UV/IR filter for Leica Summicron-C 40mm

[gmaurizio]

Hi guys,
I have been using my old 40mm summicron-c from my old Leica CL. It proved to be an absolutely fantastic sharp little lens! It becomes a 52mm normal lens on the M8.
While a uv/ir filter is not absolutely needed, for many editorial shots it would be nice to have an uv/ir cutout filter. The 39mm does not actually fit comfortably, since both CL lenses are somehow unique birds.
Has someone found a suitable solution for this problem?
Thanks for dropping by...

[ho_co]

Standard Leica E39 filters have a 0.5mm pitch, but both the 40 C and the 90 C take a 39mm filter with 0.75mm pitch, or a series 5.5 held in by the lens shade.

Either could be made by B+W on request; may have other sources as well.

--HC

[gmaurizio]

Thanks Howard, I guess I will have to talk to Schneider. Was hoping for a simpler solution, but the 0.75mm pitch is a killer....

[cliffordjim]

I love the 40 Summicron as well. Great sharpness with the Leica bokeh and if you use it on the M8 with the 35mm framelines it's perfect.

I use the 39 IR filter that is screwed into the rubber lens shade (39mm generic) that I had bought for my 50mm Summicron (the 39mm rubber shade screws onto the 40 lens very nicely and the the 39 IR filter screws into the 39mm threaded rubber lens shade - hey you get a nice lens shade and you can use the 39mm IR filter).

M8 40 Summicron f2

[lct]

Want to put a red nose on your dear old 'cron 40/2?

No problem, you just need:

- a 39mm UV-IR Leica filter (#13410)
- a Leica hood #12518 dedicated to the 'cron 40/2
- a 37mm rubber ring
- a pin and a die grinder

1. Grind the filter housing of the hood in order to enlarge its inner diameter to 37mm:
http://tinyurl.com/rv7w/DSC00720_afterweb.jpg

2. Remove the blocking ring of the filter with a pin or same:
http://tinyurl.com/rv7w/DSC00710_afterweb.jpg

3. Insert the glass into the filter housing:
http://tinyurl.com/rv7w/DSC00721-afterweb.jpg

4. Insert the rubber ring over the glass:
http://tinyurl.com/rv7w/DSC00731-afterweb.jpg

5. Screw-in the hood:
http://tinyurl.com/rv7w/DSC00728-afterweb.jpg

[tummydoc]

Why not simply trans-plant the glass from a 39mm UV/IR in-to a Series 5,5 filter mount?

[lct]

Originally Posted by tummydoc

Why not simply trans-plant the glass from a 39mm UV/IR in-to a Series 5,5 filter mount?

Because the 5.5 mount is smaller than the 39mm glass.

[gmaurizio]

Thanks so much for the detailed instructions... Much better than a made-to-order filter.
Thanks to all

[Broke]

Originally Posted by lct

Want to put a red nose on your dear old 'cron 40/2?

No problem, you just need:

- a 39mm UV-IR Leica filter (#13410)
- a Leica hood #12518 dedicated to the 'cron 40/2
- a 37mm rubber ring
- a pin and a die grinder

1. Grind the filter housing of the hood in order to enlarge its inner diameter to 37mm:
http://tinyurl.com/rv7w/DSC00720_afterweb.jpg

2. Remove the blocking ring of the filter with a pin or same:
http://tinyurl.com/rv7w/DSC00710_afterweb.jpg

3. Insert the glass into the filter housing:
http://tinyurl.com/rv7w/DSC00721-afterweb.jpg

4. Insert the rubber ring over the glass:
http://tinyurl.com/rv7w/DSC00731-afterweb.jpg

5. Screw-in the hood:
http://tinyurl.com/rv7w/DSC00728-afterweb.jpg

ICT -- looks like an excellent solution. Thought I might revisit this subject -- anyone know where to find the 37mm rubber ring mentioned?

Cheers,

Jim

[razerx]

If it is convenient to use the UV/IR I would but some sizes are either not available or hard / expensive to find. Is the filter absolutely necessary when even Leica supposedly didn't notice ill effects during development of the M8.

[lct]

Originally Posted by Broke

ICT -- looks like an excellent solution. Thought I might revisit this subject -- anyone know where to find the 37mm rubber ring mentioned?...

Just a rubber O-ring my plumber gave me for free but i can't tell where he got it sorry.

[graeme_hutton]

None of the above is necessary if you carefully screw the 39mm filter straight on to the 40 'cron until it grips tightly...I've been using mine like this for months with no problems.

Don't overtighten and you'll be ok.

Graeme

[voightL]

If you managed to get Schneider to make a 39mm filter with 0.75mm pitch, I would like to order two. Maybe you should start a thread to take order for this filter Thanks.

Originally Posted by gmaurizio

Thanks Howard, I guess I will have to talk to Schneider. Was hoping for a simpler solution, but the 0.75mm pitch is a killer....

[voightL]

I tried that & it seems to be holding well but it may suddenly come loose!

Originally Posted by graeme_hutton

None of the above is necessary if you carefully screw the 39mm filter straight on to the 40 'cron until it grips tightly...I've been using mine like this for months with no problems.

Don't overtighten and you'll be ok.

Graeme

[Broke]

Originally Posted by graeme_hutton

None of the above is necessary if you carefully screw the 39mm filter straight on to the 40 'cron until it grips tightly...I've been using mine like this for months with no problems.

Don't overtighten and you'll be ok.

Graeme

I've personally tried this and wasn't satisfied the grip was adequate, and I think this lens really does need a good hood as it is somewhat flare prone. Series 5.5 filters are available from B+W on special order from B&H if you're willing to wait... Sigh. I think I'm going to go down to the home depot and look at O-rings.

JB

[voightL]

Have been looking for a solution for this problem for a long time & found it in the Heliopan series5.5 filter. Leica series5.5 glass can't be removed from the filter mount. Heliopan series5.5 glass is held by a retaining ring that can be unscrewed to remove the glass. Got an optometrist/optician to grind the glass from Leica E39 UV/IR to the size of the series5.5 glass & BINGO, now got a series5.5 UV/IR filter

Originally Posted by tummydoc

Why not simply trans-plant the glass from a 39mm UV/IR in-to a Series 5,5 filter mount?

[benkelley]

here's my solution... found my leica 39mm uv/ir filter wouldn't screw in at all, but an old b+w 39mm would, and then the uv/ir screwed in nicely on top... so i went to my local camera store and tried out a few old filters. b+w fitted the best, so for $10 I bought it, went home and took out the glass, and now when i use my 40mm i can just screw the uv/ir into the glassless old filter. works like a charm. when i get around to it i'll probably buy a b+w 39mm 486. as i need another anyway, but for now it works fine.

ben

[lct]

Originally Posted by benkelley

here's my solution... found my leica 39mm uv/ir filter wouldn't screw in at all, but an old b+w 39mm would, and then the uv/ir screwed in nicely on top... so i went to my local camera store and tried out a few old filters. b+w fitted the best, so for $10 I bought it, went home and took out the glass, and now when i use my 40mm i can just screw the uv/ir into the glassless old filter. works like a charm. when i get around to it i'll probably buy a b+w 39mm 486. as i need another anyway, but for now it works fine....

Good idea indeed. How do you manage to fit a hood if any?

[benkelley]

I've got no hood, alas... I just recently bought the lens–it had no hood with it–and first figured out the filter situation. Anyone have any suggestions for a 3rd party hood that might work?

Ben

[Shootist]

I have 2 of these lenses and a 39mm Leica filter does screw in part way and seems to fairly secure on both of them. As for a hood you could get a screw in 39mm and screw it into the filter.
The original hoods are almost impossible to get and I don't know of any aftermarket types that would screw into the threads of the 40C, at least no better then a 39mm filter does.