CV 35/2.5 Focusing Functionality Enhanced – AKA Heresy on a Leica

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I've used Leicas for over 40 years, a variety of lenses with varying degrees of ease of precise focus. However, very early in my photographic interest (the 1950s) I had a rangefinder camera which was very fast and easy to manipulate to nail precise focus, by moving two opposing levers on the focus ring up and down (instead of twisting my fingers, arm, or wrist as on most lenses). Last year I bought a CV 35mm “pancake” in the LTM configuration to use on my LTM and M (via adapter) bodies, which performs very well for me. However, due to its diminutive width, and my fumble fingers, I seemed to constantly be shifting the aperture ring instead of the focus ring. The newer M version has the same optics with a one finger focus grip just like my former old Summaron had. Then I saw on the big auction site, an adhesive stick-on one finger focus grip, sized after the one used on some Leica lenses. Great idea, I thought, but then I realized that the orientation of the lens is different depending on which body I use it on, meaning that if I stuck it onto the focusing ring at one comfortable spot for one body, it would be in an uncomfortable spot on the other. Furthermore, I wasn't sure I would always want it stuck to the lens...so I wanted something readily removable. I also remembered an accessory clamp-on follow focus ring and lever one of my former SLR medium format camera lenses had. After mulling it about for several days it struck me...I could make a zero cost test prototype, from parts lying around, which had the functionality of the focusing levers on the Ricoh body, which would be a removable and a friction fit over the knurled focusing ring...like the old Leica lenscap which fits over the Elmar 50/3.5. I dug around for a plastic lens cap in my junkbox, cut out the center and slightly oversized the interior...cut 2 test knobs of wood and ran a thin rod up the middle of them, then affixed them to the ring with cyanoacrilic glue. I did the same for a little translucent red plastic rod to serve as an index mark for mounting. I stuck it on an LTM body and although it worked, it was God-awful looking. Although aesthetics aren't overwhelming important to me...this clearly wouldn't do. So I resized the knobs, sprayed the contraption with a primer, then flat black. I lined the inside edge of the ring for the friction fit with craft store thin felt which has an adhesive backing. Finally I press fit it into place and gave it a try on both type of bodies. If it holds up for a few months I'll be in heaven. So my score is aesthetics +0.5, functionality +10. Maybe next year I'll figure out a way to cheaply source a more durable metal fixture for the surround and perhaps a small knurled nut to hold it in place. Thanks for looking.

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