The CL has strap lugs (slots) both on one side, the Bessa- rings on the front like an SLR, with short lenses, the bessa is a pain to carry, as it keeps trying to flip back some.
The CL has only three frame lines, 40, 50 and 90. The 40 and 50 are always up, the 90 can appear only if you put either a 90 m mount lens on, or 90 m adaptor, the bessa has a manual selector switch for 35,50,75,90 framelines.
The CL has a real needle in the viewfinder, and a needle indicated shutter speed display in the finder too, while the bessa has some leds for the meter, and no shutter speed indication. The meter switch on the CL is the wind arm, and I often forget to pull it out to the on position, but it reminds you when nothing makes the needle move.. The Bessa meter comes on when you start to press the release some, then stays on a little while after that. I've taken maybe five shots of tree bark and concrete by pressing the button too far (r3a) while metering.
The CL is old, and the foam dampers in the mechanical meter are now often disintegrating, making the exposure meter stick either at one end of the travel until bumped, and/or some of the foam bits can fall into the meter movement, requiring cleaning to remove. While it is quite easy to take the top off of the CL and get to the meter, not many repair people are left who will fool with it, and at some time every CL will probably need something done to at least clean the meter movement..
That said, it is a Leica, so it's value will always mean that somewhere someone will be there to fix it somehow, using leica service documentation. Most CL by now if sold in working condition have had the meter foam etc dealt with already.
The CL loads film in a slightly more combersome way than the bessa, the CL bottom and back come all the way off requiring three hands, the bessa has a door.
You have to deal with the battery issue on a CL, and wein cells are not so good for these, because the CL has the 625 cell clipped inside of the film chamber, so if you use a zinc air cell, you run the risk of the cell dying if you let the camera sit around for a couple of months with the same roll of film in it. The meter is easy enough to calibrate for the excell silver oxide 625 cell. The bessa uses common silver oxide batteries, and they can be changed without removing the film.
The CL is quieter and even old, the wind seems smoother. The bessa is very good though, it has a crisp feel to it, I like the shutter sound, it's not the quiet flit of a leica m, but not the kapow of an slr, it's just the sound of a metal focal plane shutter..
The CL finder does not seem as big and bright as the Bessa, I am able to usually focus a Bessa faster, unless my eye is in the wrong place and the rf patch disappears which can happen on both, just seems to more often on the Bessa.
I suppose a big factor in deciding which to buy is if you already have any lenses.
If you have a 35, then the Bessa r2, but if you have no lenses at all, maybe try to get a CL with the 40 that was usually sold with it- a neat little lens.
Another good deal I keep harping is the Bessa r and 35mm combo deal from either coast's CV dealer. 399 I think, if any are still in stock. (but you know the R is screw)
