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Series VIII ND filters?


mblaze

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I do a lot of long exposure, wide aperture work, which often demands 5 or 10 stops of filtering (ND 1.5 or 3.0), especially on the M9, which has a minimum native ISO sensitivity of 160. But I can't find any Series 8 filters darker than 0.9.

 

I have the new 21/1.4 Summilux (which takes Series 8 filters). The 82mm filter adapter for the 21/1.4 is not a viable option for dark ND filters, unfortunately -- the back of the adapter vented, which allows light (and thus glare and ghosts) to leak in from the back.

 

So does anyone make "Series 8" ND filters with a filter factor > 0.9? B&W and Heliopan only seem to make them up to 0.9 in the Series 8 form factor, but I'm hoping someone knows of another vendor that I'm missing.

 

Thanks

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Foto Huppert sell Series 8 B+W filters with densities of 1.8 (64x) and 3.0 (1000x) as well as other densities.

 

Go to their home page, choose country - it doesn't matter at this stage so deutschland is OK, click on "zum shop" then choose "B+W Filter-Shop". If you put the following catalog part numbers in the "Bestell-Nr." box under "Direketkauf" and search you should go directly to the filter page. 90674110 for the 3.0 density and 90674106 for density 1.8 series 8 filters.

 

Although the scratch resistant MRC coated versions are not listed I know that B+W do make them and I would recommend them. That's what I have for the 24mm Summilux, the coating has much better anti-reflection properties than the non MRC versions. I'm not sure if the highest density versions are available in MRC though.

 

Michael Huppert speaks good english and is very helpful - suggest you e-mail him with your requirements. His e-mail address is on this page. Ooops no it's not, wretched javascript! Click on the heading "Impressum" on the page after clicking Zum Shop.

 

You can use Google's translation facility to navigate the site if there are language difficulties.

 

Good luck!

 

Bob.

 

ETA: I see that Jaap beat me to it :)

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Goi to B&H they have it

my problem with this ND filter is any light that is uneven creates a very bright spots

I think it's overkill

 

 

 

Thanks Jaapv!

 

Does anyone know of a US supplier for this filter? B&H doesn't know of it, for example.

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Hi,

 

I've used the vented 82mm adapter with a Singh-Ray Vari-ND (2-8 stops, or something like that) filter and been happy with the results.

 

I have a small piece of black cloth with velcro sewn in at either end for when I need a light seal on the back, vented part. Light and takes up essentially no space.

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Steve -- that's a great idea.

 

All -- I ended up ordering the filter from Foto-Huppert; hopefully it won't take too long to make it across the ocean. Odd that it doesn't appear in the B+W catalog, at least the US one.

 

Thanks again

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...going to make lenses that perform well at f/1.4, you really ought to make cameras that do the same below ISO 160!

 

It is a bugger. I have the 21/1.4 and 50/0.95 and shoot both wide open most of the time, which means I have the Vari-ND on them most of the time. Would be nicer not to.

 

But dynamic range goes down at iso 80 on the m9, so I expect (but don't know) there is a tech reason that digital sensors don't go down to iso 25 or 12 or whatever.

 

The built in ND on the x100 sure would be nice, but it would have to be up to 9-10 stops and not just 3.

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Guest Linsengericht
there is a tech reason that digital sensors don't go down to iso 25 or 12 or whatever.

 

Yes, there is a tech reason.

 

The capacitors that store the charge for each photosize can are typicalled sized to hold ~60.000 electrons. This is called the "full well capacity". If you expose the sensor beyond that, the signal saturates and you will see clipping of highlights.

 

For lower ISO, which means more photons and thus more charge on the photosites, you need to increase the full well capacity by using bigger capacitor values.

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JEV,

 

B&H has it? I can't find it on their site; do you have a stock number?

 

Thanks

 

It's best to go there and talk to reps, it takes time but they will find a part

 

There is a guy there that works in Nikon department that knows a lot about Leica ) he will find some interesting parts that are not obvious

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  • 2 months later...

Slight departure from the OP - I got a 0.9 Heliopan Series VIII ND filter for my Sx 21/1.4 from Ken Hansen. Couldn't get it into the hood, then split it trying to get it out again. Have gone back to Ken - apparently this lens is one of the only modern lenses using this filter, and Heliopan only make them when they have enough orders :confused:

 

What I don't get is why they bother making a filter which doesn't fit into one of the few lenses still needing them.:(

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