wanting a CLE – it's a bit disconcerting to realise this is now considered a historical camera!

[earleygallery]

Don't worry, many cars from the 80's are now considered to be 'classics' as well.

[andybarton]

David

When you tick the box "45-54" on surveys, you realise that youth has passed you by.

[DTD]

Funnily enough I had to tick a survey today. Thankfully it had 35–45 :-)

[ron110n]

Originally Posted by andybarton

David

When you tick the box "45-54" on surveys, you realise that youth has passed you by.

Are you giving me a hint on my 977XXX M3 that's as old as me? =)

-Ron

[flatfour]

I assume you are talking about the annual income box.

[stnami]

CL and Minolta CLE...Unlike my car of the 80's my CL died of natural causes

[robert_parker]

Looking on the bright side, all those cameras that you coveted over the years are gradually becoming available at more reasonable costs....

[pendevour]

I have just seen the CL item in AP and am thinking of adding one to my collection. I love the old "Classics" and find that the ones I have are capable of producing far better photographs than I am capable of taking. Currently my favourites are my 1960 M2 and a Contax 3a and Voigtlander Vito III from the early 1950's. All three are a joy to use.

[flatfour]

One of the good things about digital processing is that one can now use the mF formats such as 6x9 120 film. I have an Ikonta 520/2 folder with F4.5 Tessar which takes excellent pictures using XP2. I can then scan the film and print as required. Digitising has brought a lot of the old cameras back in the fold.

['Cron]

DTD, thanks for noting the Amateur Photographer article on the Leica CL (Compact Leica) and the Minolta CLE. By now that issue should be available in the US. Both camera bodies are very useable yet today. I shoot two CL bodies, with all M lenses, the f/2 35mm and 50mm Summicrons, and f/2.8 90mm Tele-Elmarit (fat body), and do not use the C lenses.

Both Leica USA, and several independent repair persons still service the CL; the repair services for the CLE are not known to me. Sherry Krauter, who repaired CLs while with Leica USA, noted in a lecture before the LHSA several years ago that there were 114 improvements to the CL during its production run from 1973 until 1976 (Serial Nos. 13000001 to 1440000). The later information on dates and serial numbers was gathered from James L. Lager, Leica, An Illustrated History, Volume I - Cameras (Meridian Printing 1993)

One of my CL is a late build, 143335xx, which I routinely carried in Washington, DC, with the 90mm TE. With it, I got some great shots of Monica Lewinsky, as she was leaving the Mayflower Hotel after giving a deposition to the Special Prosecutor.

Best Regards to all on this new forum.

[John E Robertson]

Originally Posted by pendevour

I have just seen the CL item in AP and am thinking of adding one to my collection. I love the old "Classics" and find that the ones I have are capable of producing far better photographs than I am capable of taking. Currently my favourites are my 1960 M2 and a Contax 3a and Voigtlander Vito III from the early 1950's. All three are a joy to use.

Leica CL + 15mmCV a great city views outfit. See below on Ektachrome 100VS
I was lucky to find a totally unused complete outfit with nice outfit case in 1996, lady's late husband had bought her it as a gift, but she had never used it. Too complicated she said.paid £300.Even has a full set of 5.5 filters.
The case will hold the camera,+40mm+90mm+15mm. At 60+ this is all I want to lug around with me, my days of a Billingham with three M bodies,Viso and half a dozen lenses including my 280 Telyt have left their mark on my back!!!



My AKA Arette 1c with Xenar is also a joy to use.