Cled Lewis' Biography
27th June 2025
In: Members' Biographies, News
I was introduced to Leica at the age of thirteen when my step father, who had been in an RAF Photographic Reconnaissance unit in North Africa, showed me his photo albums.
He was always at pains to show the superiority of Leica pictures.
My first camera was a folding job, can’t remember the make, and the second a 35mm Bessa, followed by an Exakta. However, the first time I handled a Leica deserves a mention.
My best friend Bill had an uncle who had emigrated to America and when visiting Bill I was introduced to his Uncle Fred.
Fred had been to Germany and was visiting his family on return. Bill said “Show Cled your camera”. Fred tossed the camera in its case across the room to me and I caught it, opened the case to expose a BRAND NEW LEICA M3 with 50mm Summicron. This was 1954.
I nearly died of shock, Fred was not in the least interested in photography and intended selling the camera on his return to America.
In 1981 the Exakta was getting dated and I bought a secondhand Contax RTS which proved to be faulty and I was loaned a Leicaflex while the Contax was being repaired.
What a revelation, I exchanged the Contax for a Leicaflex SL and enjoyed it immensely until our boys said “Dad your pictures are not quite sharp”. It was the combination of the ground glass screen and my eyes.
I bought a secondhand M5 in 1983 for the princely sum of £225 to overcome the focusing problem. A beautiful camera which I still own and even preferable to M2’s and M3’s.
Naturally I progressed to digital, remaining with Leica and now enjoy the M11. Fortunately I can still focus the rangefinder quite easily with my left eye and still prefer it to the Visoflex.
I am fascinated by the Q3. 43 but I don’t think I will ever change from the M series as long as I can focus.
The Grand Canal, Venice From the Acadamia Bridge
Safari Tiger
Remembrance
Mother & Baby in The Market
At Prayer
He was always at pains to show the superiority of Leica pictures.
My first camera was a folding job, can’t remember the make, and the second a 35mm Bessa, followed by an Exakta. However, the first time I handled a Leica deserves a mention.
My best friend Bill had an uncle who had emigrated to America and when visiting Bill I was introduced to his Uncle Fred.
Fred had been to Germany and was visiting his family on return. Bill said “Show Cled your camera”. Fred tossed the camera in its case across the room to me and I caught it, opened the case to expose a BRAND NEW LEICA M3 with 50mm Summicron. This was 1954.
I nearly died of shock, Fred was not in the least interested in photography and intended selling the camera on his return to America.
In 1981 the Exakta was getting dated and I bought a secondhand Contax RTS which proved to be faulty and I was loaned a Leicaflex while the Contax was being repaired.
What a revelation, I exchanged the Contax for a Leicaflex SL and enjoyed it immensely until our boys said “Dad your pictures are not quite sharp”. It was the combination of the ground glass screen and my eyes.
I bought a secondhand M5 in 1983 for the princely sum of £225 to overcome the focusing problem. A beautiful camera which I still own and even preferable to M2’s and M3’s.
Naturally I progressed to digital, remaining with Leica and now enjoy the M11. Fortunately I can still focus the rangefinder quite easily with my left eye and still prefer it to the Visoflex.
I am fascinated by the Q3. 43 but I don’t think I will ever change from the M series as long as I can focus.
The Grand Canal, Venice From the Acadamia Bridge
Safari Tiger
Remembrance
Mother & Baby in The Market
At Prayer
Comments
By Keith: Rangefinder’s rule! You are in a very select group that have handled a brand new M3 I suspect . Love the Venice shot . By David Askham: Another fascinating story, Cled. It is a pity that the talent scouts of Glamorgan County Cricket Club did not become aware of your skill in 'Catching' precious objects while airborne. You would have been a strong candidate for fielding in the 'slips'. In my experience as an older photographer, it is accurate framing and composing an image which endears me to live-view in preference to rangefinding. By Alaan Humphries: An interesting piece Clad, have you any idea what a new M3 and 50mm lens would have cost at the time you write of, e wages off course far, far less back then. Like Keith I am very impressed with the shot of the Grand Canal - keep the good work. By Cled: Thank you for your comments, the Venice shot is an M9 mono shot with 35Summilux at f5.6 probably.
As for Glamorgan Cricket Club, when I once played for the school ( probably short of players) I played at long stop for “damage limitation”
Hence my response knowing what I had caught. Shall we say I was not a good fielder.