180/2.8 APO v2 (11357) incompatible with 1.4x APO Extender-R?

[onasj]

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I recently acquired a 11357 lens, the APO 180/2.8 vII.  The serial number, engraving, and look (including aperture blades) are all consistent with vII of this lens, model 11357.  However, when I went to mount it to my 1.4x APO extender, it cannot mount because the rear element is not sufficiently recessed into the lens body so the lens and extender fall a few mm short of being able to mount.  I thought vII (11357) was supposed to be compatible with the 1.4x APO extender.  Is there an older APO 1.4x extender that isn’t compatible? My APO extender looks exactly like the 11249 model shown here: https://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/APO-EXTENDER-R_1.4x

Thanks for any suggestions.

[tritentrue]

Try this:  holding the APO-Extender-R 1.4x between your thumb and two middle fingers, position the extender so that your index finger can rotate the aperture lever on the camera mount side of the extender about a quarter-turn to the right (clockwise).  While holding the aperture lever as far clockwise as it will go, try to attach the extender to the lens. 

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[masjah]

The first thing to do is to check that you really do have the later 11357 version, since, if it really is the position of the rear element that is the problem, then you must have the earlier version. If you look at the lens body near the rear of the lens, you should see LENS MADE IN GERMANY 11357 engraved on it (it is not picked out in a different colour btw.) If this is indeed a 11357, then Rob's advice above should sort it. (Originally, on an R camera, Leica said to mount the extender on the camera first; this would move the extender's aperture relay mechanism clear automatically. If you are using an adapter on a digital camera, without any aperture linkage, then you might need to play this trick, mounting the lens on to the extender first of all.

 

[onasj]

Wonderful-- your advice worked and the extender now fits!  Yes, it is definitely an 11357, engraved as such, and with the different aperture blade shape.  

When I first encountered the problem, I thought perhaps I received a good counterfeit, before realizing the absurdity of that possibility for many reasons

Thank you for your help!