filter sizes and thicknesses

[jbl]

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Hi,

 

I'm interested in what type of filters people use on specific lenses. Namely, I'm interested in the following lenses:

 

21mm Elmarit: It takes a 55mm filter, but is there any issue with fitting a filter on the lens under the lens hood? What do people usually do with this? Do they ditch the filter in favor of the hood or the hood in favor of the filter? Or does a B+W slim filter fit under both?

 

35mm Summicron: same deal, does a 39mm filter fit under the hood?

 

50mm Summicron: no hood, I'm guessing a 39mm filter just works with this.

 

50mm Noctilux: does a 60mm filter fit inside the telescoping lens hood?

I realize the whole filter discussion is kind of loaded and to be honest, I'm split on it myself. In the case of the Noctilux, for example, while its cost certainly argues for the filter, it being primarily a low light/night lens, I'd be concerned with ghosting and that argues against the filter.

 

Thanks,

 

-jbl

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[ModernMan]

Hi,

21mm Elmarit: It takes a 55mm filter, but is there any issue with fitting a filter on the lens under the lens hood? What do people usually do with this? Do they ditch the filter in favor of the hood or the hood in favor of the filter? Or does a B+W slim filter fit under both?

-jbl

 

Leica E55 filters fit under the hood on the 21mm Elmarit. It's a close fit but works fine. Various B+W's I've tried did not, but I don't know if that includes the B+W slim. Filter diameter was the issue. Generally the B+W filters (including the slim) are of a slightly larger outside diameter than Leica filters of the same nominal size.

 

35mm Summicron: same deal, does a 39mm filter fit under the hood?

-jbl

Yes, a Leica E39 fits fine under the hood . With either the 12524 hood, or 12504 hood (which can accept series 7 filters itself, but not if an E39 is already on the lens).

 

50mm Summicron: no hood, I'm guessing a 39mm filter just works with this.

-jbl

Yes, Leica E39 works fine with the 12585 hood as well.

 

50mm Noctilux: does a 60mm filter fit inside the telescoping lens hood?

-jbl

Don't know, mine has the bayonet lug style hood. But the Leica E60 is slightly smaller in outside diameter than the B+W, and as a consequence the B+W causes interference with the hood. Otherwise, the B+W MRC might be preferable due to multi-coating.

[gravastar]

35mm Summicron: same deal, does a 39mm filter fit under the hood?

The clip on circular and rectangular hoods for the 35mm Summicron and the ASPH version seem to be fine with the 3nmm standard B+W and obviously Leica filters.

 

50mm Summicron: no hood, I'm guessing a 39mm filter just works with this.

Yes.

 

50mm Noctilux: does a 60mm filter fit inside the telescoping lens hood?

If your Noctilux is the one with the rectangular telescoping hood (that never stays extended ) then both the standard 60mm B+W and Leica filters will fit without fouling the hood.

21mm Elmarit: It takes a 55mm filter, but is there any issue with fitting a filter on the lens under the lens hood?

I was an early M8 adopter and Leica were unable to supply 55mm filters for my 21mm and 24mm ASPH Elmarits so I had to buy standard B+W ones. They were OK with one hood but not the other. There were two problems. As others have said the B+W filter mounts have a very slightly larger diameter than the Leica ones and they can be an exceptionally tight or impossible fit in the lens hood. Secondly when screwed onto the lens the front of the mount extends slightly more than the Leica ones and can hit the inside rear of the hood preventing it from being fully mounted.

In my case the tight hood fell apart and I was able to sand down the inside rim of the hood so the B+W filters would fit. The hood was originally epoxied to it's mounting ring and when I reassembled and glued it I left a small gap between the front of the filter mount and inside rear of the hood.

 

Bob.

[Shootist]

If I had a M9 I wouldn't use any filters on any lenses, other then maybe a ND or a graduated ND.

But I have a M8 and have IR/UV filters on all my lenses.

[jbl]

Thanks for the info, two more questions...

 

Does the 90mm/2 work with a standard 55mm filter?

 

I have the Noct with the round, telescoping lens hood (the current ASPH version of the lens). Has anyone tried that with either the standard or the slim B+W Skylight?

 

In general, are the slim B+W filters a better idea to fit with the hoods?

 

Thanks!

 

-jbl

[Marty]

I have a couple of B+W Käsemann MRC circular polarisers and the standard rectangular 2/35mm ASPH clip-on hood (12526) does not fit over the 39mm filter. No problem with the telescoping hoods of 1.4/50 ASPH and 2/90 ASPH. Also, lens caps do not work on these filters.

[ModernMan]

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In general, are the slim B+W filters a better idea to fit with the hoods?

 

-jbl

So far as I am aware, "slim", as it applied to B+W filters, refers to the thickness (depth if you like) of the filter ring. It doesn't mean slim glass, nor does it refer to slim diameter (in fact, as discussed above, a slim B+W generally has slightly greater diameter than a Leica filter). I don't know of any circumstance where a B+W slim filter enables use of a lens hood that would not fit with a standard B+W filter.

 

The only situation I know of where a slim filter is beneficial with Leica lenses is with the second verion MATE (Tri-Elmar 28-35-50), and Leica make a slim filter specifically for that application. IIRC the issue is vignetting, rather than hood fit.

 

The availability of B+W MRC multi-coated filters may make the B+W filters a better choice, where fit is not an issue.