I have just taken delivery on an older Noctilux, no caps, no hood. This model appears to take the bayonet hood and is inscribed E60. If I were to purchase a screw-in rubber hood should it be a 60mm hood? I just don't know if I can trust the E60 designation to indicate the diameter. Does it?

-- Jim Shields (jim.shields@tasis.ch), September 13, 2001

Answers

The E60 designation means it has a M60 x 0.75 filter thread. Any filter or hood with that thread will fit. It does not refer to the ouside diameter of the front ring. That would be an "A-- " designation. For example, the 35/2 has an E39 filter thread but will also take A42 slip or clamp on accessories and filters.

One of the problems with the Noctilux is the amount of viewfinder obstruction. A rubber "trumpet" style hood would make this worse. The original Leica hood is a vented inverted cone which keeps viewfinder obstruction to a minimum. There were two styles of separate E60 hoods. The first bayoneted onto two small posts on the front ring (12539) and the second had retractible clips which locked into a groove on the front ring (12544).

Cheers,

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), September 13, 2001.

Thanks John. I was thinking I might perform surgery on a rubber hood to get something like the Leica slotted effect. And thanks for the part numbers. I'll keep looking for the real thing.

-- Jim Shields (jim.shields@tasis.ch), September 13, 2001.

If ever there was a lens which cried out for not using a hood, it's this one, IMO. I love the idea of the lens, but the ergonomics are crazy. I envy you your purchase - when you decide it isn't for you after all, get in touch! ;-)

-- rob (rob@robertappleby.com), September 13, 2001.