A quick question from a Leica LTM beginner - I'm a little confused about filter sizes for the 5cm Elmar 3.5. What are the correct sizes for push-on and screw-in filters for this lens, and what do the various letters and numbers refer to? (numbers = diameter in mm..?). Is there an online resource that has this sort of information for LTM lenses in general? Is there a good (preferably UK) source for caps to fit this lens?

-- Richard Williams (richardw@icr.ac.uk), September 17, 2001

Answers

Richard, the old Elmar caps are expensive and hard to find-it took me a few months to locate one even on ebay. I think they are 36mm push on size, and so are the filters.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), September 17, 2001.

Richard, Here is a link to a good source for used screw mount Leica equiptment. I purchased two 36mm caps about 6 months ago in addition to other items. They are very reasonable and very nice. Ask for Brad,you can use my name, its been a while but he might remember me. LTM stuff

-- Gerry Widen (gwiden@alliancepartners.org), September 17, 2001.

If you're not looking for style but just want them to fit, you might look for something from a Zorki or a Fed. The collapsible 50/3.5 Industar and Fed lenses took the same filter and cap as the Elmar.

rick :)=

rick_oleson.tripod.com

-- Rick Oleson (rick_oleson@yahoo.com), September 17, 2001.

Does anyone know what size the tiny little screw-in filter for this lens is?

-- Bill Mitchell (bmitch@home.com), September 17, 2001.

The thread you are referring to is for the retaining ring of the front element. I think if you screwed filters in there, you would get a fair bit of vignetting.

Cheers,

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), September 18, 2001.

Right, the filters and hoods were secured with a clamping screw on the side. I think I still have a filter or lens hood of that type around "someplace".

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), September 18, 2001.

When the Leica was young, screw-in filters were available (FIXTA, very light yellow; FIRHW, light yellow; FIRMY, medium yellow, etc) for the 35mm and 50 mm Elmars. This allows the aperture to be set with the filter in place. Catalogs from that time don't indicate the size, however. Of course, 36mm clamp-on filters can be used with VALAU, but that puts them outside the shaded area again, which is not a good place for uncoated filters to occupy.

-- Bill Mitchell (bmitch@home.com), September 18, 2001.

Thanks for all your responses & suggestions. I guess 36mm push-on must be the 'A36' size I've seen mentioned. Are push-on filters always 'A' and screw-in 'E' (e.g. E39)..? I also noticed the tiny inner screw thread, and it's interesting that filters were once available for it. Has anyone here ever actually used one? (I'd agree it looks as if vignetting might be a problem, but it would be nice to be able to reach the aperture lever without removing the filter). I've used this company in the past to supply an unusual filter size:

http://www.srbfilm.co.uk/

so it might even be possible to get new filters made at a reasonable price.

Regarding the lens cap, it now looks as if one of the UK repairers will be able to supply what I think are black plastic reproductions of original bakelite caps in the correct size, though unfortunately not the chrome versions. The original metal caps do seem to be rather expensive - at some of these prices it's almost worth buying a Soviet lens just to get the cap! Perhaps the guys who make the fake Leicas could start up a sideline in individual lens caps; I fancy one in gold with spurious military markings ('Welsh Navy', perhaps).

-- Richard Williams (richardw@icr.ac.uk), September 18, 2001.

Richard, the size of the tiny little screw-in filter for the Elmar 3.5 50mm is M18.5 X 0.45.

-- Victor Randin (ved@enran.com.ua), September 19, 2001.