I need to buy Medium Yellow and Orange Filters for following lenses:-a, 28mm f2.8 Elmarit R, b, 50mm S'cron R f 2.0, c,135 mm Elmarit R f2.8, d, Elmarit R 180mm f2.8. (Old Style with tripod support in middle of barrel). I can't seem to find co-relation between "Series" and Thread Size, Could anyone please help?. Also, the Lens Hood for the 28mm is set up for a Polarizer Filter, I assume it takes a Circular Polarizer. I need Leica Quality Filters, does this mean any brand to avoid? I have been told a Series Filter is Minus Threads, true? Do you buy split type housing? Thank you in advance for your sharing your knowledge with an old Canon User who saw the light!

-- Pete Harvey (nnn0lmt@worldnet.att.net), July 28, 2001

Answers

I just bought a new Heliopan thin polarizer for my early 28 Elmarit- R. It normally takes a Series 7 (no threads) placed in the hood. The lens has 48mm threads so that's the size filter I bought. The hood fits over it just fine but the wheel will not rotate the filter.

I also needed a polarizer for my early 60 Macro Elmarit-R. This lens takes a Series 8 filter mounted in the hood. The lens is threaded for a 60mm filter. I bought a 60 to 55 step down adaptor and use my 55mm screw-in polarizer in it.

Given all of this, it appears that Series 7 lenses use a 48mm screw in filter size and Series 8 use 60mm.

-- Bud (budcook@attglobal.net), July 28, 2001.

After some more thought, I'm not sure that my experience means that all Leica lenses taking Series 7 filters have 48mm threads or Series 8 having 60mm threads.

I'll look around for a more definitive answer.

-- Bud (budcook@attglobal.net), July 28, 2001.

Pete, "Series" filters are thread-less filters which are held to the lens with a retaining ring that should have come with each lens (or in the case of the 28, the Series VII fits into the back of the lens hood) but if not you can usually find them used for not too much money. The downside to series filters is that you can only use one filter at a time. If you would rather get plain screw-in filters, this can be done but the sizes are a bit odd. Heres the rundown for your lenses: 28/2.8 Elmarit-R: 48mm. 50/2 Summicron-R: which version do you have? If it has a pull-out hood, it takes 55mm filters. The older version can take a 44mm filter but the hood won't fit over it without shaving down the small rim inside the hood. There are 43.5-to-xx step-up adaptors which will fit (again, you would need to get a generic rubber hood in the step-up filter size as the OEM hood will not fit over). 135/2.8-R: has 54mm threads for which no filters are available. However you can get a 54-55 step-up adaptor for a few bucks from B&H and 55mm is a common size. (This advice holds for the early 90/2 and 90/2.8 as well) 180/2.8-R 1st version: 72mm filter fits fine. (72mm filters also fit the 1st- version 250/4 and the 21/4 S/A).

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), July 28, 2001.

Another example of how modern Leicas are designed by non- photographers. Oscar Barnack wouldn't have let them get away with that nonsense.

-- Bill Mitchell (bmitch@home.com), July 28, 2001.

If you mean modern as in current, the R lenses are quite standard, all the Series-filtered ones are long discontinued. There are a few 60mm ones which are just slightly irritating because only B+W and Heliopan seem to make them. The rest are 55mm, 67mm or 77mm which are very common sizes. The weirdo sizes like 41 and 43 have been weeded out of the M lineup also, and the 39mm is now restriced to 35/2, 50/2 and 50/2.8.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), July 28, 2001.

The old 50mm Summicron-R takes series VI, I think. I would be tempted to get series filters if you can - they are available from B & W and Heliopan, just because it is often easier.

Most cameras used to use series filters at one time - the "conventional" filter threads are largely a Japanese invention I think - and a very good one too. As Jay says, all current M and R lenses are nicely modern and they do try and be consistent (28mm-35mm-50 - 90 R lenses can all be 55mm for example)

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), July 30, 2001.