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

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Soeren Engelbrecht

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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

Hope that you find it of interest 🙂

Cheers,
Soeren
 
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

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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.
 
Cle

Cle

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.
 
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?
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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.
 
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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 😉
 
It sounded perfectly tongue-in-cheek to me (wannab - you cheeky monkey 😛). 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).
 
I was unable to access the review but...in so far as maintenance problems...a little hope to offer for those who experience problems with LED's not operating normally. Had this problem with my CLE and accidentally found that attaching and firing a generic flash using the camera solved the problem of LED's not lighting to show shutter speed to be expected. The shutter otherwise operated typically varying speeds with the meter input. Evidently using higher current than normal overcame any corrosion/oxidation caused resistance. Just a note. Tom S.
 
Paulbe said:
Very nice review!! Thank you--local camera shop has one in now for 650.00 with the 40/2 rokkor---hmmmmm!!!!
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If both camera and lens are in nice shape, that sounds like a really good deal.

I recently bought a CLE, liked it so much I bought another (the deal and condition was too good to pass up). These cameras are so nice and are often my go too even though I have a few Leica M cameras (film and digital) and well as various Nikon F series SLRs.
The siize, handling, shutter action, and smoothness of the winding mechanism are just superb. And it takes the same quality of photos as my Leicas, as it uses the same lenses!
The only caveat is the small size means that some lenses (especially if used with their stock lens hoods), partially block the RF window and make focussing a little harder .
 
Soeren Engelbrecht said:
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

Hope that you find it of interest 🙂

Cheers,
Soeren
Click to expand...

Link does not work for me. Takes me to a login page.
 
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