Re: [Leica] No-filter convert

["Harold Gess" <gess@icon.co.za>]

Well, well, well

Now, I am a professional photographer who uses UV filters on most of my
lenses. I know most of you seem to think it's ridiculous, etc, etc.

I have a nice example of the last model of the last non-asph  35 Summicron
with scratches on the back element. Anybody who feels Leica lenses are
scratch-proof is welcome to buy it from me at whatever the going price is
for a mint condition one (it is otherwise so!)

I have rejected numerous scratched Leica lenses second-hand ... mostly out
of the pro market. A good friend of mine who has one of the biggest
second-hand dealerships in Africa won't touch most pro-owned gear because
"the elements are always scratched".

Now, I'm not knocking the no-filter camp ... heck I'd love to use no
filters, but do you honestly NEVER scratch those lenses when you wipe them
off with your shirt-tails?

Best wishes to all on the LUG...those with condoms .... ooops filters or
without!

Harold
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Visit my web site at:
http://hgphoto.home.ml.org

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0837004303@sms.co.za.
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My e-mail addresses are as follows:
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gess@icon.co.za
Please use either of these to reach me and, lest you lose sight of it, have
a nice day!
- -----Original Message-----
From: Boreham <boreham@dial.pipex.com>
To: Leica User Group <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Date: 23 March, 1998 10:05 PM
Subject: [Leica] No-filter convert


>As a recent convert to the "no protective filter" school I offer the
>following to encourage other people who feel naked without one!
>It is an extract from the Broadsheet published by Williams of Hove (now
>Hove Camera Co again) one of the biggest Leica agents in the UK. It is part
>of an account of their tour of the factory at Solms.
>" We were then shown an almost unbelievable test to check the hardness of
>the coating on the front element of a lens. Definitely not something to try
>at home this one"
>"They take a wad of squidgy polymer compound into which is embedded an
>extremely hard, gritty substance. This is brought directly into contact
>with the coated surface of a lens element and ground into it at a
>substantial pressure for a precisely measured time. OUCH ! At the end of
>this process, the front element is examined with a powerful glass and if
>there is any sign of scratching in the surface of the coating, the setting
>of the coating machine is re-calibrated."
>"Leica are so confident in their modern lens coatings that they maintain
>the use of a UV filter on a current production lens is totally unnecessary.
>This is not only because the coating is so hard that it does not need the
>further physical protection of another piece of glass in front of it, but
>also because the highly efficient modern coatings effectively filter out
>the UV radiation without the need of any further assistance. Leica go even
>further and say that there is a possibility that the use of a filter could
>even degrade the performance of a lens."
>
>Mike
>
>P.S. For sale:- 3x Leica UV filters (E46), one B&W UV (E60) all unmarked !
>
>