Lens caps, a question of design

[greyelm]

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I have three different designs of lens cap but I haven't been able to get dates for their manufacture/introduction. I know roughly when they were introduced but have no firm dates. Any help would be appreciated

 

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[luigi bertolotti]

The only thing I can say is that the 3rd is the "postwar" version, introduced I think in 1954, made for all the lenses with the E39 filter / 42mm front diameter (Summicrons, Summarons 35 "new", Elmar 90 "E39", Elmars 50 "new" and others); it is still usable on several lenses of today. The other two are versions of the "historical" lens cap originally made in 1925 for the Elmar 50 (36 mm diameter, probably was made indeed for the short lived predecessors of Elmar - Anstigmat and Elmax) ; it also fits Elmar 35, Hektor 28, Elmar 90, Summaron 35 "old" and others : it was made in many variants, also in black, and was available for several postwar years, given that, for instance, Elmar 50 endured in its classical 36 mm shape until 1954 about.

 

Typically, they have a delicious strip of velvet around the inner diameter, that assures a smooth fixing to the lens' front, and is of top quality material : I have some that probably have been used hundreds and hundreds of times, and still are perfect.

[greyelm]

Thanks for the reply. This fits in with what I guessed. The 'flat' (top picture) one seems to be less common, would it have been superceded by the one in picture two or were they both in use at the same time?

[luigi bertolotti]

Thanks for the reply. This fits in with what I guessed. The 'flat' (top picture) one seems to be less common, would it have been superceded by the one in picture two or were they both in use at the same time?

 

Hum... I suppose (but just suppose) they changed it time to time... regarding the "flat" variant, I agree that it is less common... and if you look at this picture of the Leica I (courtesy of Summilux.net - reproduced from Pacific Rim Camera's site) one can hint that it can be one of the first versions... and indeed, this is consistent with the fact that the 2nd version looks more common, produced at times in which Elmars were made in thousands any year.

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[Pecole]

Thanks for the reply. This fits in with what I guessed. The 'flat' (top picture) one seems to be less common, would it have been superceded by the one in picture two or were they both in use at the same time?

 

If you are interested in lens front caps, here are some strange variations : 36 mm black bakelite with the old Leica logo, "grained" bakelite, supple rubber, black painted brass (this last being 42 mm).