Capsule review : Minolta CL
Leica-envy strikes us all. Only a few non-Leica cameras can slake it : the bewildering range of Voigtländer Bessas, and Minolta’s CL and CLE. Of Minolta’s offerings the CL has the advantages of cost and simplicity, having fewer electronic components, though its fiddly light meter has a well-known tendency to break. The CL unfortunately feels a bit cheap despite its metal frame, being light (good) and having a fragile viewfinder (bad). It occupies an unhappy midpoint—not having the solidity of Leicas that partly justifies their price, but not being cheap enough to be treated casually. Yet it can mount the envy-inducing M-lenses, or Minolta’s own excellent Rokkor 40mm f2, and create wonderful images when treated kindly.
Rating : ★★★☆☆
published