Minolta CLE
The Minolta CLE was a 35 mm rangefinder camera with TTL metering and aperture priority for the " Leica M" bayonet.
Development
Leica and Minolta had a cooperation agreement signed in 1972 for the development and construction of an inexpensive entry-level camera with Leica M Mount. Result was developed by Leica, but in Japan built by Leica Minolta CL, which appeared in 1973 and was built until 1976. Leitz introduced, inter alia, the production therefore one because the cheap CL lowered the sales figures for the M models. Minolta Camera subsequently developed in-house for CLE on. The model was introduced in 1981 and was available until 1984 /5, a total of nearly 35,000 units have been delivered.
Description
The Minolta CLE has an electronically controlled shutter with a fastest shutter speed of 1/ 1000 s and a built-in TTL ( " through the lens ") light meter. She was the first camera with M bayonet with automatic exposure control and TTL automatic flash control. The camera already offered 1981 features that Leitz introduced only in 1998 with the M6 TTL.
Due to the more modern shutter Also the controls on the outside changed. The characteristic of the LEICA CL Time Settings button on the front of the housing wandered to the top of the housing and provides adjustment 1-1 / 1000 second, B and A for aperture priority. In "A" setting "automatically" the camera controls the exposure time (due to the set film speed, aperture and lighting conditions). , Measured with a silicon photodiode, which is mounted in the bottom of the camera. The light is reflected by the shutter curtain and during exposure of the film surface in this cell before this recording. This camera also responds to changes in the lighting conditions during the exposure and any modifications thereto.
The rangefinder viewfinder of CLE has lines for 28 -mm, 40 -mm and 90 - mm lenses. The Minolta CLE is deemed reliable but electronic failure are today without spare parts supply, virtually no longer recoverable. However, several components of the Minolta XG - series have been taken, so that some parts are compatible. The CLE was only offered in black, next to it there was a " CLE Gold Edition" of 300 pieces for the Japanese market.
Lenses
Minolta set three objectives for the CLE ago, the M- Rokkor 28mm f = 1:2.8, Wide Angle, the M- Rokkor 40 mm, f = 1:2, and the standard M- Rokkor 90 mm, f = 1:4, Tele. Many 28- mm wide-angle lenses from Minolta indicate problems with the coating ( white spots ). Addition, however, fit the Leica lenses for the CL (such as the Leitz 40mm Summicron -C f = 1:2 ), and most of the M lenses, if they are not to far into the camera.