[Leica] Re:60mm filters for 100m R Apo-Elmarit?

[apbc <apbc@public1.sta.net.cn>]

Andrew,

You have various solutions:

one is a Heliopan or B+W (or generic) step ring 60mm-62mm. These are 
fairly readily available and B+H lists them in their website and pro 
sourcebook: and they do exist since I bought two (Heliopan and generic) 
in London (Teamwork Photo - for the Heliopan since they are UK 
importers). Actually Teamwork might be a good place to mail order for you 
in Australia because shipping costs are often much lower form UK than 
from US.

You can look for a 60-58 step down and though they are listed they are 
very hard to locate. Try Cameta Camera, Filter Connection or B+H.

Alternatively cough up big bucks for B+W single coated 60mm filters or 
even bigger bucks for the very hard to find MCR 60mm filters. B+H lists 
most B+W filters but IME they are frequently out of stock of such odd 
items as 60mm (non UV) filters: I have been told they are mostly grey 
imports and you may get better availability from other dealers (and 
higher prices).

Since you are in Oz perhaps you might be better off ordering from Cathay 
Photo in Singapore who have a fair amount of B+W stuff and similar prices 
to B+H. I got an MC thin circular Polariser there for about 2/3 B+H's 
price and over a year before they were available there.

I have previously lamented Leica's decision to opt for odd filter sizes: 
it seems to be really stupid policy IMHO since they don't even make a 
range of filters in most sizes like 39mm, 60mm, 67EW etc etc

There are always those who think that if Leica do it then it must be 
right so perhaps you should conclude that real photographers don't need 
or use filters! In the case of the APO lenses in general and the Macro 
Elmarit in particular I would expect to detect degradation in the image 
when using filters of any type though. IME macro lenses really show up 
the reflections and contrast problems when adding filters quite often. 
OTOH I often use filters on many other lenses without noticeable problems.

Bests

Adrian (who has spent more on filters than any Leica lens!)

p.s. if you need URLs let me know - but you should be able to locate any 
of the above by search engines(esp www.dogpile.com), which is what I do.

Adrian Bradshaw
Editorial and Corporate Photography
Shanghai, China