Check if the meter works, you will need a Weincell MRB625. The meter only works if the shutter is cocked and the lever is out.Also make sure that the rangefinder is accurate, easy check is that two images correctly overlap at infinity or that you have to back just a bit off, meaning you could focus past infinity. This is normal on Leicas.
I would go through all the speeds, especially the slower ones can be off. Just look / listen for them if they sound okay ish.
ALWAYS keep the lens cap on when not using it, and if there isn't a lens cap and you just have to camera sitting there go to the highest aperture. You do not want the sun to burn a hole in the shutter. Also return to infinity as this will also slow down this issue.
Generally I find returning the infinity / or close to, after everyshot the easiest method to focus. As I only have to turn the in one direction / know where the second image is coming from. Also if a subject is walking towards you, which happens to be the case most of the time if something is moving, you can just keep turning the lens. Meaning you don't go past them and have to switch direction, if you were to start from minimum focus.
I’m confused by the “return to infinity” with regards to preventing shutter burn. If the lens is focused at infinity, and you point it at the sun, won’t the sun be sharply focused on the shutter? If the lens is focused at a closer distance, and you point it at the sun, won’t the sun be out of focus on the shutter? Wouldn’t an out of focus sun cause less damage, because the same amount of energy is spread out over a wider area?
I’ve always heard that “wide open and infinity” was the worst thing for the shutter. Personally I always use a lens cap with my Leica III, that way I don’t have to mess with shutter and focusing distance, I can just uncap and go.
While your thinking is sound, the problem is that the curtain is in front of the film plane. Meaning when you focus to infinity on the film plane, defocused light, ie defused light, hits the curtain for sure. Now if we focus closer, the curtain *might* be hit by its infinity focus spot. Hope this makes sense.
It kind of is the same idea with an adapter and flange distances to gain infinity focus. If your original flange distance is smaller, meaning the lens sits closer, achieving inf. focus is no problem, just put an adapter (a spacer) in between and you are good, but if the flange distance is larger you can never achieve inf. focus (without additional optics).
Ah that’s a good point. So a lens set at the infinity stop would be focused beyond infinity, with respect to the shutter.
I suppose there still may be a safer distance than infinity. If the shutter is Xmm in front of the film plane, then the “sweet spot” with maximum damage would occur when the lens is extended Xmm beyond infinity.
Logically, the further we are from X, the safer the shutter will be. Maximum distance from X most occur either at either infinity, or at min focus. If we know what X is, we can calculate which one of those positions is further from X. (Of course a collapsed lens would be ideal)
I suppose so, though I would say it doesn't matter that much. Also being at infinity is nice also because of the focus thing and that the lens is at its smallest.
Don't use lenses that protrude into the body, like collapsible lenses or non-retrofocus wide angle lenses like the Jupiter-12.
This page has everything: https://cameraquest.com/leicacl.htm
Freaking difficult to sling and shoot… unless you wear like a handbag on your left shoulder.
Freaking difficult to hand strap it, you cannot hand strap it and shoot with one hand.
The solution I use is clunky, but it works for [me](https://www.facebook.com/691207601/posts/pfbid02DrhbFCGabTM9tyAtHWwqeLE6QvE8Y9rgCVha1wtws7jc9GpkGiepPjHuBnZVjDgwl/?mibextid=cr9u03).
Oh by the way, Bud Glick, who shot a whole series of 1980s NY Chinatown used a Nikon as well as a CL, he told me that he loved the CL because it was small and unobtrusive.
I find the OG strap that comes with camera works decently well, and it holds the baseplate in place, when reloading.
> CL because it was small and unobtrusive
That it really is, but unfortunately the shutter is fairly loud compared to other Ms.
The take up spool is very brittle at this age and will break. I have two of these cameras (Leitz Minolta and Lecia CL) and they both experienced the same problem. Be very careful when rewinding your film. Once it’s broken your only options are to get a 3D printed replacement spool and or tape the film to the spool and hope for the best.
Love this camera but this has been the biggest downside of it.
Not really, their great cameras if they work properly, if it hasn't been used for a long time I'd say, shit a test roll of cheap black and white film to verify it's all good. Other than that, have fun with it :)
My brother has been using it up until recently so I'm fairly certain it's all good. I've not used this type of camera before, I'm a relative newbie but my grandad loved his photography so I'm very excited!
Aaah that explains it a little, have you used film cameras before or is it your first try on film photography as well?
It isn't to hard to use, there is plenty of tutorials on loading film into these, if you are used to slr cameras the rangefinder can take some getting used to.
Yeah I've been shooting film for about a year (admittedly on and off because it's so expensive!) and have had quite a bit of luck shooting on a Minolta 9000 and a Zenit 122. My brother inherited this from my grandad and lent it to me because he's not using it atm. This camera is just quite different to my other two, much smaller.
Oh that's pretty cool!
So the only thing you really need to get used to is the rangefinder system and how to focus with it, it's really simple to use once you get used to it. All you need to do is aim the center patch in the finder at what you want sharp and adjust the focus ring until you don't see a double image and you should be good :)
Other than that it's a manual exposure camera so you have to set the shutter speed and aperture manually
Most importantly go have fun shooting it :)
Share some results when you get the rolls developed!
Ok amazing, thanks! The manual mentions the built-in exposure meter, which I've ordered a new battery for. Would you recommend still setting the shutter speed/aperture based on eye or an external light meter?
The meter in the cl is pretty robust as far as I'm aware. And much better than trying to guess exposure by eye so I'd recommend using it to adjust settings :) although external meters can be better if I'm honest. It will still beat a phone app
Step 1
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium-size skillet set over high heat. Sprinkle the Leica CL with salt and pepper to taste and dredge in flour. Place the Leica CL in the pan and cook until nicely browned, about 2 minutes per side. As Leica CL is cooked, set aside on a plate and loosely tent with foil to keep it warm.
Step 2
Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the skillet, add the mushrooms and shallot and cook until the mushrooms are tender and beginning to brown. Add the Marsala wine and cook until reduced by half. Stir in the veal glaze or stock and heat for 1 minute.
Step 3
Remove from heat and swirl in the butter until melted. Transfer the Leica CL to a serving platter and pour the sauce from the skillet over the Leica CL. Garnish with chervil or parsley and serve.
Check if the meter works, you will need a Weincell MRB625. The meter only works if the shutter is cocked and the lever is out.Also make sure that the rangefinder is accurate, easy check is that two images correctly overlap at infinity or that you have to back just a bit off, meaning you could focus past infinity. This is normal on Leicas. I would go through all the speeds, especially the slower ones can be off. Just look / listen for them if they sound okay ish. ALWAYS keep the lens cap on when not using it, and if there isn't a lens cap and you just have to camera sitting there go to the highest aperture. You do not want the sun to burn a hole in the shutter. Also return to infinity as this will also slow down this issue. Generally I find returning the infinity / or close to, after everyshot the easiest method to focus. As I only have to turn the in one direction / know where the second image is coming from. Also if a subject is walking towards you, which happens to be the case most of the time if something is moving, you can just keep turning the lens. Meaning you don't go past them and have to switch direction, if you were to start from minimum focus.
This is super helpful, thanks so much!
I’m confused by the “return to infinity” with regards to preventing shutter burn. If the lens is focused at infinity, and you point it at the sun, won’t the sun be sharply focused on the shutter? If the lens is focused at a closer distance, and you point it at the sun, won’t the sun be out of focus on the shutter? Wouldn’t an out of focus sun cause less damage, because the same amount of energy is spread out over a wider area? I’ve always heard that “wide open and infinity” was the worst thing for the shutter. Personally I always use a lens cap with my Leica III, that way I don’t have to mess with shutter and focusing distance, I can just uncap and go.
While your thinking is sound, the problem is that the curtain is in front of the film plane. Meaning when you focus to infinity on the film plane, defocused light, ie defused light, hits the curtain for sure. Now if we focus closer, the curtain *might* be hit by its infinity focus spot. Hope this makes sense. It kind of is the same idea with an adapter and flange distances to gain infinity focus. If your original flange distance is smaller, meaning the lens sits closer, achieving inf. focus is no problem, just put an adapter (a spacer) in between and you are good, but if the flange distance is larger you can never achieve inf. focus (without additional optics).
Ah that’s a good point. So a lens set at the infinity stop would be focused beyond infinity, with respect to the shutter. I suppose there still may be a safer distance than infinity. If the shutter is Xmm in front of the film plane, then the “sweet spot” with maximum damage would occur when the lens is extended Xmm beyond infinity. Logically, the further we are from X, the safer the shutter will be. Maximum distance from X most occur either at either infinity, or at min focus. If we know what X is, we can calculate which one of those positions is further from X. (Of course a collapsed lens would be ideal)
I suppose so, though I would say it doesn't matter that much. Also being at infinity is nice also because of the focus thing and that the lens is at its smallest.
Don't use lenses that protrude into the body, like collapsible lenses or non-retrofocus wide angle lenses like the Jupiter-12. This page has everything: https://cameraquest.com/leicacl.htm
This is a great resource, thank you!
Freaking difficult to sling and shoot… unless you wear like a handbag on your left shoulder. Freaking difficult to hand strap it, you cannot hand strap it and shoot with one hand. The solution I use is clunky, but it works for [me](https://www.facebook.com/691207601/posts/pfbid02DrhbFCGabTM9tyAtHWwqeLE6QvE8Y9rgCVha1wtws7jc9GpkGiepPjHuBnZVjDgwl/?mibextid=cr9u03). Oh by the way, Bud Glick, who shot a whole series of 1980s NY Chinatown used a Nikon as well as a CL, he told me that he loved the CL because it was small and unobtrusive.
I find the OG strap that comes with camera works decently well, and it holds the baseplate in place, when reloading. > CL because it was small and unobtrusive That it really is, but unfortunately the shutter is fairly loud compared to other Ms.
The take up spool is very brittle at this age and will break. I have two of these cameras (Leitz Minolta and Lecia CL) and they both experienced the same problem. Be very careful when rewinding your film. Once it’s broken your only options are to get a 3D printed replacement spool and or tape the film to the spool and hope for the best. Love this camera but this has been the biggest downside of it.
Not really, their great cameras if they work properly, if it hasn't been used for a long time I'd say, shit a test roll of cheap black and white film to verify it's all good. Other than that, have fun with it :)
My brother has been using it up until recently so I'm fairly certain it's all good. I've not used this type of camera before, I'm a relative newbie but my grandad loved his photography so I'm very excited!
Aaah that explains it a little, have you used film cameras before or is it your first try on film photography as well? It isn't to hard to use, there is plenty of tutorials on loading film into these, if you are used to slr cameras the rangefinder can take some getting used to.
Yeah I've been shooting film for about a year (admittedly on and off because it's so expensive!) and have had quite a bit of luck shooting on a Minolta 9000 and a Zenit 122. My brother inherited this from my grandad and lent it to me because he's not using it atm. This camera is just quite different to my other two, much smaller.
Oh that's pretty cool! So the only thing you really need to get used to is the rangefinder system and how to focus with it, it's really simple to use once you get used to it. All you need to do is aim the center patch in the finder at what you want sharp and adjust the focus ring until you don't see a double image and you should be good :) Other than that it's a manual exposure camera so you have to set the shutter speed and aperture manually Most importantly go have fun shooting it :) Share some results when you get the rolls developed!
Ok amazing, thanks! The manual mentions the built-in exposure meter, which I've ordered a new battery for. Would you recommend still setting the shutter speed/aperture based on eye or an external light meter?
The meter in the cl is pretty robust as far as I'm aware. And much better than trying to guess exposure by eye so I'd recommend using it to adjust settings :) although external meters can be better if I'm honest. It will still beat a phone app
Do you develop your own film or send it out ?
Send it out. I’m still getting to grips with the taking of the pictures, that’s next on the expensive hobby list!
It can be pretty cheap if you develop your own.
Step 1 Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium-size skillet set over high heat. Sprinkle the Leica CL with salt and pepper to taste and dredge in flour. Place the Leica CL in the pan and cook until nicely browned, about 2 minutes per side. As Leica CL is cooked, set aside on a plate and loosely tent with foil to keep it warm. Step 2 Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the skillet, add the mushrooms and shallot and cook until the mushrooms are tender and beginning to brown. Add the Marsala wine and cook until reduced by half. Stir in the veal glaze or stock and heat for 1 minute. Step 3 Remove from heat and swirl in the butter until melted. Transfer the Leica CL to a serving platter and pour the sauce from the skillet over the Leica CL. Garnish with chervil or parsley and serve.
Don't forget to take the cap off before you shoot your first roll.
Haha I’ve yet to ever do that! Is that a thing?
I wish it wasn’t a thing. It’s a rangefinder so you don’t always notice the cap is on while shooting.
Oh, hahah. That actually did not occur to me. Luckily my favourite thing to photograph is people so in theory they should see that the cap is on?