Leica CL Vario Kit

First let me say I'd rather give this camera 4.5 stars but I've settled on 4-stars based on my two big negatives..I'll get the negatives out of the way first. The biggest single negative I have is the rear LCD screen is fixed. In this day and age (2018) a flippy rear LCD is pretty much expected and standard. The idea that companies impose their idiosyncratic design ethos (in the case of Leica… "The Essentials") is silly when this comes at the expense of user experience. Don't get me started about Apple… (they're on some sort of parallel universe to usability! I have no idea what the big deal is about Mr. Ivy and his designs. Think of all the money you spend after buying an Apple product to overcome his designs.) Anyway, for this Leica CL, no flippy rear LCD is a half-star demerit.The second big negative is battery life. In short, it sucks! In normal use, with the rear LCD on and using the EVF, expect about 200 shots on a fully charged battery. That's very poor for 2018. The new Sony A7, about the same size as this camera (OK, maybe about 25% larger) gets over 700 shots per battery charge. Leica should be doing better. Another half-star demerit.Now on to the positives. I have owned the Leica SL (sold), the Leica T (sold), Leica TL (sold) and Leica TL2 (sold). A theme here? The reason I sold all these cameras is because the EVF, when used outside and wearing polarized sunglasses, was blacked out. Polarized sunglasses and the low quality EVF screens were not compatible. When I mentioned this to a high level Leica executive, he just shrugged his shoulders and said they don't get much sun in Germany and never noticed this as a problem. To be fair, the EVF on the Q also works (about 90%) with polarized sunglasses on.Well, the EVF on the CL has somehow overcome this major shortcoming (major to me). The EVF works perfectly with my polarized sunglasses on.The rest is just fluff once I determined the EVF works as I expect it to. DNG image quality is exceptional for an APSC sensor camera. I like the 18-56 zoom a lot. I prefer the little 23mm prime. I like a 35mm image area and the 23, with the crop factor accounted for, is approximately a 35mm image area. The combo of the 23 and the CL makes for an excellent travel companion. Lightweight (just over 1.5 pounds) and compact, fitting perfectly inside my smallish Herschel backpack.The controls are very easy to master (contrary to some popular YouTube reviewers who seemed to be intellectually challenged by the controls) and all frequently used settings are within easy reach by your fingers while looking through the EVF at the scene before you.In sum, this is a terrific camera with two very noticeable misses… battery life and fixed LCD.

I currently own other Leica systems. SL and M. I always wanted a smaller backup camera. Sometimes, M or SL can be too heavy or too slow to take snap shots. I first got my CL last week and took it on my LAS VEGAS trip this week. I was headed to CES and I used it to take some pictures along the way on the Desert and also on the show floor itself. The Camera is very lightweight and takes amazing photos. Maybe not as good as the SL but for the convenience I get from a small body and lightweight small lenses, it is good. I have never owned a small APS-c sensored LEICA before but this camera will be a good backup camera for people with other LEICAs or good highend mirrorless camera.

After a few days to master the controls, I was off auto mode and happily shooting everything that caught my eye. I'm an amateur but this is my third Leica and I love the images I'm able to get even with my low skill level.Next, a full-frame Sony...

Why the CL? Because if you love Leica, you will pay the price. If you don’t, the price crazy.Pros:1) very very compact. You cannot appreciate how small it is until you hold it in your hands. Compare to my main full frame shooter it’s tiny, even with the Vario kit.2) the Leica color. I love how it renders skin tone and primary colors such as red and blue. My main shooter Sony is technically perfect but Leica shots has so much more soul. According to some experts, cL has better dynamic range than most APS C cameras even Sony.2) Leica make you slow down, think, then shoot. When I first got the camera I shot it like a Sony oh boy the images were ugly. Once I slowed down and actually worked to get the setting right, I began to have better results. It will make me a better photographer in the long run.Cons1) the price. The price of additional lenses.2) I love the classic dials with markings. It’s a little too far with the minimalism and no markings on the dials3) hard to hold. The thumb grip is mandatory to hold it steady. Buy it!I was deciding between this and the Q, now same price. I already have a full frame kit with a lot of lenses. The compact size and interchangeable lens sold me. Also when you want to upgrade the camera, the Leica lenses will never go out of date.

I have film Leicas from other era. They don't have autofocus. With age the one with my eyes needs autofocus. So I bought one locally in NY. I don't think that anyone will use it as the pro camera (I'm thinking about myself). So I just left the setting on "P". Takes great photos. With extra grip is very convenient to hold.I love EVF - very sharp and bright. EVF has optical regulator so the one can choose the right optical setting. I also bought Leica flash SF40. Note that the camera and lens are made in Germany. However the flash is made in China. Flimsy. Shouldn't cost $500. After extended use will post more.