Leica CL
| Leica CL |
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{{{image caption}}} Maker: Leica Dates: 1973-1974 Variants: Leica CL, Leitz-Minolta CL Camera Type: 35mm rangefinder system Focusing: manual Viewfinder: {{{viewfinder}}} Rangefinder: coupled, combined Lens mount: Leica M Shutter: focal plane Exposure meter: TTL, CdS cell, spot metering Exposure modes: manual ASA/ISO range: 25 to 1600 Shoe: fixed hot shoe Synchronized: X X sync speed: 1/60 TTL Flash: Minolta TTL Motor drive: none Battery: 1 x 1.35V (625) Dimensions: {{{dimensions}}} Weight: unknown Number produced: unknown |
The Leica CL is a 35mm compact rangefinder camera made by Leica with interchangeable lenses in the Leica M mount. It was developed in collaboration with Minolta and appeared in 1973. On some markets it was known as the Leitz Minolta CL.
The Leica CL has a vertical running focal plane shutter, from 1/2 to 1/1000, and a through-the-lens CdS exposure meter mounted on a pivoting arm just in front of the shutter. The exposure is manual and the shutter is mechanical. The finder's frame lines are for a 40mm, a 50mm or a 90mm lens. The shutter speeds were visible in the finder.
The CL can take nearly all the Leica M lenses, with the exception of some that could hurt the meter's arm. It was sold with two lenses specially designed for it. They are the Leitz Summicron-C 40mm f:2 sold as the normal lens, and the Leitz Elmar-C 90mm f:4 tele lens. A Leitz Elmarit-C 40mm f:2.8 also briefly appeared but was not sold in numbers. The lenses specially designed for the Leica CL can physically mount on a Leica M body, but Leica recommended not to do it because it would not give the best focusing precision. However, some people say that it is unimportant and that they can be used perfectly on an M. When sold with a Leitz Minolta CL, the lenses were called Minolta M-Rokkor 40mm f:2 and 90mm f:4. With the later Minolta CLE, Minolta would improve the mechanical design of the lenses, and a new 28mm f:2.8 lens was introduced, that can be mounted on the CL too.
Today the CL is a superbly compact and quite cheap camera to mount M lenses, but it does not have a rangefinder as precise as the one of the Leica M bodies, and some people say it is a bit fragile, especially the rangefinder alignment and meter mechanism.
65,000 serial numbers were allotted to the Leica CL. Some CL received special Leica 50 Jahre markings in 1975, for Leica's 50th anniversary.
In the first issue of Classic Camera, there is a picture of a demonstration Leica CL. It was completely operational, with the top plate cut away to show the internal mechanism. It is said 50 were made by Minolta.
