Lens Holder Gizmo

[ms_commerce]

Alright, don't laugh!

 

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I see a used M lens holder gizmo at a nice price in the used camera shop down the road from my office. Has anyone actually found these to be useful? I can carry one extra lens in a pocket (35/50) but sometimes its nice to have two extra lenses on a walkabout without having to carry a camera bag.

 

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But fell free to opine if it is just so much useless clutter.

[msitaraman]

Silly me, I did not search the archive categories diligently enough.

I have a few opinions from there but additional ones are always

welcome.

[geddert]

I've never used this gizmo - which just seems awkward to me. However,

I can recommend a good way to have two lenses on you without a camera

bag is to wear cargo pants (lots of film can fit in these pockets as

well as lenses). It's worked will for me in the past and not required

anything special.

[geddert]

I really need to learn to spell and use grammar correctly (you would

think 18 years of school would have taught me that) � or maybe I just

need to proofread before posting a comment.

[keith_nichols3]

I don't know how the gadget you mention works, but I assume it holds two lenses together end to end. Why not epoxy or otherwise wed a couple of rear lens caps back to back and attach a lens to each? I generally just drop extra lenses in separate pants or shirt pockets.

[jay_.]

By "lens holder" do you mean the one that has a bayonet mount, lets

you cantilever a heavy lens stressing the M6's offset tripod socket,

making a small camera big and risking damage to 2 lenses at once if

it swings against something or gets dropped? That gizmo?

[hoyin_lee1]

Is this what you're talking about: <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-

cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1235243848">Leica Lens Carrier M

14404</a>?

[dan_talbot]

My advice: Dont' buy it! I owned a Benser Baseplate lens holder

(for holding 2 lenses to the bottom of a Leica M) and hated it. In

addition to the dangers that Jay mentioned, consider this:

1.)if the lenses being held are not bayoneted in securely or come

loose, your expensive Leitz glass will take a straight vertical crash

(front element first) to the ground!

2.) when you want to change film, you have to take off the lens

holder, take off the baseplate, change film, reattach the baseplate,

and reattach the lens holder. Repeat this process several times a

day and you'll soon yearn for a small carryall bag for your extra

lenses!

[kens]

You don't buy, we don't laugh...:~)

[roberto_watson_garc_a]

I once droped one of my M3´s, it hit the concret grownd on one of the

corners of the base plate, the knock made the baseplate opened, from

that experience I better don´t hang any thing from it, and beside

that you losse what the M´s are so precious for: it´s compactness. By

the way sorry if any gramar errors.

[Rob F.]

Mani, I think everyone else has basically covered all the reasons not

to use this thing, but I couldn't pass up adding my 2 cents. I think

Roberto probably said it best, but why take a camera that's good

partly because it's small and agile, and make it into a heavy,

ungainly, clunky thing. Get the cargo pants, as Matthew said, or a

photo vest, or a nice small bag.

[msitaraman]

OK, folks (Jay made the case against quite well) its time to buy my

next camera bag and/or add to my wardrobe.

[msitaraman]

PS: Does Cartier-Bresson wear cargo pants, by the way? :-)

[roberto_watson_garc_a]

for film? he didn´t need it, he used just one lens and one camera,

jumping and dancing along the streets all day; any extra cargo would

diminish his ballet capabilities.

[lutz]

Dan, the Benser baseplate is a catastrophee - you're absolutely right.

But the Leica lens holder (for just one lens instead of two) is way

more practical. You can keep it fastened to the baseplate or even the

rapiwinder or the leica winder while changing film. It has a centered

bajonet for the additional lens thus proving additional grip if you

carry a long lens with it. I love it. With this accessory plus my Sling

I change lenses in five seconds, without any additional bags, pants, or

tabletops. ;o)

 

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See it in use: http://www.konermann.net/sling.html

[msitaraman]

HC-B, as with all Parisians of his generation, i.e. those who came of

age in the 1920s, was extremely dapper when at work, judging by the

few photo examples that are around. But then, judging by his

pictures, so was everyone in the world back then. People used to

dress up before stepping out of the house, y'know...

 

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Sorry to go off-topic, but I had to respond to Mr. Watson.

[roberto_watson_garc_a]

Yes Mani, a suit and tie, and formal shoes can still alowd us to move

around freely, but not some pouds of equipment in a bag, altough I

have seen pictures of HCB with one of those ugly hard photo bags of

the 50´s hanging from his shoulder, but can´t imagine him like that

all the time.Best Regards.

[peter_hughes1]

I like it too.

 

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The bayonet is secure; the lens on the bottom is not going to fall

off. The lens acts as a handle. Changing lenses is fast and easy--I

can change lenses in about 10-12 seconds. Anyway, I hate putting

lenses in my pockets, especially w/o caps.