Tried to mount an Elmarit-M 21mm f/2.8 ASPH on my Minolta CLE without success (done very gently; no damage done). Is the lens not compatible with the camera?

-- Hoyin Lee (leehoyin@hutchcity.com), June 21, 2001

Answers

If it won't just go right on, then I think you answered the question right there. You can open the camera back, hold the shutter open and then you can see what's actually interfering if your interested. I bet its the bottom shroud for the meter cell, as that is what made contact with the Dual Range 50mm on mine and prevented it from being mounted.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), June 21, 2001.

Here is a website that says it should work but the proof is the pudding...

http://www.mygale.org/cesarigd/photoe2cleo.htm

Cheers,

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), June 21, 2001.

I had the same problem with my old 35mm Summilux, which was why I sold it (the CLE not the Summilux).

-- Bill Mitchell (bmitch@home.com), June 21, 2001.

Thanks gentlemen for your advice. John, your link was reassuring enough for me to try again. With gentle force, I was able to mount the lens onto the CLE--it seems to be a very, very tight fit. However, as the article in the link from John says, the lens' hood blocks off part of the rangefinder (can still focus, but just); bummer. So, out comes the 21mm and back goes the Voigtlander Snapshot-Skopar 25mm f/4.

-- Hoyin Lee (leehoyin@hutchcity.com), June 22, 2001.

Update: I'm quite determine to use the Elmarit-M 20/2.8 ASPH on the CLE, so I decide to try again. The Elmarit's large squarish lens hood partly obstructs the rangefinder, and is visible in the external viewfinder--not very comfortable to use. So I thought, why not get rid of the hood. I'm actually surprised with how much smaller and less unwieldy the lens have become without the hood. My regular camera repairer even gave me a free press-on lens cap to go with the hood-less lens. I'm shooting a roll of Kodak PJ800 (a really superb super-fast film!) with this camera/lens combo, and I'll post the result when I have the film processed.

-- Hoyin Lee (leehoyin@hutchcity.com), June 30, 2001.

Dear Hoyin Lee:

If it doesn't fit leave it alone our you'll do damage. I guess the 21/f2.8 has a protector ring like the 35/f.14 Summilux. Do this. Get a Voigtlander 21/f4. Itr is cheap and very good (I have one). Use your Leica 21mm on a Leica.

-- Alex Shishin (shishin@pp.iij4u.or.jp), July 21, 2001.

I have tried it on the CL, and it definitely cannot work. Please be careful not to damage either the CLE or the lens. I am still looking for a nice CLE.

-- Loo Woei Harng (loowh@cyberway.com.sg), August 12, 2001.

Hoyin, I also use the 24 without the hood and haven't had a problem with flare or anything yet. I prefer the compact size of it that way.

-- rob (rob@robertappleby.com), August 13, 2001.