Name: Used Leica CL 35mm Compact Rangefinder Camera Body undefined
Brand: Leica
SKU: US1688905
Price: 519.00 USD
Availability: Discontinued
Rating: 4.7 (9 reviews)

Leica CL 35mm Compact Rangefinder Camera Body

Leica CL

Leica

Adorama

Used

Photography

Cameras

Film Cameras

Leica Film Cameras

Leica CL 

Top Rated Gear: Used Leica CL 35mm Compact Rangefinder Camera Body undefined

The  Leica CL  has a vertical-running focal plane shutter, with cloth curtains, giving &#189; to 1/1000 speeds. There is a through-the-lens CdS exposure meter mounted on a pivoting arm just in front of the shutter, like the Leica M5. The exposure is manual and the shutter is mechanical. The shutter speeds are visiblein the finder. The finder's framelines are for a 40mm, 50mm or 90mm lens. The 40mm frameline is always present and the 50mm or 90mm frame line is automatically selected upon mounting of the appropriate lens.  Today the CL is a compact and quite cheap camera on which to mount M-mount lenses, but it does not have a rangefinder as precise as that of any Leica M body. The rangefinder base of the CL is 31.5 mm and the viewfinder magnification is 0.60, leading to a small effective rangefinder base of 18.9 mm.This is too short for accurate focusing with lenses longer than 90mm and fast lenses used at full aperture. Some users report the camera is rather fragile, especially the rangefinder alignment and meter mechanism.  Sixty-five thousand serial numbers were allotted to the Leica CL.

Used Leica CL 35mm Compact Rangefinder Camera Body undefined

Not my first Leica but this ones is a keeper. Love small size, build quality, features and interchangeable lenses (vs Leica Q). Viewfinder/EVF is bright and accurate, nice diopter correct with lock. Feels and acts like a Leica M only with EVF.
Battery life has been great, nice surprise due to some reviews. 
With M-L lens adapter, I?m using the Leitz Wetzler Summicron-C 40mm f2, from my film version Leica CL. Manual mode, M lens function set to 35mm f2 (no 40 option). Beautiful contrast, sharpness and ?Leica look? in color and monochrome. I prefer manual lens features, but the auto Elmarit-TL 18mm f2.8 and Summilux-TL 35mm f1.4 are equally as impressive image quality. 
I would recommend the Leica CL to anyone who appreciates quality, solid build and classic timeless photography. The digital features you need and nothing you don?t.

Leica CL is a keeper!

Based on my initial use this week, very good camera.  Small and light but exudes the quality of Leica in every way.  Decided to maximize the image quality to only use prime lenses.  I have the Leica 18mm, also two Sigma, the 30mm f/1.4 and 56mm f/1.4.   Makes for a very small kit even compared to my Nikon Z7 with three smaller lenses.  Looking forward to enjoying daily walk around use without too much setting and adjustments.  Right out of the camera colors are very clean and pure.

Small, light and excellent

Absolutely love the CL. I also have a hasselblad x1d and a Sony A7RIV. They are obviously very different cameras but I find that the sensory experience of the CL is the best so I enjoy shooting with it the most. Also portable and beautiful camera. I recommend the 35mm/f1.4 Leica lens, 90% of my best shots with the CL were with this lens. The Macro 60mm is great for portraits but doesn’t focus too well up close. I also suggest buying a grip and thumb grip for it if you plan on shooting with it a lot.
My only complaint is that it is not weather sealed but I have never had a problem in light rain.

I love the CL

Compact and Easy to use. Conforms to Leica design philosophy - minimalist and ease of use. 
Pancake lens makes this combination ideal for travel use. 
Only thing that can be improved is the grip - which you can get by getting a wrist strap.

Overall it's a true Leica in a compact package and reasonable entry price into Leica Digital System.

Let's start by acknowledging just how fun this little camera can be.  You can customize the controls and have full power over the exposure triangle without moving your eye from the viewfinder.  The Leica images are vivid and mostly sharp.  It returns the fun to taking pictures, particularly if you are like me and used to lugging around pounds of Canon gear all day.  What a joy to just have this little creative tool.

But there is a price, and I don't just mean the high price of this somewhat aging technology.  By being minimalist, the camera denies you the ability to back button focus.  Instead you must maintain pressure on the shutter button so as not to lose focus, while you manipulate exposure compensation and try to fine tune the focus manually.  If you are in autofocus, you give up magnification as you turn the focus right to fine tune the focus.  You can not lock exposure independently of the focus point.  In short, you lose a great deal of creative control, unless you go to manual mode and manual focus.  That is a shame.  

The simplification of ISO control comes at the price of having to take huge jumps in settings rather than having a more incremental increase in the ISO setting.  Battery life is all too short.  I have gone to 4 batteries to make sure I don't run out.  I am concerned about having enough time to charge them all each evening considering how slow the charger works.  

I know that sounds like a lot of negatives.  I only wish Leica would read this and make a Leica CL 2 (or a more professional model).  But, the bottom line is that I decided to keep the camera and I smile every day that I go out and shoot with it.  As Hugh Brownstone would say, "It makes me happy."  If you don't know who he is, go to his web site at 3 blindmen and an elephant and watch his youtube review of this camera.

Minimalist Controls both Positive and Negative

excellent choice for everyday photo. first time using a "camera" to take photo of my child. quick focus time too. wonderful color, would not regret buying it.

excellent every day photo

Excellent service, price,shipment  but they did not honer my most important request. That was to please send me a camera that is brand new, in the box never opened, not a display unit. That was not the case. The camera was actually used/on before it was sent to me. Evidence was from the number of pictures taken before sent to me and not the original battery charger packaging.I wish they would not have done that.G.

Fantastic price  but....

The (Digital) Leica CL is a new comer in the Leica portfolio, yet it takes the good parts of the TL2, SL, M and Q and packs it into a very capable platform.

L-mount body ensures you can use all current TL, SL and potentially future L-mount Alliance lenses. The customizable dials on the camera and unobtrusive back side of the camera gives enough flexibility and focus to the photographer.

Im an M user myself and I am constantly surprised at how well this little camera takes my M lenses. Using this as a back up to my M or just my walk-around camera, this is certainly a winner in my book.

Mini M, Mini SL, Mini Q = all of them

Feels like a Leica.  Solid with excellent image quality.  For the serious photographer who take time to think, compose and shoot.  Not an action camera.