lens caps

I just purchased a delightful summicron m 35mm lens which I look forward to a

long relatinship with. But the lens hood is without a lens cap. Having seen a

few shutters that were fried by the sun (never my own of course) I am concerned.

Leica doesn't seem to offer spare parts. Does anyone have any thoughts, or a

spare cap?

Thanks

Andrew

Did you check with Leica in New Jersey? Several years ago I was able to purchase parts for a

400 / 6.8 lens. These varied from a lens cap to small screws and berings. They faxed me a

parts blowup, and everything was availible.

Two answers for you, Andrew. First, there are a couple Hong Kong outfits making 'replica' lens caps for the 35mm F2. The black painted one is actually quite good, and they are dirt cheap. Check that auction site.<p>

If you want a cap that goes over the lens hood, then get thee to any half-decent camera shop where they have a display of clip-in lens caps. One is likely to fit just inside the hood. (For example, my 35mm 1.4 hood uses a common 58mm 'snap-in' lens cap.)<p>

Finally, you might want to get into the habit of carrying the camera so that the lens points towards you. Push it on your side towards your back and it sits very snugly there, free of direct sunlight, and still quick to pick up and point.

Are you speaking of the 4th generation Summicron with the little rectangular plastic shade? Leica makes a rubber cap that fits over the ridges on either side, it's made for the 35/2-ASPH shade but fits yours too. B&H have them usually, I believe they're around $40. For $79 IIRC they sell the ASPH shade with the rubber cap.

In the past, I got an authentic cap to fit over the 35mm's lenshood from Tony Rose at Pop Flash Photo. They're expensive but are the real thing, if that's what you want.

Leica DOES supply them, but they may not feature on their site. If you're not in the US(?) you can find them at The Classic Camera, London. Johnny.

Also try KEH.com

 

I think they list them under "Leica M" -> "lens accessories" or else "hoods and caps" (I don't quite remember). I've bought a few from them, for the Leica and the Hassie. They usually have what I need.

i have the fourth generation 35 and i got the same hood cap vinay is talking about. don't buy

it, it doesn't fit right, the cap is too big and you will loose it if you use it on the street.

i carry the camera the way Pico says, it's always protected and always ready.

got the proper Leica rubbery little lens hood cap for my summicron for 12 quid at Robert

White

here in the UK (they do mail order really well). Don't use anything else. Plain, simple,

hardwearing.

"... it's made for the 35/2-ASPH shade but fits yours too..."

 

Not exactly. As has been pointed out already, the 4th generation pre asph version has a shade (12524) that looks identical to the asph shade (12526), but it is not - as you can see, even the part numbers are different. The pre-asph shade is slightly smaller and the current cap doesn't quite fit (it's too loose). The part number for the cap for the 12526 asph shade is 14043 (I don't recall what the number is on the pre-asph version).

 

If this is your setup, the way I see it, you have three options: (1) shop for the proper lens cap for your shade (you'll need to be patient), (2) replace your lens shade with the asph version + cap, or (3) go with an aftermarket round shade and clip a round cap to the front of it.

B&H - $20.

One thing this forum is 100% dependable for is no matter what someone says, someone else will contradict it. The rubber cap fits the 12524 and 12526 with almost equal insufficiency. Neither of them fits as securely as the 10-cent top to a Pringles can. Examples of better designs are the rubber cap for the Summilux-ASPH 35 which sleeves over the shade partway, and the Elmarit-M 28 shade cap which is a plastic spring-tab type. On the Summicrons, the only way to assure not losing the shade cap is to use a cap lariat, the camera equivalent of a pocket protector :-)

Hey. My 'new to me' 75mm F1.4 Summilux arrived. No caps. No shade. (It's the earlier one). Just what size is this crazy thing (60mm?) and were do I find lens shades? (And why did anyone ever sell one without them? Uh... okay, because there was a buyer like me. *shame*)

Pico--I hope your 75 Lux doesn't take the #12539. It's a bit difficult to locate. 'Just an FYI.

I started with a 12524 for my 35 f/2 Summicron. I discovered the hood cap for the 12526 is a little loose and Leica did not make a hood cap for the 12524. I sold the 12524 and bought a 12585 (round, vented, for both 35 and 50). I discovered that a 52mm Nikon lens cap fits the front securely. Some day I will paint over the Nikon logo ;-).

<a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00Iino">Check this.</a>

As someone said laconically on that other thread, you can't take expose film through a lens cap. But by swivelling the strap lugs round to the sides of your M, you can easily persuade your camera to hang lens down, with the baseplate on your chest. I now do it without thinking when the sun is out.

If you want to prevent curtain burn, just close down the lens when not in use and try to carry the camera pointing downwards or towards your body. My Elmarit 28 (third version) has no hood lens cap, so I resort to what I said. So far...

 

Good luck!

<b>John R. Fulton Jr.</b> <i>

Pico--I hope your 75 Lux doesn't take the #12539. It's a bit difficult to locate. 'Just an FYI.</i><p>

Thank you for the part number, John. It is exactly the shade I need. The quest begins. :)