35mm Summilux-M ASPH FLE II ?

[MarkP]

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There is obviously only one 1.4/35 Summilux ASPH (FLE) .This is my understanding of the situation regarding the hood having just had my original hood replaced with a new one by Leica Australia to fix the problem.

 

My 1.4/35 Summilux ASPH (code 11663, sn 4101xxx) was bought new in Australia in mid-2010. The hood code number (12465) has not changed since this lens went into production. The lens did indeed also come with a screw-on ring for use without the hood - this of course does work with all filters.

 

Until recently I had never used any filter but a Leica E46UVa (13004) which lived on the lens and fit perfectly. I then tried to use 46mm orange and ND filters on the lens with my Monochrom. These were B+W F-Pro filters but none would fit under the hood and I had a few of each type but no luck.

 

My 3.4/21 SEM has the same hood (12465) but this lens is much newer, bought maybe 18 months ago. The same filters fit under the 21 SEM hood whether on the 21mm or 35mm lenses - so it was clearly the original 35mm hood which had the problem.

 

I raised this issue with Leica Australia who thought I was nuts and assured me that the B+W F-Pro series filters would fit under the 12465 hood. I politely disagreed and sent them the lens. They were very surprised to see that I was indeed correct and they kindly supplied me with a new hood whch works perfectly. They could not access any information for Leica Germany regarding an production modification to the hood.

 

This has been raised before on this forum in a thread mentioned above. At the time I'd not discussed this with Leica.

 

I suspect that either there was a faulty batch, or there was a subtle production modification made between sometime between the production dates of 35 and 21mm lenses hoods.

 

QED

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[wattsy]

Ian... let's be honest, this term is used in a derisive or sarcastic way..

 

Yes, of course. I hadn't realised this would be lost on Algrove.

 

He is a valued member of this forum who contributes from firsthand knowledge drawn from using a vast amount of Leica equipment over many years. I think you owe him an apology.

 

I don't feel that I do, Rick. I don't know Algrove from Adam. I'm sure he is a great guy and all that but, from my perspective, he is just another of the many totally anonymous posters in this forum. In the context of this thread I didn't find his rather dismissive one-liner particularly helpful and I responded in kind. For the record, I don't for a second disbelieve what he is saying about his particular hood but I know (as I believe does Algrove) that others have had a different experience.

[hoppyman]

Mark my 35 is a very similar vintage to yours and the filter fit/no fit situation is identical (to your first hood). I still have the original hood. I think I shall approach Leica here on this also.

[algrove]

Mark my 35 is a very similar vintage to yours and the filter fit/no fit situation is identical (to your first hood). I still have the original hood. I think I shall approach Leica here on this also.

 

I sure would as Leica should make it right for you. We should not have to put up with design flaws which this certainly seems to be the case. I was not aware of the continuing problem with such a simple lens hood. What a shame for such an expensive 35.

[Rick]

Yes, of course. I hadn't realised this would be lost on Algrove.

 

 

 

I don't feel that I do, Rick. I don't know Algrove from Adam. I'm sure he is a great guy and all that but, from my perspective, he is just another of the many totally anonymous posters in this forum. In the context of this thread I didn't find his rather dismissive one-liner particularly helpful and I responded in kind. For the record, I don't for a second disbelieve what he is saying about his particular hood but I know (as I believe does Algrove) that others have had a different experience.

 

Ok, I get where you are coming from. I can be sarcastic. I just thought Algrove was saying he hasn't had the problem. I guess I believed he didn't need the sarcasm. But, I've been guilty of worse.

 

On another thought, my filters don't fit my 35 FLE. I received one of the first copies. I waited for 1.5 years and sent it back because the hood never was straight. It took two tries for Leica NJ to get it right. They said on the second try that they replaced the hood. The new hood is straight, but the filters still don't work with it.

 

I thought for sure that the "new" hood mentioned here would solve my filter problem... but even with the "new" hood the filters don't fit my hood. Leica NJ has no knowlege of filter problems and could not help me. I gave up on them. Sucks huh? I use filters a lot in my photography.

 

With My 35FLE I can either use a filter or the hood. Not both. A five thousand dollar lens has a hood that is manufactured with so much variation that apparently some hoods fit filters and some don't.

 

And, don't get me started on the crappy, edgy bokeh I mentioned when this lens first came out. Otherwise, a great lens.

[MarkP]

Mark my 35 is a very similar vintage to yours and the filter fit/no fit situation is identical (to your first hood). I still have the original hood. I think I shall approach Leica here on this also.

 

pm me if you want to follow up on it and I'll give you the details.

 

Regards,

Mark

[MarkP]

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Ok, I get where you are coming from. I can be sarcastic. I just thought Algrove was saying he hasn't had the problem. I guess I believed he didn't need the sarcasm. But, I've been guilty of worse.

 

On another thought, my filters don't fit my 35 FLE. I received one of the first copies. I waited for 1.5 years and sent it back because the hood never was straight. It took two tries for Leica NJ to get it right. They said on the second try that they replaced the hood. The new hood is straight, but the filters still don't work with it.

 

I thought for sure that the "new" hood mentioned here would solve my filter problem... but even with the "new" hood the filters don't fit my hood. Leica NJ has no knowlege of filter problems and could not help me. I gave up on them. Sucks huh? I use filters a lot in my photography.

 

With My 35FLE I can either use a filter or the hood. Not both. A five thousand dollar lens has a hood that is manufactured with so much variation that apparently some hoods fit filters and some don't.

 

And, don't get me started on the crappy, edgy bokeh I mentioned when this lens first came out. Otherwise, a great lens.

 

Rick,

 

the hood was probably modified more recently. Approach them again and ask them to try a new spare part hood (I don't think it's "so much variation in production", probably just a more recent modification to the original part). A newer one should be fine should be fine as is my replacement hood, and the one on my newer 21 SEM with B+W PRo-F filters (some others may not fit if they protrude much further beyond the maximum diameter of the lens barrel). See post #21 above.