Help... Series VII Filters

S

Stu :)

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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 :)
 
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. :)
 
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
 
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 :)
 
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.
 
Brian Sweeney said:
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.
Click to expand...

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
 
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
 
filter adapters

filter adapters

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
 
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...
 
Not all 49mm filters are small enough.

Not all 49mm filters are small enough.

I have an f1.4 35mm Summilux (the old tiny one) and it takes Series VII filters in a cavity formed between two halves of its lens hood. I recently bought some Zomei infrared filters and they are 0.1mm too big. No way to force them in.


I think Hoya have slim enough rings on their lfilters. "Quality" ones with chrome rims like those from Leica and Zeiss will be too big.
 
Series filters and adapter rings used to be common as dirt on eBay, and usually just as cheap. I suspect that is still the case. Both screw-in and push-on versions can be found. As well as filters, there are focusing hoods that take the place of the front retaining ring.
The Kodak Ektra I use for my avatar was designed for series filters, as were most American cameras of the era.

Cheers,
Dez
 
My Kodak Medalist II uses series 6 filters.
The early 135mm f/2.8 Elmarit M requires series 7 filters.

It's primarily for these two items that I have series filters.

Most of the filters are older, so they aren't coated, or single coated at best. You can still get series filters today from Heliopan (series 6), B+W and Leica still make series 7 UV filters. However, the cost is pretty high.
 
I have Series V filters for my Kodak Signet 35, Series VI filters for my Medalist II, and Series VII filters for my old Nikkor Rangefinder glass. I have found what Robert says to be true, the cost for these is getting pretty high.

Best,
-Tim
 
Filterfind has lots of series filters, adapters, hoods (as well as threaded filters and filters for Rolleis) -- worth a look at the website. I find it convenient to have series VI filters and use them on multiple lenses.
 
Back in the day a number of cameras had lenses made to hold series filters without an additional adapter. The front ring of the lens unscrewed and you dropped in your filter. Some examples were Kodak Signet 30, 50, 80, Automatic 35, Motormatic 35, Argus C3 Matchmatic, Super Speed Graphic with 1000 shutter, and Tower lever wind TLR with Nikkor lenses. I know there are others.
 
Some other Series filter users

Canon Rangefinder: Ser VI
Hasselblad: (early) Ser VII, (later) Ser VIII with bayonet 50 or 60 adapters
Leica R: Ser VII
Leica CL (Film): Ser 5.5
Argus C3 (Matchmatic and later): Ser V (you could get an adapter to use Series filters on the earlier C3 lenses that had a 27mm filter thread)

The smallest common Series filter is a IV. Anything smaller than that are quite rare, and were used mainly on early 8mm cine cameras.

PF
 
Series filters

Series filters

The lenses made by Konica for the Koni Omega cameras all come native with Series filter holders installed. If for some reason you want to use non-Series filters on these lenses, the lens front adapter unscrews, leaving threads which take various sized filters.
 
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