Leica CL: The perfect travel film rangefinder camera?

As mentioned in my previous post, I went to Jindabyne with some friends in the last week of 2021. Thanks to Covid, it was almost a year since my last trip to Byron Bay the year before and I was quite excited about it. Mount Kosciuszko being one of the destinations made it even more special. All this time I’ve only heard its name in one of Midnight Oils songs and finally I got to see it in person.

I spent quite a bit of time deciding on which camera to bring with me the night before the trip. Now, I never really had a “travel” camera, the choice used to be easy as I only had the Canon IV SB (which I finally sold early this year) and the Olympus XA2 (sold long ago) and they both easily fit in the bag. This time around the collection has grown a bit and makes the decision making process slightly more complex. I knew that I was going to bring a rangefinder with me as I wanted to shoot manual but at the same time wanted to have something with more automation for easy snap shots. I ended up bringing four cameras with me.

The Canon 7, Leica CL, Contax T3, and Panasonic LX5. Bringing four cameras is a bit excessive I know, but it was 2am, the decision making nervous system in my brain wasn’t working properly, and I needed to get some sleep. My thinking was to use the LX5 to cover random snapshots, night time photos, and as a backup in case I ran out of film rolls. Contax T3 came along because I still had an unfinished roll in it and I had to bring the Canon 7 because I just got a new LTM lens I wanted to test (will be a topic for another post). As you could probably tell from the title, the CL ended up being used the most. What is a Leica CL? Why did I buy not only one but two copies?

I will not go into the nitty gritty of the camera spec as you can find lots of reviews on this camera online. A lot of people like the camera and for a good reason. It’s a compact fully mechanical and manual M-Mount rangefinder camera with TTL metering. The compact form factor appeals to me more than anything else it offers. I initially bought the Leitz Minolta CL version from an Ebay bid and to my disappointment the camera which was mentioned as being in a good working and cosmetic condition came with a broken film spool. I still keep it in the hope that one day I can get a replacement spool for it. Having held one in my hands I am convinced that I actually like the camera and want a properly working one. I was instantly back on the hunt and got an almost mint copy Leitz Minolta CL with the native M-Rokkor 40mm f/2 lens from someone local. After shooting a roll with it I quickly decided that the 40mm focal length is not for me and I don’t need the built in meter. I always feel that whilst useful a light meter reading in a viewfinder distracts me. So when another copy of the CL with a broken light meter and “Leica” imprinted in lieu of the Leitz Minolta appeared on Ebay for a decent price I decided to buy it and eventually sold the other CL along with its lens.

I paired the CL with the Voigtlander Color Skopar 35mm f/2.5 lens most of the time and this is the same setup I used during the trip. While the CL only has frame lines for 40/50/90 I could comfortably use the whole space in the viewfinder to guess the 35mm framing. It may not be super accurate but this doesn’t bother me. One thing I noticed is that using an LTM to M-Mount adapter doesn’t seem to work well with this camera. I tried mounting some of my LTM lenses and the rangefinder coupling doesn’t work. Maybe my adapter is not the right one but it always works fine with my other M-Mount bodies hence my suspicion that the problem lies with the camera. If you’re thinking of getting the camera it’s worth reading in-depth reviews about the camera as it will reveal other things that might be relevant to you such as how not all m-mount lenses are compatible with the camera. For my personal use, none of that matters.

Revelation of a Gem

Despite being a great camera the Leica CL gets more time sitting on the shelf than my other cameras. This is due to it being a camera that somewhat fills the middle ground of what I need from a camera. I tend to opt for a small point and shoot for my day to day camera and when I want to shoot manually with a rangefinder I tend to go with bigger cameras like the M2 or Canon 7. The small viewfinder is a small compromise for its compact body but for me who wears glasses I always go for a bigger/brighter viewfinder when possible. At some stage I found it hard to justify keeping this camera due to its occasional use. To put it simply, it’s a great all-rounder camera and were I to sell all my point and shoots this will definitely be the camera to fill in the role of my everyday compact camera. This dilemma ended during the trip in Jindabyne as the camera revealed its true potential. I put a roll of expired Agfa Vista 200 and started snapping away on the way back from the top of Mount Kosciuszko. It is so light and compact that carrying it in your hand or wearing it around the neck doesn’t become a hindrance at all. Especially after carrying the Canon 7 all the way up the difference in size and weight was apparent. With the amount of light available I could set the aperture at f/16 and pretty much use the camera like a point and shoot! Except that I get full control over the settings and the rangefinder patch is there to assist a more precise focusing when I need to use a wider aperture. The shutter speed dial is very convenient to use and selected speed is shown in the viewfinder, a great feature that I have somehow overlooked previously. These are benefits that probably make the camera a great everyday companion for some people but to me the camera really shines in those moments as you walk up and down the hill, in and out some caves, during your adventurous trip. A small external flash will be a good addition to cover the night shots when needed.

Flowers on the Balcony, Jindabyne, Australia, 2021

Yarrangobilly Thermal Pool, Australia, 2021

If you ask me what’s the best travel film camera I would probably still recommend a point and shoot. But if you like using a rangefinder and want to have full manual control it’s hard to beat the CL as a travel camera. Did I mention that the camera doesn’t require any battery to operate? No risk of the camera dying because of drained battery or some piece of electronic part inside the camera deciding to retire during the trip. Well, it does require a battery for the light meter, but if you can live without it you can find a copy with a broken light meter for a cheaper price and spend your money on a good m-mount lens that you like instead! I do have one complaint about the camera actually. I still question the design decision for the weirdly placed strap lugs. Both being on the left side of the camera which sometimes makes the strap gets in the way of my eye and the viewfinder. It’s less convenient to wear it with a wrist strap too. Maybe I’m just nit-picking here but if one day I find a way to customize the camera and weld a strap lug on the right side of the body to mount a neck strap just like any other camera I would definitely do it.

I guess the moral of the story is that if you give yourself enough time to bond with a camera chances are you’ll find that it is actually much better than you think. The CL has found its place in my heart and is now my go to travel camera. I can even see it slowly becoming my go to everyday camera. In fact, one day when I finally find the courage to let go of my cameras and just live with one or two cameras I think it will probably be one of them. It is definitely special.

What’s your thoughts on the Leica CL?