SL and CL, Like a good meal nothing is ever perfect

[saptarshi]

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Hi,

I wanted to share my thoughts. I had one of those moments of clarity while using the SL.

I got to try a SL for a long period and after using, I find its handling to be perfect. The right number of buttons and without the labeling it is very discreet. Everything quite accessible (despite the grip being a tad large). Yes its heavy but that's my only gripe. I moved from the Fuji XT 1 to the CL. I enjoy focusing, locking the focus and then adjusting exposure. On the CL i couldn't and had to make a compromise but on the SL all my old ways were supported. Also the 4 buttons work well to be able to control everything I need: WB selection, ISO, exposure adjustment.

I wish the CL could have some more usability tweaks. It can still be its discreet self (I trust Leica designers to find a way), but so many little things are left out on the CL. I added the Tekiac handgrip which makes the camera *much* easier to use (especially with some of the heavier lenses).

Oh well, neither is unequivocally (for me) better than the other, just that the CL is so close yet irritatingly far from being perfect.

 

[Dave in Wales]

16 hours ago, saptarshi said:

Hi,

I wanted to share my thoughts. I had one of those moments of clarity while using the SL.

I got to try a SL for a long period and after using, I find its handling to be perfect. The right number of buttons and without the labeling it is very discreet. Everything quite accessible (despite the grip being a tad large). Yes its heavy but that's my only gripe. I moved from the Fuji XT 1 to the CL. I enjoy focusing, locking the focus and then adjusting exposure. On the CL i couldn't and had to make a compromise but on the SL all my old ways were supported. Also the 4 buttons work well to be able to control everything I need: WB selection, ISO, exposure adjustment.

I wish the CL could have some more usability tweaks. It can still be its discreet self (I trust Leica designers to find a way), but so many little things are left out on the CL. I added the Tekiac handgrip which makes the camera *much* easier to use (especially with some of the heavier lenses).

Oh well, neither is unequivocally (for me) better than the other, just that the CL is so close yet irritatingly far from being perfect.

 

Don't knock the CL.

I come to the Leica CL from a Olympus E-M1 Mkll.  I've had it for two weeks and what a breath of fresh air it is. I find it simplicity itself. The Oly is a beauty,  but overwhelming in it's complexity and tweakability, so much so that one forgets what has been tweaked and where it is.

Loving my 'simple' CL.....less is more.

Edited May 2, 2019 by Dave in Wales

[Steve Ricoh]

Less is certainly a lot more, Dave, it's why I love the Leica - the rangefinder M in my case, but simplicity of operation is within the Leica DNA (I'm only familiar with the M but I suspect the ethos is across product range). 

[lct]

On 5/1/2019 at 1:52 PM, saptarshi said:

I enjoy focusing, locking the focus and then adjusting exposure. On the CL i couldn't and had to make a compromise but on the SL all my old ways were supported. Also the 4 buttons work well to be able to control everything I need: WB selection, ISO, exposure adjustment.

Matter of tastes i guess. Having to use buttons at the back of a camera is the opposite to what i need personally i.e. adjusting focus, shutter speeds and aperture when the camera is placed at eye level. The digital CL allows this easily thanks to clever ergonomics thought for people like me. I have no experience with AF though.

[geoffreyg]

Don't like zoom lenses, EVF or complexity. Like mechanical, and have an M240 and a bunch of lenses. Used to shooting with one lens (35mm) for travel.So why a CL? Makes no sense, right? 

But ... EVF allows seeing DOF and shoot to the histogram. Adjustable diopter to shoot with or without glasses, change on the fly. Zoom lens for a single lens travel kit, and crop to the image to maximize pixels. AF faster when walking around with partner (less frustration). M lenses for slower work. And not much given up to M240 files. Smaller, lighter.

Just different but worth a try. 

 

 

[bags27]

+1 on everything geoffreyg said. Shooting to the histogram has especially been transformative for me. I owe that to an offhand comment by jaapv months ago.

[Le Chef]

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On 5/6/2019 at 7:41 AM, bags27 said:

+1 on everything geoffreyg said. Shooting to the histogram has especially been transformative for me. I owe that to an offhand comment by jaapv months ago.

Me too - thanks Jaap - I still want to turn the exposure compensation wheel the “wrong” way though...