Daily Inspiration #115 by Andy Jackson

June 18, 2010 Daily Inspiration, News 24

Happy Friday! Today I wanted to post a nice daily inspiration from a guy who bought his first Leica camera recently, the Leica CL. He has been enjoying it and sent in some images which I really enjoyed. There is just something about film and how it renders colors. As much as I love digital and film, digital just can’t get close to film for colors. Film renders in a more “real life” kind of way and that is probably why I like it so much. Thanks to Andy for sending these in! Have a great weekend everyone 🙂

From Andy:

“Hi Steve!

First off, how are you, second, thanks for a very entertaining and informative site. I find my self browsing pretty much every day as part of my ‘web routine’! You and your site have got me shooting film again and purchasing my first Leica.

It was by pure chance I came across this CL. It was i the window of a local camera shop here in Innsbruck where I live (I’m from London). There it was sitting there, I had to do a double take. Anyway, straight out with the iPhone to do some on the spot research as I’d never heard of a CL. Saw a few prices on Ebay and that was it. I actually took the monumental risk of saying to the sales guy I’d come back for it in the morning… (hence restless nights sleep). I did find out a few days later when i told my Leica shooting friend about it that he’d walked past the shop that very afternoon but didn’t bother to check the second hand window! He would have had it like a shot. Anyway, as you can see the CL is in pretty much perfect condition – there’s not a mark on it actually. The Cron-C 40mm f2 has Made in Germany stamped on it whilst the Elmarit 90mm f2.8 has Canada. I’m sure, from my research, that the Elmarit that came with the original set was supposed to be a f4. Well, I picked up the whole lot and the flash unit for a mere 425 euros with original case for cam and Elmarit.

I’ve attached a few snaps from my first test roll (Superia 200) – they were processed and scanned in a little shop here in town. Scan resolution is 2000 x 3000 so not really that great a quality, best they can manage. I’ve done a little PP on them just to brighten things up as I reckon the scans were a little dull. Portrait shot is converted to black and white in Lightroom. I didn’t want to over PP them as I really wanted to retain the film results as close as possible. The landscapes are the view from my garden, the little fella is my son, Noah, the rest are snapshots from Innsbruck.

Well, I’m off to London next week and the CL comes with and I will put it through it’s paces there and see what I come up with. I hope to have something to send you for consideration on your site!

Hope all good over your side of the planet,

All the best, Andy J”

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24 Comments

  1. the CL is a nice small Leica. Consider getting one of the wide-angle VC lens for it as well, I have the 12mm lens & finder (on a cv dual finder so I can use a leveller as well) glued to it with fuji 400 iso colour film. a potent combo.

  5. Nice shots Jay 🙂 and if you need mercury free batteries that have 1.35 volts, this is the place to get them:
    http://www.weincell.com/
    In London they are available in proper camera shops, I just bought one for mine.

  7. Andy, Congrats on your find! Amazing photos. I love them. I’m going to add you as a contact on Flickr. I am Lainey1 there. I’d like to keep looking at the CL photos. 🙂

  8. @Andy: That’s such a lovely camera and the Vespa shot is brilliant; real film quality. And maybe you (I’m almost sure) you don’t need more than a 40 or 35. And isn’t the CL a camera you could keep in your hand all day, with a wrist strap like a Gordy’s? Works wonders for me.

    I love my E-P2 with the 20mm Lumix = 40mm in 35mm format.

  9. If any of you ever find a CL, grab it! I’ve been in several Leica shops in London looking for filters, lens caps and rubber hoods to complete it, shops guys have never seen such a clean CL. Some great second hand stores here too packed to the roof with all sort of analogue gear, pics coming…

    @ Ze, yeah the camera hangs vertically, don’t know if it’s an advantage or anything but I find I prefer to take camera off my neck when I want to shoot. The body feels solid and weighty compared to a modern day digi point ‘n’ shoot and of course lenses are excellent build quality. My fave part of the camera is the shutter speed dial on the front, it’s really the best place for it for on the fly changes.

    @ Brian, we’ve all done something like that, mine was selling 600 rare records, ouch…

    @ Oliver, sorry mate, that’ll teach you to not look in the window 😉 see ya when I get back!

  10. @Stephen B – I just sent myself a test message and it seemed to work fine. Make sure you type in the code at the bottom for it to work.

  11. Sweet little camera, of course I want one! Luv the snap of the little boy in the rain.

    Thanks.

  12. Steve, I have tried to send you a message using the “Contact” tab but it keeps coming back with an error message? Might be just a problem coming from the UK, not sure but wanted you to know.

    Cheers,

    Stephen

  14. Hi Andy,

    Well done on a great find, and thanks for posting the results and article. It got me thinking…

    Back in the 80s I sold a Minolta CLE with its 28, 40 and 90mm lenses and complete accessories for 120GBP to a photographer/collector in Japan. Twenty-five years ago it was a lot of dosh (still is) but in hindsight it wasn’t worth it. I regret it to this day.

    Much as I love digital and faffing about on the computer I just can’t quite capture the glorious black and white shots I took with Ilford FP4 with that camera. They are just sublime and glorious in equal measure.

    I guess I’m just going to have to bite the bullet and go hunting for a replacement, dig out my enlarger and get messy with the chemicals!

    Brian
    Hertfordshire UK

  16. Hi Andy,
    Congrats on your acquisition and thank you for submitting these very nice shots. I love the Vespa picture most: nice tones, compostition and point of view.
    On the photo of the CL I noticed the strap is attached on one side only of the camera. Does it mean that when you put the strap around you neck the camera will hang vertically? Can you tell us about what it feels like?

    Thanks
    Ze

  17. the CL seems like an awesome little camera, and i love the Vespa picture. For that price in that condition for the set I would have bought it as well even if to just sit it on a shelf or resell it, great find.

  18. Amazing shot of your son . Truly an inspirational shot . Just browsing your flickr photstream. You do have a keen eye .

  20. Hey guys, thanks for the feedback 🙂 As you can imagine I’m pretty happy with my little find. The CL is a great size too, quite a bit smaller than an M series but feels solid. Shooting film is a great discipline to get back into and hugely rewarding, I’m loving it again!

    @ Stephen B, yes, the Superia is a great all round film and I’ve just shot a roll of Reala today, taking your tip from a previous post of changing the ISO as I shoot – let’s see. I also just got a roll of XP2 back and that looks awesome through the Cron. The pic of my son with the water drops is actually a kind of fountain in reverse, it was really hard to focus as he’s constantly moving, I gotta get used to life without an auto focus…

    I’m shooting as much as I can on the CL as I am in London at the moment, hopefully have some shots to post to flickr soon…

  22. The C ‘cron shows a nice rendering in the first and third picture. Actually, I like all three shots very much! Btw., as Mike Johnston stated in a recent article: “40mm is about right”. 🙂

  24. Beautiful photographs Andy and a beautiful camera too! Each of those are so different it is difficult to choose a fav but for pure creativity, I have to go with the second of the little boy in the rain. Great angle!

    Superia 200 is one of my favourite films. I recommend Fuji Reala 100 too (if you can find it these days). Good luck with the shooting!

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