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Hi Anyone using filters on the D-Lux 8 ? im considering a Black Mist filter and/or a Circular Polarizer filter , im curious of any experiences and recommendations.  I do have the leica auto- retract lens cap and know that I will need to remove that.

 

thanks 

Rich

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I have just picked up this camera recently. Personally I use Urth magnetic on everything now. Had b+w and Kase before, but the sheer convenience of magnetic filters and magnetic lens cap is great. It’s nice and stylish too if you care about that. Just plan black with a grey circle.

They have a 43mm set or just buy separate adapter ring, cap, cpl and mist filter. Which is like what I will do.

Very convenient 

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6 hours ago, ceflynn said:

The American firm Breakthrough Photography, which has sophisticated filters, is working on a magnetic filter line:

https://breakthrough.photography

Yes breakthrough are good. Magnetic without doubt is the best way to go. Just makes you use them more too and he less screwing and unscrewing filters on a small telescopic compact lens the better

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Posted (edited)

I've been thinking that, if you were to screw in a permanent UV filter to protect the lens, couldn't that first layer double up as the magnetic mount for additional filters (CPL, ND, mist etc)? Especially useful if this then fitted under the auto lens cap...

Does anyone know of a manufacturer doing this? If not, have I just given away another million- dollar idea?

Edited by CoxJul
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21 hours ago, CoxJul said:

I've been thinking that, if you were to screw in a permanent UV filter to protect the lens, couldn't that first layer double up as the magnetic mount for additional filters (CPL, ND, mist etc)? Especially useful if this then fitted under the auto lens cap...

Does anyone know of a manufacturer doing this? If not, have I just given away another million- dollar idea?

OK - so now I feel foolish. I thought it was too obvious an idea for someone to have done it, but I've looked at various vendor and manufacturer sites and no one made this obvious.  I was watching a video reviewing the K&F 4-in-1 magnetic Nano-X filter set when he stated that the UV filter doubled up as an adapter... (about here in the video)

They do these in 43mm (https://www.kentfaith.co.uk/SKU.2120_43mm-mcuv-cpl-nd1000-adapter-ring-magnetic-4-in-1-lens-filte), which if this works with the auto lens cap I'm sorted.

The Urth 43mm UV magnetic also does similar. One reason to consider Urth over K&R is that it has a magnetic Lens Cap and the magnetic set includes it - no 43mm cap for the K&R set.

Otherwise, I am also have a lens hood which also acts as a step up to 67mm, a size more likely to be shared with other lenses on other cameras. Need to test both options for vignetting though...

 

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If you have the Leica auto lens cap, the filter needs to be no more than 2mm thick, otherwise the “flaps” will not close. There is a thread on this topic from a few months ago.

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I've been using filters on my D Lux 8 from Walkingway. They are an excellent company. I posted that I did not like the results of their Black Pro Mist 1/4, so they asked me if they could just send me the same filter for free in the 1/8 build. Well, I would rarely turn down free gear, so I accepted it and will be testing it this week. Filters that promise more vivid colors, in my opinion, tend to actually darken the overall image too much. However, I am not a world class player when it comes to filters, so I am certain I need more experience with them other than putting one on each of my lenses for general protection.

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OK, my Urth 43mm magnetic filter set has arrived and I can share some information about vignetting and fitting under the (Leica official) Auto lens Cap.  The kit I got comes with the following components.

  • A solid magnetic base for holding the filters off the camera.
  • A Magnetic Ring with 43mm screw thread to mount on the lens as a base.  This is thin enough to remain under the closed auto lens hood without any other filters.
  • A UV filter which also includes a 43mm screw thread to mount instead of the ring and act as the base for other filters.  This is too thick for the auto lens filter to close. 
  • A CPL filter that can magnetically mount on either of the above or another filter.
  • An ND8 filter (3 f-stops) that can magnetically mount on either of the above or another filter.
  • An ND1000 filter (10 f-stops) that can magnetically mount on either of the above or another filter.
  • A magnetic cap that could either be used as a lens cap if any of the above are in use, or as a cap on the top of the storage stack.

Instructions suggest you should not use the UV filter mounted in the ring, it does fit although there is movement.

I'll reply with some pictures of these combinations.  I've also done some vignetting tests a couple of which I need to redo and post later; I didn't record the zoom level when seeing when vignette disappears (the image meta-data doesn't seem to record this).  In summary a single filter on the ring is fine, but as soon as two or more filters are involved the widest shots are compromised.

Based on this I'll now consider adding other filters (mist/ variable ND) if they are compatible.  I suppose the only potential issue with another manufacturer's filters would be if the polarity was the wrong way.

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The first shots show my camera with the base mounting ring on, and how the remaining filters are stored. The 4th image shows the auto-lens cap in the closed position, the ring is still mounted.

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This set shows the CPL on the mounting ring and the lense with these on in the closed position; the auto lens cap does not close.  The 3rd image is the ring, CPL and ND8 stacked, (Vignetting with this combo).

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Finally, I removed the ring mount and screwed in the UV filter on its own.  The auto lens cap does not fully close. This may still be useful as protection if I was using something like a hood instead.

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Thanks for this information, very informative!  

I also have the leica (official) auto-cap, I’m in a quandary…. Filters V Auto-cap, in this moment the magnetic filters are winning ….

Your photo with polarizer filter attached, lens retracted has the auto-cap wings wide open and looks VERY prone to breaking 

Again great info

thanks

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Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, rsolomon said:

Thanks for this information, very informative!  

I also have the leica (official) auto-cap, I’m in a quandary…. Filters V Auto-cap, in this moment the magnetic filters are winning ….

Your photo with polarizer filter attached, lens retracted has the auto-cap wings wide open and looks VERY prone to breaking 

Again great info

thanks

My thoughts are:

  • having the ring in place under the auto-cap is standard configuration.  Cap providing that protection against incidental damage, people things bumping into the camera things like that when inactive.
  • Filters take seconds to apply/rotate/remove. The challenge then is, how are you going to store/protect/carry the filters for quick access.  Depends on your type of photography I suppose, fast or slow setup.  The off camera stack of filters holds together magnetically well, with protection from the base and cap, I'd still want these in an easy to access soft pouch or pocket.  It typically requires both hands to grab the stack, take out a filter, apply and place stack back in pocket/pouch, but the chances of the stack falling apart and dropping filters while fumbling about is almost zero due to the strong magnetic forces.
Edited by CoxJul
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Posted (edited)
14 hours ago, CoxJul said:

My thoughts are:

  • having the ring in place under the auto-cap is standard configuration.  Cap providing that protection against incidental damage, people things bumping into the camera things like that when inactive.
  • Filters take seconds to apply/rotate/remove. The challenge then is, how are you going to store/protect/carry the filters for quick access.  Depends on your type of photography I suppose, fast or slow setup.  The off camera stack of filters holds together magnetically well, with protection from the base and cap, I'd still want these in an easy to access soft pouch or pocket.  It typically requires both hands to grab the stack, take out a filter, apply and place stack back in pocket/pouch, but the chances of the stack falling apart and dropping filters while fumbling about is almost zero due to the strong magnetic forces.

Is your thought for walk around carrying when auto cap is opening and closing to:

 Add /remove (not UV)  filter by shot?
 Remove auto-cap? 

 

I can’t imagine the auto- cap with wings wide open could survive walking the streets.

Edited by rsolomon
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In the digital age I wonder about the need for a UV filter, except to act as a sacrificial barrier to protect the lens glass. If that's the case then the auto lens-cap gives protection from the odd knock and the lens' treatments should protect it from other issues. I'll drop the UV or any other filters on when open as needed.

If one wants a permanent UV then it's either a slim screw-in without the magnetic option or  a different hood for knock protection and uv magnetic base with the convenience of dropping additional mag filters as needed... Unless someone knows of a magnetic system with a thinner uv base that sits under the auto-cap?

So for me my standard out-and-about config is magnetic ring under the auto-cap, with uv a drop on option.

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11 minutes ago, CoxJul said:

In the digital age I wonder about the need for a UV filter, except to act as a sacrificial barrier to protect the lens glass. If that's the case then the auto lens-cap gives protection from the odd knock and the lens' treatments should protect it from other issues. I'll drop the UV or any other filters on when open as needed.

If one wants a permanent UV then it's either a slim screw-in without the magnetic option or  a different hood for knock protection and uv magnetic base with the convenience of dropping additional mag filters as needed... Unless someone knows of a magnetic system with a thinner uv base that sits under the auto-cap?

So for me my standard out-and-about config is magnetic ring under the auto-cap, with uv a drop on option.

Wouldn’t bother with any clear or uv filters. Having hammered my gear over the last 10 years I’ve never damaged a front element. The about of money I used to spend on filters would buy me 2 new lenses if I ever did. Certainly no need on the D Lux.

Use without and only add a mist, CPL or ND when you need those effects. Wouldn’t stress over a clear filter. Only used a clear filter when in Iceland on the sandy beaches with 50 mph plus wind, and that was needed. Was finding that sand in everything months later 

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