Leica CL - what to look for when buying
So you want to buy a compact Leica for occassions when your M is too bulky. Maybe the CL will fit the bill, although be warned these cameras are all over 20 years old now. To help you avoid getting stuck with a dud, the following www site sets out in incredible detail all the ins and outs and what to look for when buying a CL:
<angelfire.com/biz/Leica/page21.html>
Stephen Gandy has a more general page on the Leica CL (and Minolta CLE) at:
<cameraquest.com/leicacl.htm>
Practically though, why buy a 20 year-old Japanese manufactured CL, when you can buy a brand new M-mount Japanese manufactured Voigtländer Bessa R2 instead?
Yes the CL has a much quieter shutter, but otherwise the R2 is much cheaper, uses modern manufacturing techniques and materials and works with all M lenses as it lacks the CL's lightmeter-on-a-swinging-stick.
A note about possible broken links
This FAQ has over 900 external links. Over time it is inevitable some of them will break. If you are bothered by this, see this detailed topic elsewhere in the FAQ.