I've published a review on the CLE...

[Soeren Engelbrecht]

Hi all,

I have just published the first of (hopefully :-) a number of camera reviews on my blog. It's on the Minolta CLE, and I have taken the photographer's perspective on it: Why do I like to take pictures with it when I travel ?? I have also included a number of pictures taken with the CLE and my two main lenses: The Sumicron 40/2.0 and the Voigtländer 28/3.5.

My Minolta CLE Review (http://imagepro.blog.com/2524994/)

Hope that you find it of interest :-)

Cheers,
Soeren

[Matthew Allen]

Nice article, I find short reviews like this one that draw on personal experience to be much more interesting than long in-depth ones that list every feature but don't explore the real-world use of the camera. A couple of other general points:

1. I really like the photo called "Asta in the Art Museum". Is there a larger version posted somewhere?

2. I find the colour scheme of your blog hard on my eyes. I have very good eyesight but the grey text on sort-of-brown is not conducive to easy reading IMHO. Incidentally I am also one of the people who uses the "Legacy" skin on this forum because I dislike most dark backgrounds. I'm mentioning this because yellow text (like the link to your blog) is almost invisible against the light blue background.

Anyway, I'll look forward to future articles. What cameras do you have lined up for review?

Matthew

[MP/CLE]

Great review and I don't miss an ae lock either. My travel is also with 28 and 40;, I use a leica f2.0 and a cv f1.4. Your shots are further inspiration to break back into the black and white realm again. I'vs still got my old reels and a big Bogen enlarger...hmmm.

[back alley]

i saw the link on p.net and had a look.
very nice. i like my cle and the plan is to use it with a 40 rokkor and the cv 75.

[leicadave]

Soeren, posted a response on your review which I really agree with. Minolta nailed it years before the M7, which I also like, but....

You can see some CLE photos mostly with a Canon 25mm at dhmillerphotography.com. Most of the Russia portfolio was done with it; the Afghan portfolio was early with a IIIg and a 35mm Summaron mostly.

Do wish there was a digital equivalent of the CLE for my lenses as the M8 is nice but oh so heavy. Putting it around my neck this afternoon and going to NYC, but a CLE would be nicer.

[jky]

Don't have a CLE, but I just wanted to say that I enjoyed the photos very much!

[anselwannab]

A little late aren't you? The camera came out in 1980. What's next, and article on why you think Reagan is going to beat Carter?

;)

[Captain]

A little late aren't you? The camera came out in 1980. What's next, and article on why you think Reagan is going to beat Carter?

That's a bit of an odd and harsh thing to say on a classic rangefinder forum. People are still able and considering buying CLE"s today, now. They aren't considering voting for Reagan or Carter still are they?! Do you write the forum owner to tell him that his dozens of Classic camera reviews are a waste? This is a classic Rangefinder forum, if you only want to know about models currently available then maybe you would be better served just reading retail sites.

[Hates_]

His comment was tongue-in-cheek! :)

[Palaeoboy]

His comment was tongue-in-cheek!

With the additional political analogy it doesn't sound very tongue in cheek to me. :confused:

[Hates_]

Perhaps not. I just assumed from the winking face.

Back to the topic. Nice review. Makes me wish I had picked up a CLE instead of a Bessa. :( Maybe next month ;)

[foto_fool]

It sounded perfectly tongue-in-cheek to me (wannab - you cheeky monkey :p). Was the OP offended? To those who seemed to take offense - how about a constructive post? Or were you being cheeky too?

Soeren - I like your blog though I agree with the readability criticisms above. I really appreciate real-world reports on the cameras many of us wish we had (well, gear I wish I had, anyway).

[Paulbe]

Very nice review!! Thank you--local camera shop has one in now for 650.00 with the 40/2 rokkor---hmmmmm!!!!