Which lens stays on your CLE the most?

[ChrisC]

..... it was sold with a Rollei-branded chrome Bessa R2 body. As I recall it was a Leica thread-mount lens barrel with an M-bayonet adapter fitted so that it seemed to be a bayonet lens......

Doug - Many thanks for the clarification, that must be the Rollie RF camera then? Do you or anyone else know if the 'M' adapter is a standard LTM to M type which could be changed for one bringing up 35mm framelines [on Leica] or is it a more fixed type of adapter?

............... Chris

 

[Doug]

Chris, I'll stick my neck out a bit and say it's a regular Cosina-made L39 -> M adapter, same as you could at that time get new from CameraQuest that would bring up the 50mm framelines on a Leica M body. Since then the Cosina adapters have changed (type II) to eliminate the circumferential cut-out to allow them to be 6-bit coded. You could easily use instead a similar adapter that brings up 35mm framelines. One nice advantage of screw-mount lenses adapted to M!

PS: I don't know, but it's possible the adapter on the Sonnar may be affixed with Loctite... that would need answers from someone more knowledgeable about this particular lens. So there may or may not be a special technique for removing the original adapter, beyond simply unscrewing the lens from the adapter while mounted on the body.

 

[ChrisC]

Doug - I'm indebted to you; thank you for your help.

............. Chris

 

[Fuchs]

40mm 90%
28mm 7%
90mm 3%
or sort of

 

[Bingley]

I bought the Rokkor 40 for the CLE first, fell in love w/ the lens and the focal length, but then got an R3A to go w/ it. The glowing praise of the CLE above, not to mention the CLE porn, makes me wonder whether it's worth looking for a CLE too, or whether that's overkill (or redundancy, take your pick) w/ the R3A... I know, slightly OT, for which I apologize...

 

[Doug]

... The glowing praise of the CLE above, not to mention the CLE porn, makes me wonder whether it's worth looking for a CLE too, or whether that's overkill (or redundancy, take your pick) w/ the R3A...

Not redundant, I think, but complementary, due to the difference in their viewfinder magnifications and available framelines. One thing I greatly appreciate about the CLE is the .6x magnification and being able to see around the outside of the 28mm framelines. This helps make the 28mm lens a natural and convenient partner to the 40mm on the CLE. OTOH, the Bessa R3A makes better use of longer lenses.

 

[gilpen123]

The 40-c and ultron 28 2.0 stays in my CLE. No use for the 90 as it is very difficult for me to focus using this camera. I reserve that for my M3. The 28 frameline of CLE IMO is the best as what Doug says you can see outside of the 28 mm frame. except of course the 0.58 of M6/M7/MP might be good if not better which I have no experience.

 

[Doug]

... The 28 frameline of CLE IMO is the best as what Doug says you can see outside of the 28 mm frame. except of course the 0.58 of M6/M7/MP might be good if not better which I have no experience.

Agreed, and two other 28-friendly alternatives are the Hexar RF and Bessa R4A (or R4M). But none of these has the CLE's 40mm framelines. Of course there are ways of utilizing the 40mm lens on them, but less satisfactorily than the CLE IMHO.

 

[robur]

40/2 Rokkor most of the time, about 70%.
28 Rokkor about 29%.
And 90/4 only 1%.

 

[Etabeta]

I take photographs during my frequent travels abroad. Two bodies and two different films (Velvia 50, Provia 400X) most of the time. Great use of 28mm Ultron f/2 (50%). Then comes the 40mm Nokton f/1.4 (30%), eventually the 90mm Tele-Elmarit M (20%).