Elmarit 28mm Version IV Vignetting

[afr02hrs]

Hello

I have recently bought a 28mm Elmarit that takes 46mm filters. I wondered if anyone had any experience of vignetting caused by using filters. I had a 35mm Summicron previously that suffered from vignetting caused by a Heliopan polarizing filter. Would you recommend using a step-up ring, say 46-52mm?

Thanks
Haydn

 

[35mmdelux]

My Leica 28mm V4 did not experience vignetting from standard filters. I suppose if its a deep mounted filter it might. The best way is to run a test roll. Congrats -- the 28mm V4 is one of the best 28's.

 

[Ben Z]

I have that lens, tried to see if I could get away with using the Leica Universal Polarizer on it (recommended for 35mm and up), but there was a tiny bit of blackening in the corners. Given that filter has a hood attached, I'm thinking probably a 46mm polarizer might not cause a problem, but there's still the problem of having to use another filter to preview the polarizing effect and have the two filters calibrated with a notch so you can transfer the setting. A better solution, I think, is one of those step-up adaptors with a window or venting, so you can see through the polarizer while looking through the viewfinder. One I recall is called FilterView. Leica also made one in E49 for the V2 Tri-Elmar that takes a 67mm polarizer. And you could always just mark and cut a window in a 46-62,72, or 77 stepping adapter. A 52mm might be too small to see through the finder, but if you don't mind going the 2-filter route, 52mm's are a dime a dozen.

 

[HenningW]

To check for vignetting, open the back of the camera, lock the shutter open on B with a cable release, and look through the front and back, in particular, through the corners of the frame. With and without filter, hood or whatever. If the filter blocks light coming through the corners, you have vignetting. Check at all apertures, and near and far focussing distances. These things make a difference.

This is the simplest, and in practice just about the only truly accurate test for vignetting caused by attachments. You will also see the shape and size of the diaphragm opening when looking through the back corners, and that will give you a sense of the amount of optical vignetting the lens produces, and how it is reduced by stopping down.

Henning

 

[35mmdelux]

a polarizer on a highly corrected lens....hmmm...I'll have to think about this.