FIKUS questions

[ottluuk]

Hello!

I have a couple of questions regarding the FIKUS adjustable hood. I mainly want it for my 9cm Elmar which has an annoying tendency to flare.

a) Would it work on a 3.5cm f/3.5 Summaron (A36 of course)? From a quick search on the web, it seems that some people see vignetting and some do not. How bad is it? Examples?

b) I recently found a collapsible Industar-22. A FIKUS should probably work on it when set to the Elmar 5cm setting, is that correct?

c) Is there a cheap, light, non-adjustable A36-compatible hood alternative for the 9cm Elmar?

 

[traveler_101]

Original A36 Leica hood for a mere $99.98. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-Leica-A36-Hood-for-50-135mm-SM-Lens-/200674147118
I thought the 9cm 4 Elmar took a 34mm hood. I found this post entitled "Before you buy the fikus" http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1325326&postcount=32

I would suggest that you look into a 34mm screw-in hood for the early 1930s Elmar 9cm f/4. The one I purchased costs under $10 from "Jackthehat" in the UK. It doesn't have the "Leitz" label on it, but it does the job. A 37mm pinch cap fits the inside diameter as a lens cap.

 

[ottluuk]

Original A36 Leica hood for a mere $99.98. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-Leica-A36-Hood-for-50-135mm-SM-Lens-/200674147118
I thought the 9cm 4 Elmar took a 34mm hood. I found this post entitled "Before you buy the fikus" http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1325326&postcount=32

I would suggest that you look into a 34mm screw-in hood for the early 1930s Elmar 9cm f/4. The one I purchased costs under $10 from "Jackthehat" in the UK. It doesn't have the "Leitz" label on it, but it does the job. A 37mm pinch cap fits the inside diameter as a lens cap.

Well, $100 for a FIKUS is obviously too much, but I could get if for half that, I think. And if it would indeed work on the 35 and 50 as well...

 

[Mr_Flibble]

I've only had trouble with the FIKUS vignetting (a lot) on a 35mm Elmar when I used it in combination with an A36 clamp-on filter. Don't have a Summaron to test it on I'm afraid.

I doubt you'll have a lot of trouble using the FIKUS hood on the I-22, but the lens tube is a little longer then the Elmar 50 as I recall. A little experimenting will tell you if you have to shorten the hood a little bit around the Elmar 50 mark.

 

[Dralowid]

Vignettes on a Summar with a clamp on filter.

Try before you buy. Although it has the benefit of being adjustable to various focal lengths it is a bit of a lump. Lots of cheap non Leica options around.

 

[David Hughes]

And the Jack-the-Hat one fits the Summar.

Regards, David

 

[Simon Bruxelles]

So the Fikus and the Jack-the-Hat shades both suffer the same problem: neither will work with an A36 push on filter, though for completely different reasons. The Fikus vignettes and there is no thread on the filter for the JTH hood to screw into. This is the reason I have just splashed out on an early black FLQOO.
If you look at the Leica literature the Fison was recommended for use with both the 5cm and 9cm Elmars. Indeed, there was no alternative.

 

[John Shriver]

FIKUS is OK on 35/3.5 Elmar (fully collapsed), but the front element of the 35/3.5 Summaron is probably so large to cause vignetting.

However, your flare problem may be a haze problem inside your Elmar 90/4. My first sample of that lens was a flare bomb -- soft coatings had been mostly cleaned off. Second one is uncoated and crystal clear, and doesn't have the flare problems.

 

[Erik van Straten]

The black FLQOO is the true early universal Leitz shade. A pity that it is so rare. The FIKUS is top heavy so it slips off all your lenses no matter how tight you turn the set-screw. The FISON is so small that your fingers can't reach the f-stop lever. The SOOMP is far too large and is also top heavy.

The black FLQOO is great for the Emar 35mm f/3.5, the Elmar 50mm f/3.5, the Hektor 50mm f/2.5, the Summar 50mm f/2, the Elmar 90mm f/4, the Hektor 135mm f/4,5 and the Elmar 135mm f/4,5, so you'll need seven of them. It will take years and endless funds to accomplish that.

Erik.

 

[Simon Bruxelles]

Eric you missed out the Hektor 7.5cm which makes a total of eight, but as I only have one lens on my camera at a time one is a pretty good start. PS The FLQOO falls into the category of rare enough for the dealers to ask silly money (I have seen them asking £200+), but not in enough demand to actually justify it. I paid £27 for mine at auction.

 

[rbiemer]

I was able to find a SOOGZ adapter--A36 to 39mm--and then got a new hood for my '37 un-coated 9cm Elmar.

And as a bonus, it worked on my Industar-22. I did need to wrap a small piece of tape around the rim of the I-22 to get the SOOGZ to fit tightly.

When I got the SOOGZ, I got a very good deal on it and they are rather more money now. But I would probably get one anyway; one adapter and I can use relatively inexpensive and easy to find 39mm filters and hoods on several of my lenses that other wise would not be so easy to sort out.

Rob

 

[Erik van Straten]

Eric you missed out the Hektor 7.5cm w

The FLQOO does not fit the Hektor 7.3cm f/1.9. The Hektor 7.3cm has its own shade that fits the Xenon 50mm f/1.5 too.

Congrats on your truly cheap FLQOO. Enjoy!

Erik.

 

[Simon Bruxelles]

The FLQOO does not fit the Hektor 7.3cm f/1.9. The Hektor 7.3cm has its own shade that fits the Xenon 50mm f/1.5 too.

Congrats on your truly cheap FLQOO. Enjoy!

Erik.

Ah, thank you. The Hektor is on my list. I'm still kicking myself for deciding not to buy one I saw at a camera five years ago. Nice condition - £75, and he was open to offers. I doubt I'll find one for that price now.

 

[Luddite Frank]

I bought a scew-in die-cast shade on eBay from Heavystar that works well on my Elmar 90 & Hektor 135. It wasn't much more than $10, if I remember correctly.

FIKUS are getting pricey.