Elmar-M 50 f2.8

[sm23221]

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Very impressive lens, it really delivers sharp and crisp images. Does anyone have any ideas on how keep the lens cap on tighter? It seems to come off very easily and will likely get lost in no time. Thanks.

[250swb]

On mine at least the cap is a tight fit if I use the Elmar's lens hood, but not so tight if I don't.

 

Steve

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[bill]

Couple of options; it's only a strip of self-adhesive velvet and has been for many years. An old trick is to wet it and let it dry - that can restore it's springiness. I have done this on older caps by filling it with water and - carefully - putting it on a radiator. As the water evaporates and the velvet dries out it does get more of its bungy back, but it is only a temporary fix.

 

Option two is simply to replace the strip - it is easy enough to do.

 

Regards,

 

Bill

[jaapv]

Afaik the Elmar-M has a ribbed rubber ring in the lens cap. Those two solutions won't work. The best thing to do is to bend it slghtly elliptical - or get a third-party replacement for daily use. They are dirt cheap and look exactly like the older Leica ones (with velvet ring;))

[bill]

Jaap, you made me go and check mine, and you are right. Option 1 is therefore out (works on the older ones though ) Option 2 is still valid, IMO.

 

Regards,

 

Bill

[250swb]

The Elmar M cap is just a rubber cap, any ribbing is caused by the tight fit over the knurling on the end of the hood or the ring around the front element, no extra stips of padding to adjust.

 

Steve

[jaapv]

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Well, mine is solid metal with a ribbed rubber ring. Maybe Leica changed the pattern. Mine is from 2007 ( with E39 filter thread).

[bill]

Are we talking about the same thing, Steve? My cap is metal, with a definite black rubber strip inside. My Elmar-M is about 10 years old now and it certainly has ribbing on it, whether by design or accident I don't know, but the ribbing is very clear and even to be caused by wear compression after initial moulding.

 

Regards,

 

Bill

[jaapv]

The confusion is the difference betwen the Elmar and Elmar-M The Elmar is the old, classical design and the Elmar-M is a new lens from around 1990 that was specially designed (albeit based on the same optical formula), originally as a limited edition for the M6J, but later found its way into the normal lens program. It has the ribbed metal cap - and little metal hood from new.

[wizard]

Gentlemen,

 

the Elmar-M cap has always been made of metal, just like the caps of the original Elmar 2.8/50 from the late 50s onwards. On the two copies of the Elmar-M I own (one chrome, one black, before someone asks ), the caps have an inner ribbed velvet ring (certainly no rubber), and the ribbing did exist right from the beginning. Both of my caps fit nice and tight, unlike some of the other caps Leica supplies with their lenses.

 

Regards,

 

Andy

[bill]

That's the one I have, Jaap. Mine is a little older than yours - about 2000, I think, when I bought it new. I'm looking at it now and the inner ring is definitely rubber, and definitely knurled, but as I say I would be surprised if it was from compression, even after all this time.

 

Regards,

 

Bill

[jaapv]

Mine was ribbed rubber form the first day

[bill]

OOer...

[wizard]

Mine was ribbed rubber form the first day

 

, I'd like to see a closeup of that one, honestly.

 

Andy

[250swb]

Are we talking about the same thing, Steve? My cap is metal, with a definite black rubber strip inside. My Elmar-M is about 10 years old .....

 

 

Serial 3739142 (so '96?) and the push on cap is part number 14268? Did the cheapskates pack mine with the wrong cap?

 

Steve

[MarkP]

Mine was ribbed rubber form the first day

 

 

..kinky lens prophylaxis......

[jaapv]

, I'd like to see a closeup of that one, honestly.

 

Andy

Wilson will have to do that - I've no idea where I put mine. I use a 5$ copy.

[swamiji]

Mine is a metal cap, with felt, no rubber. It fits nicely on both the lens and hood. Serial number in the 3911XX range, It's 6-bit.

[jaapv]

So it seems Leica just grabbed either a felt or a rubber ringed metal cap.

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Hallo,

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[Michael Geschlecht]

Hello Everybody,

 

I've always thought of my lens caps as for storage. Their grip never has appeared robust enough to me for use in the field. I think they may be made so they tend to fall off because one that would stay on given what a camera/lens/hood has to go thru would probably damage the lens mount going on & off regularly.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael