thoughts on leica filters and hoods

[rjjackson]

<p>hi all --</p>

<p>i have been carrying my barnack lately along with a few lenses but i have found that the wide assortment of filter and hood accessories is a bit cumbersome. i am curious how many of you share this problem and what solutions you have come up with?</p>

<p>i would like to develop a system that uses step-up rings and a single filter and hood thread size to allow me to carry just one modern filter stack and one or two hoods (depending on focal length). i have the chance to design and manufacture such a system and could make it available if there is wide interest, but i would like to learn a little more about what you guys would find useful.<br /> <br /> here is a list of my initial requirements for this system:<br /> <br /> -- stay in tune with barnackian motivation to keep it light and small.<br /> -- single filter size, compact as possible (probably 46mm).<br /> -- hoods should not block RF windows (vented as well as about 55mm max diameter). <br /> -- hoods should be reversible and mount securely when reversed (to keep the camera compact).<br /> <br /> there are many lenses i would like to include in the system, each with its own not-so-common to extremely-rare filter/hood system: 50/2 summicron, summitar, summarit, canon (with 40mm x 0.5 thread), perhaps elmar. (i don't have any 35mm or 28mm leitz screwmount glass, so i am less familiar with their complications, but i guess they would need regular 36mm or 39mm screw in filters).<br /> <br /> the two main problems here are how to avoid vignette with the 35mm lenses (especially the canon 35/2!) and how to create a fast and convenient reversible lens hood that doesn't protrude when not in use. <br /> <br /> my first idea was to create a step up adapter ring that had a bayonet for the hood, similar to modern designs, but i just don't see a way to guarantee that the thread-mounted bayonet locks in the right place for each lens.<br /> <br /> my second idea was to create a male to male step up ring that would allow me to mount the filters in reverse, then to create a female thread lens hood that just screws on to the filter either forward or reversed. this solution keeps the filter very close to the lens and keeps the hood secure and compact when not in use. this idea has two limitations. it would make using a polarizer even more challenging since they are not designed to be mounted in reverse and it would require that one filter be mounted to keep the hood in place (hardly a dissadvantage, though). <br /> <br /> what are your thoughts about such a system?</p>

[t_nu_tamm]

<p>I like your idea. Considering polarizers, one could use older linear polarizers or just reverse the glass in mount. I can't see why your design requirers the filter to be always mounted. Is it because the hood becomes shorter by filter's thickness?</p>

[t_nu_tamm]

<p>Oh, now it suddenly came to me that one can't turn the polarizer when mounted backwards...</p>

[michael_a._shapiro]

<p>One camera/one lens/no filter.</p>

[rjjackson]

<p>michael -- are you a fan of dave stamey? your image 05050709016.jpg is awsome. </p>

<p> </p>

[john_boyle3]

<p>I have an M2 nd M4 with 35, 50, 90 and 135mm lenses that all take E39 fillters. Two lens hoods cover the four lenses. The whole outfit, including a Weston Master IV meter, fits in a relatively small Lowe Pro ( or Billingham ) bag.</p>

[rjjackson]

<p>hi john,<br>

it's great that most of the M mount lenses can use one or another set of filters and i wish the screwmount lenses had the same convenience. that's exactly why i'm working on a system for the barnack cameras and screwmount lenses to use a single filter stack and hood. just to go for a walk, i carry lenses that require 40mmx0.5, 41mmx0.5, and 39mmx0.5.<br>

also, the main advantage is a reversible screw-in hood so that the collapsible lenses can remain compact when not in use.<br>

rj</p>

<p> </p>

[astral]

<p>I simply use conventional step-up rings, plus a SOOGZ and SNHOO where appropriate, and 43mm hoods and filters - quick, cheap and it works right now!</p>

[robert_hooper1]

<blockquote>

<p>I simply use conventional step-up rings, plus a SOOGZ and SNHOO where appropriate, and 43mm hoods and filters - quick, cheap and it works right now!</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Alan, could you be more specific about the accessories you use? Thanks.</p>

[karl_piers]

<p>> michael ... your image 05050709016.jpg is awsome.</p>

<p>I agree entirely, it's a fantastic shot.</p>

[Richard Williams]

<p>The SOOGZ adapts any lens that can take A36 clamp-on filters (various Elmars and the 50 Summar) to E39 screw in. SNHOO does the same for the 50 Summitar, but it's more rare and expensive than the SOOGZ (some people have reportedly got DAG or SK Grimes to fabricate a modern version for less than a vintage adapter would cost). From E39 it's easy to use conventional stepping rings to larger sizes (more choice in 46mm than 43mm filters). For hoods, would it help to try one of those flexible rubber versions that fold back for wider angle lenses?</p>

[astral]

<p><em>".. could you be more specific about the accessories you use?"</em> Well, there's nothing unusual - for my Barnack cameras I use the following:</p>

<p><em>SOOGZ </em> - clamp-on ring for A36 lenses (e.g. Elmar 5cm and Summaron 3.5cm, etc) which allows 39mm filters/hoods to be used. This adapter also enables the metal 2585 50/35mm hood, and so forth, to be attached; however, some other (plastic) clip-on hoods are a loose fit.<br>

<em>SNHOO </em> (marked 13078Y) - screw-in adapter for Summitars does the same job. SOOGZ adapters are fairly common, but SNHOO are really hard to find and usually expensive. A 39-43mm (or any other) step-up ring can be used on these to standardise accessories if preferred. Hereabouts, new 43mm filters are becoming a little less common, but 39mm & 46mm are widely available.<br>

<em>Step-up rings</em> - for other lenses, e.g. Canons, with 40mm or 40.5mm threads, I permanently attach a 43mm step up ring to the lens (obviously, generic caps save losing the rare originals).<br>

<em>Hoods </em> - I normally use 'vented' 39mm and 43mm hoods that are are available cheaply on eBay and elsewhere. I prefer Heavy2star hoods, and some of these accept standard 52mm lens caps.I'm not fussy about using non-original hoods as long as they work effectively and don't look 'orrible.<br>

<br /> The advantage of 'hand-picking' lens hoods (and checking them using a ground glass screen) is that deeper, more effective hoods can be used compared to the all-too-shallow ones that are usually recommended - great for the older 'flarey' lenses.<br /> <br /> For example, my $0.99 Canon 42mmC clamp-on hood (marked "For EE") fits the 5cm Summicron and Summitar nicely: it is 35mm deep, compared to the usual 20-25mm of a Hoya/B+W/Leitz hood, and obviates using the enormous rectangular SOOPD or SOOFM folding hoods: it is also more effective.<br /> <br /> Clearly these arrangements don't satisfy all of Robert J's requirements for reversibility, etc.</p>

 

[astral]

<p>BTW - the infinity lock on most LTM lenses would tend to get in the way of reversing a hood for storage. A reversible hood would also need to be wider than current hoods in order to fit, making it somewhat less effective for its primary purpose.</p>