What to do about lens shades...

[ananda]

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I use a pol filter all the time, or try to, and have a B&W on my 50 Lux Asph which works fine. But on many Leica lenses I cannot also have a pol attached AND use the seperate lens shade, since it cannot then be attached. For example, on my 28 2.8 Asph. With that lens I have to levee the shade off. I suppose the big question is, aside from offering some lens protection, does the shade matter much in terms of pictures.?? And is there any solution aside from using, say, the far too expensive and clumsy Leica polarizer contraption.

[jankap]

Of course a sun shade is better most of the time. But I hate sunshades and do not use them.

 

By the way your pola filter is thought for the protection of the front lens? You know, you loose at least one f-stop! How many finger prints did your pola collect in how much time?

But, I don't know why, the lens of my Dlux-4 felt one of my fingers relatively often. Magnetism or something.

 

I use my pola filter for scenes with clouds only, but I have a live view camera (Ricoh + Summilux 35).

Jan

[tobey bilek]

Leica filters are sized such that the shade goes over them.

 

Even so, now there is glass closer to the outer side of the shade rendering it less useful.

[pgk]

I use a pol filter all the time, or try to.....

Why? A polarising filter does have its uses, but not all the time surely, unless you have a very specific way of shooting indeed.

 

The Leica pola works fine - convenience of use somewhat irrelevant - a pola filter and a rangefinder has never been an ergonomic partnership. If you are happy to buy and use a 50 Lux Asph, then the cost of the equally expensive Leica pola, has to be acceptable IMHO.

[algrove]

I seldom use Pol filters unless I get into extreme need. However, I do use ND filters and also B&W filters for MM use. Agree the hoods interfere with filters or should I say the filters interfere with the hoods. Either way-not good. Try reducing your filter use and see what that brings to he table. You might be pleasantly surprised. Also PP can help where no filter was used.

[Bill W]

I always use the provided lens shade except for my 28 which uses the one for a 35. I have no problem with filters and my lens shades. If i need a pola, I use a Leica one for the M I bought 20 yeara ago.

[ho_co]

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ananda, one way to have your cake and eat it too is to buy a third-party lens hood that screws directly into your polarizer and forget the Leica hoods.

 

But you've got me curious: How do you work with the polarizer if you generally leave it on the lens?

 

I would guess most people adjust the polarizer visually to maximum sky darkening, then mount the polarizer to the lens with the same orientation. That's why the Leica polarizer works as it does: Swing it in front of the viewfinder, adjust it to the desired effect, then rotate it 180° into position in front of the lens.

[ananda]

I generally adjust the polarizer watching the lift or drop in exposure time for a given scene. It seems to work okay.