Universal Pola Filter "Quality Issues"

[M9reno]

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I took the factory tour in Solms last week and afterwards tried to buy the Universal Polarizing filter at the Shop in the lobby. It was unavailable (apparently indefinitely), because according to the sales person there have been "quality issues" with this filter. Are members here aware of such issues? Thanks for your time.

[Fgcm]

I had one, but i traded it.

It was too large. I presume they stopped production because of very low sales.

I use normal Hoya polarizers, as many do.

On M240 it's easy

On M9 it was easy too: the polarizer is in the right position when the meter shows the minimum light (left arrow shines and right arrow dims)

Franco

[M9reno]

Thanks. I figured (from the salesperson's lack of specificity) that the "quality issues" were an excuse for its simply being discontinued/out of stock.

 

I can see Hoya pola filters come in E46 size and up. Do they do E39 too, or is an adapter needed for that?

[Bill W]

I cannot understand what the quality issue would be with a pola filter that Leica probably does not manufacture. I would guess Schneider. Mine is probably 15 years old, works well when I need it and certainly cannot complain about the quality.

[M9reno]

Thanks, Bill. Indeed the "quality" statement seemed an empty excuse to me. However, since yesterday, reading a bit more around the topic of the universal pola filter in old threads on this forum, I came across some debate about wether the filter may result in somewhat incorrect exposure measurement when used with the M8 and later digital cameras. It makes me wonder whether the "quality" statement, and the apparent discontinuation of the filter according to the people at Solms last week, is effectively a tacit admission of this problem, which is made more important by Leica's ever increasing focus on its digital cameras. Even if so, it is not something that would deter me, since I would use the filter on Leica film cameras.

[Bill W]

Folks here seem to really like it or really hat it. On my M9 and MM they serve their purpose. YMMV

[M9reno]

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The exposure error discussion appears in this thread, for example:

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/customer-forum/213835-leica-universal-polarised-filter-13356-a.html

[jaapv]

I know of a new one at a dealer...

[M9reno]

Thanks, Jaap. But I ordered one already from a UK dealer earlier today.

[Fgcm]

Thanks. I figured (from the salesperson's lack of specificity) that the "quality issues" were an excuse for its simply being discontinued/out of stock.

 

I can see Hoya pola filters come in E46 size and up. Do they do E39 too, or is an adapter needed for that?

 

On 39 mm lenses I put a 55 mm filter in front of the lens. I hold it with the left hand.

I use the polarizer mostly for landscape photo, so I do not need to focus.

Works pretty well

Franco

[pgk]

The only 'quality' issue that I have had with mine is that of softening corners with the 21SE. I suspect that this is due to the actual thickness of the polarising filter and its an issue that I've had with other polarisers and other wide-angles too. The solution would be to use a thinner glass or gel and perhaps this is what Leica will eventually do.

[UliWer]

... Are members here aware of such issues? ...

 

It is clamped with a screw to the adapter, which is in the filter thread.

 

If you don't fix the adapter tightly the whole filter set moves around when you want to control the filtering effect by looking though it. If you fix the adapter tightly you may have problems to release it (there are some older threads about this here).

 

The screw-clamp mechanism may wear out, so it doesn't stick properly.

 

The whole thing works - usually. But it will always be clumsy. That's the same in one way or other with using oversized filters on a step-up adapter, etc..

 

With live view, things will get a lot simpler. I am rather sure that there are still enough in shops or on the second hand market so a new production won't be necessary to fulfill the needs of non-live-view users.

 

...and for super wide angle photos no polarizer will ever be a good solution.