Buying back into a CL

[sblitz]

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Had a CL for a few years.  Always with M lenses. Loved it but needed to swap into a full frame sensor. Got an SL2-S. Which Is great for studio work. BUT I miss the CL for a walk about when I do not want to shoot film. Am I nuts for wanting to get back to a CL?

[wda]

No. It would be an excellent general-purpose choice.

[MDCT]

I also have an SL2. I also have a CL just for when I want to go lighter. The images are pretty contemporary to the original SL Type 601. It is no slouch. Although its tech may be a bit dated for spec hounds, I love the handling. It’s a true Barnack style camera that has no real competition for the haptics. It’s also been super reliable. You should have no regrets. Especially since the price has come down on these.

[satijntje]

No, you are not nuts at all.
As a SL2 owner I started to look around for a CL last week as well.
Mainly for my wife of course hahahaha….
Found some very nice refurbished ones with nice colored leatherettes on Ebay for 2k. 
Need some time to decide 

[LocalHero1953]

If you just want a walkaround camera, and don't want the longer CL lenses, perhaps a Q/Q2/Q3? Bulkier in the body than a CL, but the CL with 23/35 or 18-56 is much of a muchness in size. I'm not a long-lens person, so switching from the CL to the Q2 was not a cultural shock.

I appreciated not having to choose a lens to take with me, and not having to worry about the rain. IS, macro and full-frame were nice-to-haves. 

[Le Chef]

Not nuts at all. I have a CL and a bunch of lenses, and also a Q2. There are days when the CL + 23mm is the right choice, and on another day the Q2 is the right choice.

The CL stays for as long as it keeps working.

[Shawn30]

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Leica was nuts for giving up on it

[elambo]

3 hours ago, Shawn30 said:

Leica was nuts for giving up on it

This! I'm sure they had their reasons when they looked at the market on paper and decided to drop it, but the CL continues to have overall appeal that I rarely see in other cameras. In use, it hasn't lost an ounce of its original appeal.

[zorky]

Got mine as a backup for my S1r........

.....is my primary camera, when on tour, now ....

Edited August 28, 2023 by zorky

[tom0511]

just brought mine to summer vacation instead of my SL2-S - I wanted a more portable camera.

I really like the 1850 Sigma on the CL.

 

[BLeventhal]

For what it's worth, I just bought my first CL to add to my photography gear. I am not the type of photographer who the CL was marketed to, but it is a camera I wanted from the day it was introduced. I am a nature photographer and shoot primarily with high end Nikon bodies and lenses. I appreciate craftsmanship and thoughtful design and believe that Nikon offers this for the type of photography that I generally pursue. However, the CL looked like an inconspicuous work of art to me. It seemed like the perfect camera to throw in the computer bag or over a shoulder while walking the dog. Furthermore, the reputation of Leica's optics convinced me that I could work the CL into my nature workflow and use it to stretch beyond my comfort zone. 

Having received my body with Vario-Elmar lens kit two weeks ago, I now wonder what took me so long to take the plunge. While I am sad the Leica as decided to abandon this line of gear, I know that this decision allowed me to get a premium product for a significantly reduced price. Much like many of Leica's niche products, I suspect that the CL will maintain, if not increase, its value in the next few years.

cheers, bruce

[edstock]

I bought my CL when they first came out. I have the kit combo with the 18m. This is my only Leica digital. It is paired with my M2, M4-P, M6 and M7. It is a beautiful camera producing lovely digital images.

[Kuvvy]

The CL is still a great buy. I’ve used the 18, 23 and 18-55, all quality optics.

A while ago my photography was in a slump and I purchased the Sigma 30/1.4 & 56/1.4 hoping to give me something a little different with the fast aperture.

Truth is, it didn’t work. I used them both maybe a handful full of times. Nice quality, good images but I simply don’t shoot that wide open or even those focal lengths.

.

Sorry about my straying but yes the CL is worth getting. I don’t even know if there’s anything out there I’d like if mine went down.