New Leica CL owner with a question

[k__43]

with the CL you will not need "consumer class" rangefinders like the Olympus, or yashica or minoltas etc etc .. The CL is almost as compact and better. better glass, better viewfinder, better metering.
Damn - this thread made me look at ebay for CLs again. Still a bit sorry I sold mine.

[David Hughes]

Originally Posted by k__43

with the CL you will not need "consumer class" rangefinders like the Olympus, or yashica or minoltas etc etc .. The CL is almost as compact and better. better glass, better viewfinder, better metering.
Damn - this thread made me look at ebay for CLs again. Still a bit sorry I sold mine.

Hi,

Well, I'm not sure what you mean by consumer class; what about the M2 f'instance? And why the M series with a "P" for professional etc and non-P M's? Looking at the CL beside the M4's then it looks as though Leica were after the consumer classes.

But the Olympus 35-SP is really state of the art aimed at pro's who wanted something for the weekend (as they used to say years ago); Olympus's consumer stuff was more like the Trip 35 etc.

Looking at slides from the CL and 35SP there is no difference that I can see. And many years ago I illustrated an entire and very technical book with pictures taken with a 35SP, simply because I was convinced it was up to the task. But I was using B&W and sending them to a pro lab, which may have bought out the best in the camera.

Regards, David

[k__43]

Originally Posted by David Hughes

Hi,

Well, I'm not sure what you mean by consumer class; what about the M2 f'instance? And why the M series with a "P" for professional etc and non-P M's? Looking at the CL beside the M4's then it looks as though Leica were after the consumer classes.

But the Olympus 35-SP is really state of the art aimed at pro's who wanted something for the weekend (as they used to say years ago); Olympus's consumer stuff was more like the Trip 35 etc.

Looking at slides from the CL and 35SP there is no difference that I can see. And many years ago I illustrated an entire and very technical book with pictures taken with a 35SP, simply because I was convinced it was up to the task. But I was using B&W and sending them to a pro lab, which may have bought out the best in the camera.

Regards, David

Yes, you are right. I was just saying he already has the CL, why should he get a more simple RF?
Honestly I never had a 35SP in my hands only similar cameras of other manufacturers (Canon, Vivitar, Minolta) and I still own a XA which I love, but find it not as good as the CL+40mm combo.

[David Hughes]

HI,

I'm with you there; I'm often asked why anyone with two cameras would want a third. There's a variation my wife uses where the figures are much, much higher!

Most of the middle of the range Olympus and others RF's are very pleasant to use. But they were designed to be user friendly and not so hard/professional to use. I'd still be using a lot of them but there's battery problems as well, and so on.

Regards, David

[kutitta]

Thank you David and k_43 for your useful insights.

I would probably stick to Leica CL and Electro 35 GSN for a while, as I need to invest in lenses that I can use with my CL - Elmar-C 90 being at the top of my list.

I am also getting a Zorki 4K with two lenses, but my friend has decided not to post them, as he will be coming to Sydney in a month or so. But I paid very little for the kit.

But who knows, I might come across an Olympus 35SP or else at a charity shop...

BTW I bought a minty Polaroid Land Camera 1000 with its hard carry case again from Salvos for $4 yesterday. I ordered a pack of films to test the camera and also to have an experience with it, and would probably sell it on ebay to raise some cash for Elmar-C.

[k__43]

Clearly I need to go to Australia and check those Salvos.

[kutitta]

Originally Posted by k__43

Clearly I need to go to Australia and check those Salvos.

Just another reason to explore this distant land :-)

[David Hughes]

Hi,

Yes, I was thinking that too but, otoh, I got a nice Minolta, in town, the other day for fifty pennies...

Also it might take a while to get there on my free bus pass.

Regards, David

[kutitta]

Just a quick, probably the final update in this thread... the CL is working just fine, and I'm using it with a great joy. The second roll was largely family shots, and I used adain Ilford XP2 Super 400 but they all came out much better than the first roll.

Here is my son!

[kutitta]

Originally Posted by David Hughes

Hi,

In that case, don't ever look at an Olympus 35-Sp or the XA.

And tell her that people will often give you their old film cameras for free when they see you shooting with film. And do some huge enlargements that are beyond the range of digital. Fluffy kittens or grand children etc work best, imo.

Regards, David

Hi David,

Just to let you know that I have just bought an XA!

[k__43]

Originally Posted by kutitta

Hi David,

Just to let you know that I have just bought an XA!

Ha, cool


I re-bought a CL for a trip to Asia (as a secondary camera).
This time in a rough condition but working.

[kutitta]

Originally Posted by k__43

Ha, cool


I re-bought a CL for a trip to Asia (as a secondary camera).
This time in a rough condition but working.

And I bought it the XA for my upcoming trip to New Zealand in late Jan. I was actually trying to decide what camera/lenses I should take with me, but the XA will not make the decision-making process harder due to its size...

[lxmike]

Glad to hear you got the CL up and running, has to be the bargain of the dedade

[kutitta]

Originally Posted by lxmike

Glad to hear you got the CL up and running, has to be the bargain of the dedade

Thank you!!

On a personal level, it was the bargain of around four decades!

[David Hughes]

Originally Posted by kutitta

Hi David,

Just to let you know that I have just bought an XA!

Hi,

Thanks for the update and welcome to the XA club. That just leaves the XA2, XA3, XA4 and XA1 to get plus the 35 SP.

There ought to be a thread or forum for wives, I've been thinking...

Regards, David