I have picked up a good Elmarit - R f/2.8 28mm lens (Leitz Wetzlar serial #2478909)which was made around 1980. It has the plastic rectangular lens shade with the Series VII polarizer filter. This lens shade is marked as appropriate for the 24, 28 and 35mm R lenses of that era. Does anyone know how to locate a lens cap for it! I hoped that by chance, my 28mm Summicron f/2 ASPH M lens cap might work, since it's nearly the same size. However, it is jusy slightly too small. Any leads would be appreciated. Thanks.

-- Steve Brantley (superglidesport@mindspring.com), April 01, 2002

Answers

I don't think Leica introduced rectangular caps for lens hoods until sometime in the 1990's (at least I never saw any until then) - but I could be wrong - and one of the 1990s caps might fit anyway, by accident.

I have 1980-era 21 and 28 M lenses with rectangular hoods - and KNOW there are no caps available for them.....

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), April 02, 2002.

You need Leica rectangular lens shade 12509 (at one point 12509 was good for 35/2, 35/2.8 as well as 28/2.8 as they all takes series VII filters). BTW, your Elmarit - R f/2.8 28mm lens (Leitz Wetzlar serial #2478909) was made around 1975. I have that very same lens, a decent performer even for today's standards. Try www.keh.com. Good luck.

-- Gerald (hsus@netzero.net), April 02, 2002.

Oops, in terms of the lens cap for your Elmarit - R f/2.8 28mm lens, you need Leitz lens cap 14172 (51mm). Again, try www.keh.com. Good luck.

-- Gerald (hsus@netzero.net), April 02, 2002.

It takes a cap that fits on the reversed hood, so it is a circular one, with two notches to accomodate the filter pegs. With Leica and buying s/h it ALWAYS pays to make sure you get the right caps with it - especially with more unusual caps.

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), April 02, 2002.

Leitz lens cap 14172 is a round cap that fits directly onto the lens. I'm not aware of any *rectangular* lens cap (or cover) from Leitz that goes on top of the 12509 shade. 14172 and 12509 will not work together; you can only use one or the other (at any given point of time).

-- Gerald (hsus@netzero.net), April 02, 2002.

Thanks to all for the informative responses. Since my new 28mm M lens has a rectangular lens "cap" to fit the lens hood, I assumed that something similar existed for the 28mm R lens. It should be fun trying to find this item for a 27 year old R lens. Regards.

-- Steve Brantley (sbrantley@nccommerce.com), April 02, 2002.

Steve

I'm foolish. The cap I described fits directly on the lens sans hood. The pegs on the lens secure the hood. The hood does not reverse. What was I thinking? Too much M indoctrination!

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), April 03, 2002.