stephen_w. Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 Does the current Noctilux built-in hood have any metal bits in it? I want to cut off the useless thing and I'm wondering if it will be easy and not mar the lens itself. If it had a metal ring around the base I won't try, as it will likely be more difficult to remove. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay_. Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 You might want to find out first how much it'll cost to have the hood replaced. You might not be able to sell it like that, or at the very least it'll sell for a lot less even if the next owner actually likes the shade off. And don't say you're planning on keeping it forever, those are famous last words of every Leicanut if not every camera nut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin_baker___heidelberg_ Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 I put a rubber band around the barrel which keeps it from sliding. Putting the cap is a pain, but it works, and keeps you from hacking on your lens. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_w. Posted August 20, 2003 Author Share Posted August 20, 2003 I mentioned to the Leica guy at "The last Real Camera Store in Houston", Houston Camera (their ad pitch) why it was so shallow: "Leica designs every thing down to the rats ass; it must be perfect." They do have an impressive array of display cameras. Kevin, I did the rubberband trick too. It was in my initial post, I deleted it because I thought others would find it dumb. It does keep it from moving around and is reversible. Jay, One could always use a clip-on hood. How much of a hit do you think it would take, resale? It's not mint anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vic_. Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 It never ceases to amaze me that this expensive, top quality equipment requires such add-ons as rubber bands, stick on colored dots, gaffer's tape, and other flotsam lying in people's desk drawers, in order to make it fuction at peak levels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew_hall1 Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 Most (if not all) built-in, sliding lens hoods from whichever maker are too shallow as effective light shades. On SLRs it's designed mainly for convenience. For rangefinders, often it's a necessity (e.g. the Noct) to avoid too much finder intrusion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay_. Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 <<One could always use a clip-on hood.>> None that Leica ever made. The previous mount had studs for the shade to bayonet onto. As for aftermarket, good luck finding *any* shade in 60mm. A 60-62 step-up + 62mm rubber hood? If you think the OEM hood obscures the viewfinder... <<How much of a hit do you think it would take, resale? It's not mint anyway.>> Unless by "not mint" you mean it has marks on the glass (oh yeah, I forgot, Leica coatings are so hard those never happen, that's why UV filters are for wussies), I'd say it would range between the amount it would cost to have a new hood installed (I'm guessing, a couple hundred at least given the cost of the replacement clip-on hoods for other lenses)to not getting a buyer at all. I'd avoid a lens like the plague that someone hacked the shade off, lord knows what else is wrong with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay_. Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 PS, why not just sell it and buy the previous version (same optics) that had a removable hood? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feli Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 >It never ceases to amaze me that this expensive, top quality equipment >requires such add-ons as rubber bands, stick on colored dots, gaffer's >tape, and other flotsam lying in people's desk drawers, in order to >make it fuction at peak levels. It's part of the Leica charm?;-) I just went through this whole exercise. Last week I ordered a used Noct with the collapsible hood. Today it arrived and they accidently sent me one of the last ones made with the clip on hood, which is what I was looking for in the first place... I was going to cut off the plastic collapsible hood and find one of the pin less clip on hoods. A friend of mine is a machinist and we were going to modify the lens to take the old style hood. The other idea was to modify the plastic guide bar on the lens to have a type of lock that would keep the collapsible hood extended. Once I had figured that out I was going to sell the plans for the modification back to Leica for an obscene amount of money. 8-) Of course non of that matters anymore. feli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henk Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 "that's why UV filters are for wussies" You sweet silly old man, hows life btw, takin lotsa pictures yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_w. Posted August 20, 2003 Author Share Posted August 20, 2003 Jay, The glass is fine. The lens has marks from use, especially on the shade...which I'll keep as a "bumper". No filters, generally, I'll sometimes put my $10 Leica C-Pol (Central Camera, Chicago filter bin) on it in the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al_kaplan1 Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 Try a couple of teensy weensy spots of rubber cement to hold the hood retracted. A good solid jerk should still pull it open, and the cement rubs off fairly easily. Don't use contact cement. It's a lot stronger and harder to remove! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_w. Posted August 20, 2003 Author Share Posted August 20, 2003 Vic, Leica user are a peculiar bunch. We want it the way we like it. I'm always tweaking with my stuff, whether it be a new/traded titanium bit for my bike, adjusting the stylus or suspension in my Linn, getting custom tuning work for my guns (no engraving please), or getting some metallic pads for my car. Fortunately, after market handgrips, softies, zip-ties, Lutzies, rubber-bands, gaffers tape, and sharpies are a much cheaper way to personalize a Leica. I don't use never-ready or half cases, as I only damage top plates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrestrikon Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 Leica repair will cut the hood off for you, if you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feli Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 Try using a 30 watt soldering iron to cut a groove through the plastic. Work quickly and don't let heat build up! Then use a new Xacto blade to gently slice through the rest. You may only have to do this to one side, if you can peel it apart and snap the other in half. feli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_chan2 Posted August 21, 2003 Share Posted August 21, 2003 Wow steve, you have a Linn LP-12? I'm a tweaker at times too but my Wilson-Benesch doesn't quite have as many adjustments as the Linn (save the VTA and suspension) but I've had quite a ball playing around with caps and tubes in my AN Kit One. 90% of an Ongaku @ 1/90 th the price with the proper mods to the pcb board. Have fun, John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymond_tai Posted August 21, 2003 Share Posted August 21, 2003 The hood can be removed without any cutting. I have seen it done by an independent Leica tech. Took him less than 5 minutes. Once removed the lens look really ugly like something is missing. First extend the barrel fully by turning the focusing ring all the way to minimum focus distance. As you are turning you will see the barrel extending, revealing a tiny screw. Remove the screw. That whole front aluminum tube portion where the hood slide up and down can be now removed. You will have to use a lot of force because it is cemented to the barrel. A camera tech would have the right tool which looks like a plunger. For goodness sakes don't do something dumbass like banging the lens against the table's edge or running it under hot water! Once that tube is removed, slide off the hood and repeat instructions backwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_w. Posted August 21, 2003 Author Share Posted August 21, 2003 Thats right, John, LP-12. Thanks Ray, I will check it tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymond_tai Posted August 21, 2003 Share Posted August 21, 2003 Steve, I wouldn't try that at home. This tech had 30 years of experience working for Leica. I was paying really close attention and noticed he held the Noctilux a certain way with one hand while twisting the plunger against the filter lip vigorously with the other to avoid breaking something else in the process. I wouldn't want you unscrewing the lens in half with your DIY attempt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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