Almost have a CLE, but what lens?

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brian steinberger

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I'm looking to purchase a Minolta CLE from a member over on RFF. I want to use the camera when the light gets low outside or even maybe some indoor stuff, and shoot mostly from f/2 - f/5.6 range. I've heard great things about the Rokkor's ansd that there are two models. The older Rokkor's are identical to the Leica 40/2 Summicron-C but are un-coated. And the newer CLE Rokkor's are Japanese made but are multi-coated. Can anyone recommend which lens is better wide open or if they are equal? I'm currently shooting a Nikon F100 with 50/1.8 and while the 50 is ridiculously sharp a few stops down, not so much wide open, and a RF is just nicer to focus in low light anyway.

So basically what 40mm lens do you recommend I get when preferring to shoot at or near wide open and how will it compare to the nikkor 50/1.8 I already have?
 
Almost all post-WWII lenses from major companies are coated. The best choice for the CLE is what it came with back in the day: 40mm Rokkor.
 
You might want to consider the Voigtlander Nokton 40mm 1.4, a classically inspired lens that's a stop faster than the Rokkors and much better all around than Voigtlander's 35mm Nokton. There's a single-coated version of the 40 and I have enjoyed using it on the CLE, when I've had the luxury of time to work with film.
I'd also strongly recommend trying a 28mm on the CLE. It has the best framelines for that focal length of any rangefinder ever made.
 
doubledan said:
You might want to consider the Voigtlander Nokton 40mm 1.4, a classically inspired lens that's a stop faster than the Rokkors and much better all around than Voigtlander's 35mm Nokton. There's a single-coated version of the 40 and I have enjoyed using it on the CLE, when I've had the luxury of time to work with film.
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I agree. Seems like the best lens for this camera at this point.
 
Either Minolta will be a fine lens, buy based on price-condition-value, not vintage. Same with the VC 40/1.4 SC or MC, the slight difference in contrast won't matter once you adjust your printing to suit. I like the build and looks of the Rokkors better but an extra stop from the VCs is nice too.

The coatings make a difference but you can't say one or the other is better - mostly it's marketing voodoo for experimenters and dabbling.
 
Pretty much like every other decent lens, sharp enough for art when wide open but sharper still when stopped down. The VC has a reputation for having not as nice bokeh.

I never thought the Nikon 50/1.8G was bad at 1.8 either, I think a lot of complaints about wide open performance come from not focusing optimally, at least in my experience mis-using the lens;-p
 
Frank Petronio said:
I never thought the Nikon 50/1.8G was bad at 1.8 either, I think a lot of complaints about wide open performance come from not focusing optimally, at least in my experience mis-using the lens;-p
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Exactly, in low light I don't trust my auto focus or my eyes to manual focus. I RF is perfect in this situation.
 
The CLE is ideal for 40mm and I'll second the 28mm suggestion. Unlike the Leica/Minolta CL, there are no 50mm framelines. The CLE 40mm Rokkor is a "Summicron" like the Summicron C but is multicoated and has a more common filter thread size of 40.5mm. I think this 40 Rokkor is the ideal match for the CLE, but I've also used the Pentax L 1.9/43mm and the 1.4/40 Nokton. The Nokton seems to me to have a couple extra mm hidden in there, as it looks a tad bit longer focal length than the Rokkor.

The CLE is one of my all-time favorite cameras (Bronica RF is another), and I have two, one bought new in 1982. Enjoy yours!

Also, go to the RFF Gallery, do an Advanced Search for CLE camera (scroll down the alphabetical list of camera models), and you'll see some attractive samples to admire! :)
 
I have a CL and both the M-Rokkor 40/2 II and Nokton 40mm f/1.4 MC.

At f/2, the two lenses are darn to gosh nearly identical in rendering qualities. Wide open, the Nokton rendering can be harsher in certain circumstances, but it's usually just fine. The M-Rokkor is a lot smaller and lighter though.

I keep the M-Rokkor on the CL all the time. I used to have both the Summicron-C and version 1 of the M-Rokkor ... version II's multicoating performs better than either of the older lenses' so you have less flare to deal with.

All four lenses are excellent, however, so any one of them will make you happy.

G
 
Thanks again guys. I ended up buying the CLE with a M-rokkor, the older one. I'm glad I got the lens and camera together as they are calibrated to each other.
 
Got to go with 28/40/90.

Would be nice to have the full M-Rokkor set!

For 28mm I use a Biogon 2.8 - never disapoints!
For 40mm I have the M-Rokkor - tiny and a marriage made in heaven for the CLE!
For 90mm I retain an old battered thin Tele-Elmarit - as small and light as you could wish for.

For me the CLE and 40mm M-Rokkor simply belong together.

James
 
CLE, Leica 28 Asph 2.8, Leica 90 Macro M, Voigtlander 40 1.4 SC

CLE_zpsl7htyv70.jpg
 
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