If you could only have 1 CL/TL lens...

[huwm]

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I absolutely see where you're coming from

I moved the other way EM1 2 and EM10 2 with huge assortment of lenses to CL and TL2 with less huge assortment

I enjoyed using both and the resulting photos equally satisfying but the CL had the edge ergonomically, for me

The IBIS was seriously missed though and a reason for my moving FF, as well as the discontinuation of the line

Favourite lens was 23 or 11-23 difficult to choose

 

Edited February 25, 2023 by huwm
typo

[Marac]

Well I'm glad we sorted that out then

I am culling down on camera gear and have already sold my M9 and my Mamiya ZD, leaving me with a Nikon 7500 for birding (nikon 200-500) I have a Nikon 5000 for IR photography with the 16-85. My Gorgeous M9Mono and my sexy CL share a bag with M-lenses and I can pretty much say 100% this will be the very last bag of kit I would consider selling as it just gives me exactly what I want. With the tiny TT Artisan 25/2 the CL is a pocket cam (I still have a Sigma 30mm 1.4).

Horses for courses, enjoy your Olympus kit, they make great lenses. The 17.5mm f1.8 pro was one of my favs.

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[MJB]

Well, I wanted to update this thread with my final decision, just to close the loop.

I had everything boxed up, ready to go, but thought I would let it all sit for a while to get used to the idea of not having the CL, and see how that felt.  Not surprisingly, I started to have second thoughts, so much so that I pulled the CL back out, along with the 23/2 Summicron and M-Adapter.  The 23/2 felt right in a way as the one lens to have - it kind of perfectly splits the difference between the 18/2.8 and the 35/1.4, not only in terms of focal length, but also speed and physical dimensions.  Reviewing my work, I noticed that the Summilux was perhaps my most favored lens, though, along with the 18-56 zoom.  

So I hemmed and hawed some more, should I keep all 3 lenses?  At that point, I'm almost back to keeping the entire system, and might as well hold on to everything.  So I spent some time shooting with the CL, and a funny thing happened: I just couldn't really imagine myself reaching for it over my Olympus cameras.  The lenses seemed overly large, and most glaringly was the autofocus - it is slower and less accurate than the PDAF on my E-M5 III, of course, but more than that it was quite a bit louder and just felt...coarse.  Which is weird, because I always felt like the experience of using the CL was a rather refined one.

I think it's just a matter of being used to something.  When I first started using the Olympus, I thought some of the ergonomics were all weird, and I couldn't imagine it ever being as comfortable to shoot as the Leica.  Well, after 1200 frames shot in Tokyo, the Olympus now feels very natural to use and it's the Leica that feels a bit weird.  And it has me noticing the differences, such as the somewhat louder AF motor, which really isn't objectionable.  But I felt like I'd moved on.

So, I went back to square one, and decided to unload it all.  I might've kept the CL as part of my small collection, but for whatever reason I just felt like I needed a clean break.  I do have a really nice copy of a film CL with the 40/2 and 90/4, so I guess that's how I'll be gettin my Leica fix from now on.

Anyway, sorry to ramble on.  Hope the rest of you continue to enjoy your CL's for as long as you decide to hold onto them.  They really are great little cameras, and who knows - I might be kicking myself in a few months and on the hunt for a replacement, lol.

[Dopaco]

On 2/10/2023 at 5:28 PM, MJB said:

For various reasons, I'm on the verge of selling my Leica gear.   I have all of the native TL lenses except for the 60mm macro, and I definitely don't want to hold onto all of them - it's a nice system, but I just don't think I need all of them.  I'm transitioning to a M43 system because, as compact as the CL is, and as great as the lenses are, they're just not as compact as I think they ought to be, and they offer no stabilization or anything.  And, frankly, Leica gear is very expensive, and I think I can get more bang for my buck elsewhere.

The CL, however, is a pretty special camera to me, and I sort of feel like hanging onto it.  I'm afraid that if I sell it, I will end up regretting it and end up hunting down another one for more money, lol.  But if I keep the CL, I'm going to need at least one lens to go along with it.  If you were in my situation, is there any one native lens you would absolutely keep?  The 35/1.4 Summilux is of course a favorite, but it's also fairly huge and heavy for a prime lens.  The 23/2.0 Summicron is a good option, too, and much more compact.  I've also thought about picking up maybe the Sigma 24/3.5, as a compact lens in a classic reportage focal length with a working aperture ring sounds like an awesome companion for the CL, but is f/3.5 too slow?

Basically, I don't want to keep my whole CL/TL system, but I am attached to the CL enough that I think it's worth keeping the body and one L-mount lens so that I can shoot it from time to time.  If you were me, what would be your top choice if you could only pair one lens with the CL?

I have TL2 and due to its size and weight it is being my main camera to use.

The TL lens that I use the most is the 18-56 F3.5/5.6, I bought it used and it works very well but the person who had it before externally did not treat it well, it has some damage to the paint and it bothers me a bit and I have Been about to buy a new or pre-owned one.

View photo. The silver parasol has been a work to hide the defects of the Original.

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[Dopaco]

The TL 18mm f2.8 lens for its size is the lightest on both the TL2 and CL, although the 18-56mm over the 18mm f3.5 in image quality to the naked eye there are few differences, a little more blur in favor of the 18mm f2.8.

For macros I use Elpro 52

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[robgo2]

On 2/17/2023 at 9:58 AM, thatkatmat said:

For me it's an easy choice if we're talking IQ. The 35 Summilux. Amazingly sharp, rich Leica colors, beautiful bokeh that can tame the busiest of back grounds. 

The TL-35 f/1.4 is a truly exceptional lens, and it would definitely be my choice, if I had to keep only one lens. The 52mm effective focal length is good for general purpose shooting, especially portraits. As far as size is concerned, I have never felt that it is unbalanced on the CL. I also use the TL-11-23 a fair amount. It is quite suitable for a different type of photography, but the IQ is not nearly as good, IMO.

[Dopaco]

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4 hours ago, robgo2 said:

El TL-35 f/1.4 es un objetivo verdaderamente excepcional, y definitivamente sería mi elección si tuviera que quedarme con un solo objetivo. La distancia focal efectiva de 52 mm es buena para tomas generales, especialmente retratos. En cuanto al tamaño, nunca he sentido que esté desequilibrado en el CL. También uso bastante el TL-11-23. Es bastante adecuado para un tipo diferente de fotografía, pero el coeficiente intelectual no es tan bueno, en mi opinión.

I don't have the TL 35mm f1.4 and I haven't tested it either and it may be the best TL lens, especially in low light situations, it is also the most expensive, heaviest and largest, an interesting topic to assess when controlling weight , volume and other limitations:

 

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[ruskkyle]

It's not as big as it appears in these pics - I never use the hood

[robgo2]

7 minutes ago, ruskkyle said:

It's not as big as it appears in these pics - I never use the hood

I always use the hood. It ads minimal weight and is barely noticeable after a short period of use. 

[geoffreyg]

Its a series of trade-offs. One of the things that is neat about the CL is (was?)  that it can take on different roles, depending on where you want to place it in your stable. For me, its a general shooting camera, and the 18-56 gives lots of flexibility for one-camera travel or snaps. Enlarged to 17x22 it makes fine prints (my ultimate test) - but not so much past that. For finer work, use an M10M.

The 35mm TL should be in the stable, but too big, and for that much  lens, I'd want bigger prints, which runs into sensor size limits. Have the 23mm for  more compact profile, but the zoom makes sense to get what you need at the moment of taking. I'm not a zoom user largely, but oddly would keep this and maybe the 55-135 to minimize cropping and save pixels. 

[mikeLD]

Too hard, I can't get by with just one.  On my second CL because I regretted selling the first.  But now I am settled.  My kit includes Leica TL 23mm, Sigma 18-50 F2.8 and a Sigma 56mm F2.  My edc is the TL23mm and my travel carry is the TL23 and Sigma 18-50 f2.8.  I think I am finally settled, having sold my Q2 and given up on the prospect of a Q3.  Hope to see many of you in Wetzlar.

[geoffreyg]

18-56, cropping in camera. 

Edited August 23, 2023 by geoffreyg

[Kim Dahl]

On 8/15/2023 at 4:27 PM, mikeLD said:

Too hard, I can't get by with just one.  On my second CL because I regretted selling the first.  But now I am settled.  My kit includes Leica TL 23mm, Sigma 18-50 F2.8 and a Sigma 56mm F2.  My edc is the TL23mm and my travel carry is the TL23 and Sigma 18-50 f2.8.  I think I am finally settled, having sold my Q2 and given up on the prospect of a Q3.  Hope to see many of you in Wetzlar.

What is happening in Wetzlar now? 

[edstock]

On 2/13/2023 at 6:08 AM, bandrews said:

Going to be an unpopular opinion but I love the 18mm. It is the smallest you can make the CL (and closest in size to the X2) with a TL lens so makes it super easy to slip into a coat pocket. That makes it my perfect "take anywhere point and shoot". Any other times if I need a longer lens I'll switch to the M10P or SL2S. The 23mm isn't that much bigger but just alters the dimensions enough to make it not quite as compact.

I'll second your opinion on the '18'. It is the only CL lens I own and need. 

[Jonathan C]

I have settled with Sigma 23mm as my only lens for the CL. Yes, it is slightly big and heavy but it's acceptable to hold with a camera grip. The image quality is superb and I can live with just 35mm focal length!

Prior to this, I had a go with Leica TL 23mm, Sigma 18-50mm, Sigma 30mm & several Sigma FF primes.