INTRODUCTION

The Minolta CLE is a 35mm film rangefinder camera made in Japan by Minolta in 1981.

BEST SUITED FOR:

Events

Art

Fun!

Street

Travel

PERSONAL NOTES

Like Hasselblad qho collaborated with Fuji in Japan, Leica collaborated with another Japanese camera maker: Minolta.

There are many similarities between a Leica M and a Minolta CLE. Built quality, controls, excellent finder, and access to M lenses.

The Minolta CLE is one of the most compact M mount rangefinder ever made. You have access to the great Leica lenses on a compact body.

The rangefinder is great, but not as precise as a regular size rangefinder. For 35mm or 50mm it's still excellent, but maybe not for a 90mm.

The Minolta CLE have an aperture priority mode, which is rare on full bodied Leica rangefinders. We had to wait for the Leica M7 in 2002 to have aperture priority. On its side, the Minolta CLE offered this already in 1981.

CONCLUSION

If you want a rangefinder that have the aperture priority mode and access to legendary glass, the Minolta CLE is great. For the price, you can't go wrong.

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