Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/03/10
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]In a message dated 3/10/00 12:05:47 PM, drodgers@nextlink.com writes: >It's not the cost of lenses and bodies that bug me. It's the cost of all >the little add-ons. As long as I'm venting I'll mention that I'm upset >with >the variations in filter sizes among all my M lenses. A fellow luger just >told me over the phone that he just spent $500 for filters for his Leica >lenses, and his lenses are all the latest. It looks like I'll probably >end >up doing the same. The filter size thing doesn't bother me too much, >because I'd hate to see a lens made larger just to accomidate a standard >filter. I'm certain that's easier to do in the SLR world, since lenses >are >larger to begin with. I just recently dealt with the filter size issue. On the odd chance anyone will benefit from my experience I'll tell you what I did: I have six Leica M lenses which are designed for four different filter sizes (15mm Cosina=no filter, 24mm ASPH=55mm, 35mm=39mm or Series 7 in hood, 50mm=39mm, 90mm=49mm and 135mm=Series 7). I have settled on two filter sizes to accomodate all of the lenses (except the 15mm which doesn't take filters). I use 55mm filters on the 24mm ASPH and the 90mm Summicron (by way of a 49-55 stepping ring). The 55mm filters just barely fit inside the hood of the 90mm. I could have also used the 55mm filters on the 135mm f2.8 by buying a Series 7-55mm ring but I'm using series 7 on the 35mm and 50mm so I didn't see any point in buying that ring (though I probably will someday, if for no other reason than you can't get a CC30M in series 7). I use Series 7 filters in the hood for the 35mm f2.0. I figure when I want to filter the 50mm summicron I'll just use the 35mm hood and the filters for it. The other option was to buy a set of 39mm filters for use on both the 35mm and 50mm but unless I went with 55mm on the 135mm that would have meant a third filter size. Anyway, I cut my filter sizes in half by stepping up from the 49mm thread on the 90mm and by going with series 7 on the 35 and 50mm. Maybe there's somethin g like this that you can do as well . . . Bob (NOW you tell me I shouldn't use filters) McEowen