50 Lux Black Chrome Hood w/filter solution

[dkmoore]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Hello all,

During my home quarantining I was looking around BH Photo's website for ultra thin filters. Would this filter work with the hood and black chrome 50 Lux? Or am I misunderstanding the issue?

This filter looks way thinner than even the old Leica filter that apparently works. Info all came from BH website.

"To minimize the potential for vignetting while remaining lightweight, this 43mm UV Thin HD MC Filter also features a durable, 1.1mm thick aluminum alloy filter ring.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1538398-REG/h_y_filters_tu43_43mm_cpl_uv_thin.html/overview

It is only $22 so I may try it but want to make sure I am understanding the problem correctly.

[Ernest]

10 hours ago, dkmoore said:

Hello all,

During my home quarantining I was looking around BH Photo's website for ultra thin filters. Would this filter work with the hood and black chrome 50 Lux? Or am I misunderstanding the issue?

This filter looks way thinner than even the old Leica filter that apparently works. Info all came from BH website.

"To minimize the potential for vignetting while remaining lightweight, this 43mm UV Thin HD MC Filter also features a durable, 1.1mm thick aluminum alloy filter ring.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1538398-REG/h_y_filters_tu43_43mm_cpl_uv_thin.html/overview

It is only $22 so I may try it but want to make sure I am understanding the problem correctly.

This should answer your question. This was a lengthy discussion.

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/messenger/75410/?do=findComment&comment=117317

[dkmoore]

Link doesn’t work and I read every page of that thread and made comments a while ago. I couldn’t remember if anyone looked at alternate filter options. 

[Ernest]

21 minutes ago, dkmoore said:

Link doesn’t work and I read every page of that thread and made comments a while ago. I couldn’t remember if anyone looked at alternate filter options. 

You can see here how the Summilux-M 50mm lens easily handles the Leica polarizer, as well as the Lee Filter system, even with the light weight rubber hood, with no problem. Both of these take a screw-in adapter to attach the polarizer or the Lee Seven5 filter system to the lens. The other options I've included here show how to use Leica's filters that have a ridge (13206 and 13417) designed to permit attaching a snap-on hood to the LHSA Summilux 50mm and the Leica Summilux 50mm. These filters have a 0.5 thread pitch and cannot be used on the Summilux-M ASPH 50mm black chrome, which takes standard 0.75 thread pitch filters, so I lightly cross-threaded a 43-43mm extender (0.75) so the 13206 or 13417 can be mounted on the lens. Downside is that these filters are expensive and the 13206 is hard to find, usually at $120.  Even so, These are only UVa and would have to be stacked with an ND or color correction filter, which I don't think is really ideal in terms of vignetting. It's about the same as stacking two filters, plus maybe 3mm.

 

The other alternative, very inexpensive, is using a reducing ring (3mm H) that fits in the outside ring of the snap on hood. It took me about 15 minutes to sand a 43mm x 4mm ring down 1 mm to 43mm x 3mm with a sheet of sandpaper flat on a table. You can see how this works in the 4th and 5th photographs, which shows a filter mounted inside the hood base (disassembled) and the assembled hood with the filter that fits flush, just as it would if the filter were mounted on the lens itself. With the hood off of the lens, you drop the filter with the 3mm high adapter ring into the front of the hood.  The filter and the adapter ring are slightly unscrewed to all the lens hood tabs to engage between the filter and the ring.  The hood with the filter/ring in place is then snapped on the front of lens mount in the groove. One thing is to remember not to take off the hood with the lens pointing toward the ground, otherwise the filter can fall out, since the hood tabs holding it are disengaged. For the modified adapter ring, use a Heliopan 43mm - 40.5mm step-down ring, since the outside diameter exactly fits inside the snap-on hood.

 

All of this rigamarole in the new 50mm APO LHSA has been eliminated, which is what Leica should have done with the black chrome Summilux-M 50mm. I pointed this out to Leica over two years ago. Leica could have produced a new version of the 13206 filter with 0.75 thread pitch and NDs or color correction filters could have been stacked, no problem. Oh, well, we've got a screw-in hood solution and Leica also provides a new snap-on hood at no extra charge.

 

You can't go wrong getting the screw-in hood. With one filter, it is exactly the same as the snap-on hood (with a filter mounted inside) as far as the measurement from the front of the lens mount is concerned. Black chromed brass is built like a tank, not like the other silver chrome editions. 

 

Cheers,

Rog

 

 

 

•  
• Quote

• Report reply

Paul925

Replied: April 27, 2018

Thank you Rog.  This is incredibly helpful.  I appreciate all the time it took to compile this.  I've tried about a half dozen 43mm filters, the latest just arrived from China yesterday.  All claim to be thin, ultra-thin, etc. None have done the trick.  I'll go ahead and fill out the form to send it in--but I'll probably end up doing  your reducing ring assembly.  I do a bit of woodworking when time permits and have an 8" horizontal disc sander that should help keep things flat, but if you've got advice on which end to take the 1mm off of, that will be appreciated!  

 

Thank you also for helping to ease my concerns regarding the effect of the weight of the hood on the front end of the lens.  This hood issue is somewhat  annoying in light of the cost of the lens, but I still prefer it over the 50 lux that I previously owned.  

 

Thank you again!

 

Regards,

 

Paul

•  
• Quote

• Report reply

Ernest

Replied: April 30, 2018

Hi Paul,

 

Here are a few more shots to illustrate the simple modification to a Heliopan 43-40.5mm step down ring so that it clears the prongs of the tabs (I've circled in yellow). The Heliopan is 4mm high, so you reduce the height to 3mm by sanding with a sheet of medium grit sandpaper laid flat. It only takes fifteen minutes to get it just the right height to clear the tabs and fit snugly. You can leave the 40.5mm threads, since they don't get in the way and give you a purchase on the ring for sanding the 43mm side. Your disc sander may heat up on you too much with such a small ring

 

You can see a ring that I made from an aluminum step down ring sitting next to the Heliopan in one photograph. I can't remember the make of the aluminum ring, which cost less that $5, but it took a bit of scavenging to find one that had the correct outside diameter, since not all step down rings are precisely the same.  The Heliopan was about $20.  It has to be 45mm O.D. as I recall--anyway the same as a B+W filter, which fits exactly inside the hood from the front, also. See the photos. Coincidentally, the 40.5mm works because that is the clear inside diameter of the 43mm filter glass.

 

When you are ready to mount your adapter ring with the filter inside the hood, be certain to remove the hood from the lens. I think Overgaard suggested putting the filter in place by simply "dropping it" into place in front of the lens. This was a fix suggested back in 2015 that is really unworkable, since the lens is basically locked onto the front lens mount and a devil to change filters when you want. Anyway, as I pointed out, be cautious taking the hood off that you don't point the lens down because the filter with the adapter ring could fall out. Hold the lens in an upright position to remove the hood, then remove the filter with the adapter ring attached.  I ended up with three snap on hoods, which I won't go into, but I may attach the adapter ring inside the hood with a couple micro-dots of silicone or Lexel sealant to hold the ring in place and still be able to remove it if I wanted to later. Just a thought.

 

One last thing about mounting the adapter ring with the filter inside the hood; screw the filter all the way down on the ring, then back it off one rotation, which leaves just enough of a gap between the adapter ring and the filter to allow the hood prongs to seat. 

 

I think you will be very happy with the Leica screw in hood; it's really solid. With the adapter ring, you have an alternative, which has worked flawlessly for me for the last two years, plus.

 

Yes, I am with you on this drop-dead outstanding lens.

 

Cheers,

Rog

 

 

•  
• Quote

• Report reply

Ernest

Replied: April 30, 2018

Paul,

 

The Heliopan ring in the photographs is not modified; the aluminum ring is one I sanded down to 3mm in height.

 

Here's a closer look at the hood prongs that the ring has to clear, too.

 

Rog

•  
• Quote

• Report reply

Paul925

Replied: May 1, 2018

Thanks Rog.  I've placed an order off of eBay for a 43 to 40.5 step down, so I'll wait for it to come form China.  the only place I could find the Heliopan vision was B&H, but its a special order item and even the Heliopan website shows a delay in order fulfillment.  I also have one outstanding 43mm filter order that I'm waiting to see if it works before I send in the hood.  

 

Thank you again for your time and patience in spelling this all out for me!

 

Kind Regards,

 

Paul

[dkmoore]

27 minutes ago, Ernest said:

You can see here how the Summilux-M 50mm lens easily handles the Leica polarizer, as well as the Lee Filter system, even with the light weight rubber hood, with no problem. Both of these take a screw-in adapter to attach the polarizer or the Lee Seven5 filter system to the lens. The other options I've included here show how to use Leica's filters that have a ridge (13206 and 13417) designed to permit attaching a snap-on hood to the LHSA Summilux 50mm and the Leica Summilux 50mm. These filters have a 0.5 thread pitch and cannot be used on the Summilux-M ASPH 50mm black chrome, which takes standard 0.75 thread pitch filters, so I lightly cross-threaded a 43-43mm extender (0.75) so the 13206 or 13417 can be mounted on the lens. Downside is that these filters are expensive and the 13206 is hard to find, usually at $120.  Even so, These are only UVa and would have to be stacked with an ND or color correction filter, which I don't think is really ideal in terms of vignetting. It's about the same as stacking two filters, plus maybe 3mm.

 

The other alternative, very inexpensive, is using a reducing ring (3mm H) that fits in the outside ring of the snap on hood. It took me about 15 minutes to sand a 43mm x 4mm ring down 1 mm to 43mm x 3mm with a sheet of sandpaper flat on a table. You can see how this works in the 4th and 5th photographs, which shows a filter mounted inside the hood base (disassembled) and the assembled hood with the filter that fits flush, just as it would if the filter were mounted on the lens itself. With the hood off of the lens, you drop the filter with the 3mm high adapter ring into the front of the hood.  The filter and the adapter ring are slightly unscrewed to all the lens hood tabs to engage between the filter and the ring.  The hood with the filter/ring in place is then snapped on the front of lens mount in the groove. One thing is to remember not to take off the hood with the lens pointing toward the ground, otherwise the filter can fall out, since the hood tabs holding it are disengaged. For the modified adapter ring, use a Heliopan 43mm - 40.5mm step-down ring, since the outside diameter exactly fits inside the snap-on hood.

 

All of this rigamarole in the new 50mm APO LHSA has been eliminated, which is what Leica should have done with the black chrome Summilux-M 50mm. I pointed this out to Leica over two years ago. Leica could have produced a new version of the 13206 filter with 0.75 thread pitch and NDs or color correction filters could have been stacked, no problem. Oh, well, we've got a screw-in hood solution and Leica also provides a new snap-on hood at no extra charge.

 

You can't go wrong getting the screw-in hood. With one filter, it is exactly the same as the snap-on hood (with a filter mounted inside) as far as the measurement from the front of the lens mount is concerned. Black chromed brass is built like a tank, not like the other silver chrome editions. 

 

Cheers,

Rog

 

 

 

•  
•  
• Quote

• Report reply

Paul925

Replied: April 27, 2018

Thank you Rog.  This is incredibly helpful.  I appreciate all the time it took to compile this.  I've tried about a half dozen 43mm filters, the latest just arrived from China yesterday.  All claim to be thin, ultra-thin, etc. None have done the trick.  I'll go ahead and fill out the form to send it in--but I'll probably end up doing  your reducing ring assembly.  I do a bit of woodworking when time permits and have an 8" horizontal disc sander that should help keep things flat, but if you've got advice on which end to take the 1mm off of, that will be appreciated!  

 

Thank you also for helping to ease my concerns regarding the effect of the weight of the hood on the front end of the lens.  This hood issue is somewhat  annoying in light of the cost of the lens, but I still prefer it over the 50 lux that I previously owned.  

 

Thank you again!

 

Regards,

 

Paul

•  
•  
• Quote

• Report reply

Ernest

Replied: April 30, 2018

Hi Paul,

 

Here are a few more shots to illustrate the simple modification to a Heliopan 43-40.5mm step down ring so that it clears the prongs of the tabs (I've circled in yellow). The Heliopan is 4mm high, so you reduce the height to 3mm by sanding with a sheet of medium grit sandpaper laid flat. It only takes fifteen minutes to get it just the right height to clear the tabs and fit snugly. You can leave the 40.5mm threads, since they don't get in the way and give you a purchase on the ring for sanding the 43mm side. Your disc sander may heat up on you too much with such a small ring

 

You can see a ring that I made from an aluminum step down ring sitting next to the Heliopan in one photograph. I can't remember the make of the aluminum ring, which cost less that $5, but it took a bit of scavenging to find one that had the correct outside diameter, since not all step down rings are precisely the same.  The Heliopan was about $20.  It has to be 45mm O.D. as I recall--anyway the same as a B+W filter, which fits exactly inside the hood from the front, also. See the photos. Coincidentally, the 40.5mm works because that is the clear inside diameter of the 43mm filter glass.

 

When you are ready to mount your adapter ring with the filter inside the hood, be certain to remove the hood from the lens. I think Overgaard suggested putting the filter in place by simply "dropping it" into place in front of the lens. This was a fix suggested back in 2015 that is really unworkable, since the lens is basically locked onto the front lens mount and a devil to change filters when you want. Anyway, as I pointed out, be cautious taking the hood off that you don't point the lens down because the filter with the adapter ring could fall out. Hold the lens in an upright position to remove the hood, then remove the filter with the adapter ring attached.  I ended up with three snap on hoods, which I won't go into, but I may attach the adapter ring inside the hood with a couple micro-dots of silicone or Lexel sealant to hold the ring in place and still be able to remove it if I wanted to later. Just a thought.

 

One last thing about mounting the adapter ring with the filter inside the hood; screw the filter all the way down on the ring, then back it off one rotation, which leaves just enough of a gap between the adapter ring and the filter to allow the hood prongs to seat. 

 

I think you will be very happy with the Leica screw in hood; it's really solid. With the adapter ring, you have an alternative, which has worked flawlessly for me for the last two years, plus.

 

Yes, I am with you on this drop-dead outstanding lens.

 

Cheers,

Rog

 

 

•  
•  
• Quote

• Report reply

Ernest

Replied: April 30, 2018

Paul,

 

The Heliopan ring in the photographs is not modified; the aluminum ring is one I sanded down to 3mm in height.

 

Here's a closer look at the hood prongs that the ring has to clear, too.

 

Rog

•  
•  
• Quote

• Report reply

Paul925

Replied: May 1, 2018

Thanks Rog.  I've placed an order off of eBay for a 43 to 40.5 step down, so I'll wait for it to come form China.  the only place I could find the Heliopan vision was B&H, but its a special order item and even the Heliopan website shows a delay in order fulfillment.  I also have one outstanding 43mm filter order that I'm waiting to see if it works before I send in the hood.  

 

Thank you again for your time and patience in spelling this all out for me!

 

Kind Regards,

 

Paul

THANK YOU!