Pardon me for this Leica-rookie question: what do I have to watch out for when using a Summicron-C 40/2 on a Minolta CLE? Am I right to assume that the correct frameline to use with the Summicron-C 40/2 is the inner (smaller) one seen in the viewfinder? Many thanks!

-- Hoyin Lee (leehoyin@hutchcity.com), September 19, 2000

Answers

Yes, the outer one is for the 28mm. Theoretically, the CL's 40mm you have has a slightly different slope on the focusing cam, but I have used the 40 on an M3 and had no problems at all.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), September 19, 2000.

By the way, those little 40's are spectacular for the money. Mine is every bit as good as the best other leica lenses I have shot with. Looking at the negs with a 10 power lube, the stuff from the 40 shows remakable detail, especially in the f4.0 to f8.0 range, but it is even good wide open. I have the Minolta badged one and it is one of my favorite lenses.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), September 19, 2000.

Lens guru Mike Johnson says of any lens he has ever used, and he used hundreds, the 40mm Summicron got the most praise from people he showed the pictures to.

You can say anything you want about contrast, lines per millimeters and what not... but when all is said and done, if people like your pictures... what else matters?

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), September 19, 2000.

It is a great lens but was designed for the Leitz/Minolta CL. The CL lenses had a different, steeper lens focusing cam than normal M and CLE lenses. The CL camera, which does not have to focus f1.0 lenses, has a simpler, shorter based rangefinder mechanism. The M and CLE cameras' rangefinder is fine tuned by adjusting the length of the roller arm which means that it can be in a slightly different position horizontally from one camera to another. The short ending to the long story is that quite often the M and CLE camera's rangefinder will not couple to a CL lens correctly. Point the combination at a point at least two miles away and, if everything lines up OK at infinity, it should be fine. If it does couple correctly, bear in mind that it may not work so well with your next body.

Cheers

-- John Collier (jbcollier@home.com), September 20, 2000.

Thanks guys for your good advice! John, thanks especially for your good tip, which I didn't know! I discussed this with the camera shop people and they said they would have the camera tuned or the lens changed if my 40/2 doesn't focus properly. I have checked the focus at infinity as you advised and everything seems to line up; but I'll know for sure when I have my first roll of film shot with the camera and lens developed. Thanks again, especially for being patient with this Leica newbie (well, not quite, mine's a Minolta after all!).

-- Hoyin Lee (leehoyin@hutchcity.com), September 24, 2000.

To wrap up this thread, I'm relieved to report that my CLE and Summicron-C 40/2 seem to be enjoying a happy marriage--the pictures from the test roll of film all turned out to be in focus. A friend of mine, who allowed herself to be the test subject, absolutely hates the lens (as well as me) because the photographs taken reveal far too much facial details! Anyway, thank you so much, Andrew, Al and John.

-- Hoyin Lee (leehoyin@hutchcity.com), October 02, 2000.