Help... Series VII Filters

[Stu :)]

In the recent 'clickfest' looking for LTM to M adapters, I accidently came across these things called Series VII filters. I've never seen or heard of them before here in NZ.

From what I've read and seen on various US and UK camera resellers pages, these filters replace the all different sized filters with one set and you adapt them to your lens with an adapter that's like a Step-Up filter adapter, yes?

For my current setup I'm going to need adapters for my 35mm CV Pancake (43mm), 50mm Summicron (39mm perhaps?), Jupiter-8 (40.5mm) and 90mm/4 Elmar (what size do I use?, 34mm perhaps...).

Just need to make sure I'm barking up the right tree here.

Stu :)

[Doug]

Hi Stu -- The filter series thing was developed years ago as a solution to just the issue you mention... having to get specific filters to fit each thread size. There are not just Series VII, but V, VI, VIII, etc, to cover an overlapping range of lens filter-ring sizes by way of the mount adaptor. I used Series VII for my Pentax SLR stuff (49mm, 52mm maybe up to about 58mm filter rings), and I'm not really familiar with the other Series sizes, but I'd guess the diameters you mention would fall within the Series V or VI range rather than the larger Series VII. If you spend some time looking over the filter data at one of the big online catalogs like B&H, it should become clearer. :)

[back alley]

go to the 'rangefinder general discussion' section and you'll find a thread that has a 'sticky' attached to it that will explain about series filters.

joe

[Stu :)]

Brilliant! Thanks Joe.

Doug- I've looked some more into the world of Series filters and have found that VI would be best for me, but they don't seem to have same amount of options for thread-to-adapter options as VII, maybe I'm looking in the wrong place. Also the Series VII looks to be more prolithic and abundant, especially new. I'm getting a bit tried of the legacy game right now (i.e. Linhof parts) and wouldn't mind splurging out on new stuff and getting everything at once rather than hunting down "bits 'n pieces" on eB*y and the darkest corners of ph*t*.net.

Stu :)

[Brian Sweeney]

With patience, I have found 43mm and 41mm (Summarit) Series VI adapters. I have not looked for 39mm, but they are out there. The Series V filters can be used with 34mm threads.

[denishr]

With patience, I have found 43mm and 41mm (Summarit) Series VI adapters. I have not looked for 39mm, but they are out there. The Series V filters can be used with 34mm threads.

I have just recently purchased a 39mm filter thread to Series VI adapter - it screws in the filter thread, and I use it for my collapsible Summicron. Actually, it also acts as a kind of shallow lens hood - not a proper one, but better than nothing.

For the Summitar, I use 42mm - Series VI adapter, and I screw in Series VI filters and hoods.

The attached photo shows M3 with Summitar plus 42mm-Series VI push on adapter, into which I screwed a polarizer (one with the "handle"), and a Series VI lens hood - rather wide, you can find narrower hoods which won't interfere with the VF so much...
On the right is the M2 with Summicron plus 39F to Series VI "screw-in" adapter, which also acts as a kind of smaller hood.

Hope this helps.

PS: it looks like I'm becoming a Series expert here :D

Let me know if you need more photos.

Denis

[denishr]

BTW, Stu, for the requirements and lenses you listed, I'd say Series VI is your size. You need one adapter for each lens (unless you use slip-on adapters, and your lenses have same OD).
I use 42mm - Series VI slip-on adapters both for my Leicas and my Kievs/Zorkis, since all of the lenses are 42mm over all :)

Denis

[clarkmac]

As has been pointed out, in olden times screw-in filters were the exception and screw-in adapters were the rule. For instance, I have Tiffen Series VI adapters for 40.5mm (Tiffen for Contax), 39mm (Tiffen no. 624) and for that weird Summitar filter thread (Tiffen for Summitar). The last, in conjunction with a Leitz 36mm clamp to Summitar thread adapter, allows for Series 6 on old 90 and 135mm lenses. In addition I have four different sunshades that replace the filter retaining ring; one is the same O.D. as the filter holder (47.7mm), one is a vented 2 1/4" O.D., one a vented 2 1/2" O.D. and a Kodak 2 1/4 " O.D. unvented.

So, you can see that the stuff is out there and can be found if you know what you're looking for.

Clark

[Mark Wood]

In always trying to find a way to avoid spending too much money, I found that 49mm screw in filters (preferably the thinner ones) drop perfectly into the Series VII filter holder/lens hood for the old Leica Summilux 45/1.4 M.

I don't know if this is general for all Series VII holders and everyone probably knows this already but just in case...

[Mark Wood]

Or should I have said 35mm / 1.4 Summilux M...?!? Apologies.