Replacement front cap for APO-35mm Summicron M

[cldp]

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Has anyone found a replacement for the poorly designed metal cap that came with the APO 35mm Summicron M? I was hoping someone would manufacture a cap similar to what Match Technical has done for the Q series as well as for some wide angle M lenses. I can throw the soft caps into my camera bag and they won’t scratch anything thrown on top of them. When shooting quickly and changing lenses, metal caps are a distraction when they have to be carefully put away so as to do no harm.

Edited April 23, 2024 by cldp

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[delta100]

Purchase the E39 Leica plastic lens cap. On my 50m f2.0 APO I just use the plastic cap over a UVa filter. I never use the metal cap, it can remove paint from the lens hood!

[Gelatino]

Here is mine:  made from a PVC pipe.  To fit the lens hood some adhesive tape used by electricians, and my phone number inside in case I loose it ( there's always hope)

The original one is at home.

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Edited April 26, 2024 by Gelatino

[Kiwimac]

I take it off as soon as the camera is over my shoulder. It goes either in a pocket or back in the bag. 
 

I’d be very happy if a cheap plastic one was included as well as the fancy metal one. 

[wlaidlaw]

Well I have just lost my cap after looking after it ever so carefully for the last two years. The silly thing is I know it is either in my French house or just outside. I am currently having problems getting the GPS system on a radio controlled car to work and I was using my M10-R with the Visoflex 020 as a Satellite signal detector. I have asked Leica Paris if they have one in stock and I expect I will wince at the price. 

Wilson

PS After a week of looking and minutes after posting the above I have just found the missing cap. I was changing the battery on my M10-R and picking up the charger to charge the near flat one. Sitting beside the charger, was my 80-200 Vario Elmar-R with an M to R adapter on it. The lens cap on the adapter caught my eye and something didn't look quite right. There were no grip grooves on the cap. Of course it was my missing 35 APO lens cap which I had put on the zoom lens to keep dust out, while I was waiting for more spare M lens back caps to arrive from Amazon (€6 for three caps). 

Wilson

Edited July 9, 2024 by wlaidlaw

[patrickcolpron]

19 hours ago, wlaidlaw said:

 I have asked Leica Paris if they have one in stock and I expect I will wince at the price. 

It is €80 (it was €80 last year) the good thing is that it fits perfectly over the 35 Summilux FLE V1 with it's ring on it instead of the square hood. 
 

I banged a corner of mine so it doesn't fall off the lens accidentally. And put it in my back pocket when I have the camera in my hands.  

[IMAGEPOWER]

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My solution to this known problem is completely different albeit much more expensive

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/378648-35-apo-m-lens-cap-likes-to-roam/#comment-4799562

If you look at #8 you will see that I replaced the complete lens hood with cap. There are 2 Leica alternatives which work fine (thoroughly tested)

I am also informed that OTECT https://otect.co/collections/m-cap are working on a solution.

For more information please refer to the a/m thread

 

 

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[Cobblers]

I use the Optech Hood Hat size Micro, it’s cheap and fits perfectly.

https://www.campkinscameras.com/optech-usa-hood-hat-micro-black/

 

[ashree]

I don't know if you didn't already know this but in the pouch of the 35mm APO-M lens there is a threaded lip attachment and a E46 pinch cap that fits on it if you prefer not to use the square hood, it's in a hidden compartment on the bottom of the leather pouch...that's what I did because I found the cap that goes on the square hood super annoying (dropping often at the slightest touch).

Edited August 23, 2024 by ashree

[MrPaulK]

3 hours ago, ashree said:

I don't know if you didn't already know this but in the pouch of the 35mm APO-M lens there is a threaded lip attachment and a E46 pinch cap that fits on it if you prefer not to use the square hood, it's in a hidden compartment on the bottom of the leather pouch...that's what I did because I found the cap that goes on the square hood super annoying (dropping often at the slightest touch).

It took me ages before I found this. 

[graphlex]

Are you sure about the cap? Mine came with the threaded lip attachment but not the e46 pinch cap.

[Carrot]

Same as me, the threaded attachment but no pinch cap. The apo 50 came with a pinch cap along with the slide on cap though.

Edited September 2, 2024 by Carrot

[MrFriendly]

6 hours ago, graphlex said:

Are you sure about the cap? Mine came with the threaded lip attachment but not the e46 pinch cap.

Same here, I have the threaded lip, but I didn't get a pinch cap.

[ashree]

On 9/1/2024 at 7:26 PM, graphlex said:

Are you sure about the cap? Mine came with the threaded lip attachment but not the e46 pinch cap.

Yes, mine came with the pinch cap.

[RMF]

On 9/1/2024 at 7:26 PM, graphlex said:

Are you sure about the cap? Mine came with the threaded lip attachment but not the e46 pinch cap.

My 35apo also came with only the thread protector (lip) ring at the bottom of the leather case, no pinch cap. Mine came new/sealed directly from Leica USA. I sure wish Otect would get around to offering a 35apo lens cap https://otect.co

Edited September 10, 2024 by RMF

[IMAGEPOWER]

vor 18 Stunden schrieb RMF:

My 35apo also came with only the thread protector (lip) ring at the bottom of the leather case, no pinch cap. Mine came new/sealed directly from Leica USA. I sure wish Otect would get around to offering a 35apo lens cap https://otect.co

So did mine, new/sealed directly from Leica Germany. I bought the pinch cap separatelx. I was told by Otect they were already considering a cap for the APO 35, but I guess there are not enough APO 35 in the hands of users to make production of such a cap profitable.

[patrickcolpron]

I am not sure if my lens came with the 39mm Leica Pinch cap, I bought mine 3 months or so after its release. I was lucky that someone on the list desisted himself.

I do have a pinch cap for it which I use when I don't have the screw on lens hood on the lens. When I have the lens hood I only use the metal lens cap when it is in my camera bag and not always use it anymore. I found out that lens cap was a perfect fit for the 35 Lux FLE V1, and used it a lot too on the FLE as I don't like lens hood and prefer using the lens without it's lens hood.

I find the lens hood of the APO to work great but can fall off easily when the camera is just hug over one's shoulder. To remedy this, I banged a corner of it to make it hold better on the lens. You can see the dent in the photo bellow. 

I thoroughly used the APO 35 and its lens cap since I bought it, the wear and tear is partially from use and partially from me adding to it. 

A new lens cap for the APO 35 M from Leica is only €80. I prefer the Leica lens cap over any other solution I have seen here. A PVC pipe, C'mon... The only reason it took me so long to respond is that I never took the time to photograph my lens cap and lens until this morning. 

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A photo of my banged up lens cap

And a photo of the lens itself which is mainly without a lens cap most of the time anyways.

The best way to miss a shot is to have one's camera in a camera bag, the second best way it to have a lens cap on your lens. Most of the time, this lens is without a lens cap, even when in my camera bag. Because this screw on lens hood is perfect to protect the front element (which has a filter on it) without a lens cap. 

Anyhoo, to each is own, I just prefer using my lenses fully, never thinking about the resale value, cause I don't like selling my stuff anyways so why restrain myself from using them fully only for the next guy to have a "like new" lens on the aftermarket? 

Hope this makes sense

 

Edited September 12, 2024 by patrickcolpron