Summitar Hood?

[Kalkadan]

Les - I know you are all over this, because I have seen a photo here once of you with the barndoor lens shade ... 

I have a 1948 Summitar. Would its performance be enhanced by one of those barn door hoods - the SOOPD or SOOFM?

It is an awkward looking contraption, but I wonder why the Leica guys designed and manufactured such a thing if they did not have reason to think that it would be useful. Why go to that trouble?

At the moment I am using the knockoff Summitar adapter ring and vented hood from Heavystar.

many thanks for sharing any experiences or information you may have

[Nick Merritt]

Dan, pardon my poaching -- I have one of the SOOFM hoods and while it's quite the impressive item, I've basically not bothered with it.  I've shielded the lens with my hand when necessary.  I'm sure the hood is most effective, but it would be pretty clunky in use -- it's quite large relative to the lens, and needs to be kept square to the frame.  Your adaptor ring and Heavystar hood is probably a better way to go.  Where did you find the adaptor ring?

[Kalkadan]

Nick - many thanks, you're not poaching at all.  I intended it as a general question, with just a tug of the forelock to the venerable Les who is like one of the Gods on Olympus with respect to these things.

The adapter ring was a Heavystar item on the Bay and I ordered it with the vented hood.  Just checked - here is the link -

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Metal-Hood-for-Leica-Summitar-50mm-f-2-0-/360470341358?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53edb4e6ee#ht_500wt_1367

If that link is broken just search on "New Metal Hood for Leica Summitar 50mm f/2.0"  the package I ordered is now listed at $US27.95 and includes:
This auction includes:

 One (1) adapter ring Leica E39 Filter to Leica Summitar 50mm f/2.0 lens mounting
 One (1) 39mm screw in metal vented and tilted hood.
 One (1) lens cap on the front hood.

I like the lens cap on the hood - works well.  The hood looks much like the regular one for the Summicron 50 but is more secure for being screwed in - nad the E39 filter adapter ring is useful for other things - not the same quality as Leica adapter rings & filters but ok for the price - seems like light aluminium

[Per Bostrom]

I was advised this hood to use with my uncoated Summitar instead of the not so smooth barn doors,
http://fedka.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=40&products_id=452

Cheap, perfect fit, doing the work.

[br1078lum]

I thought about getting one of those Fedka hoods, but then I found a nice vented one.

PF

[jamesmck]

I was advised this hood to use with my uncoated Summitar instead of the not so smooth barn doors,
http://fedka.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=40&products_id=452

How does this attach to the lens?  The price is certainly attractive.

James

[radiophoto]

How does this attach to the lens?  The price is certainly attractive.

James

James, this is a push-on hood.  It will stay in parallel to the camera while the lens rotates for focusing.

[Julio1fer]

Is this one the hood, Dan? (BTW I have bought from this guy and can recommend him).

IIRC, my father had one of those. He used it in an M3 which he sold back in 1965 or so. We used to laugh our guts off when he attempted to photograph my brother and me using the hood - it looked like a very strange device to us.  IIRC it folded in a very compact and thin form, which was the good thing about it. I don't remember if it interferred with the viewfinder.

[melek]

It's an ungainly contraption, which I'm sure works very well. It converts the Leica from a svelte rather-stealthy camera into somewhat of an eyesore.

However, it does what it's supposed to do.

[Kalkadan]

Thanks guys.  Yes that's it Julio.  I have seen a photo here somewhere of Les with one on his Barnack Leica, looking very dapper!

But I agree with Melek - it's just too much of a contraption.

Of course, being as changeable as the wind, that's not to say I might not get one 

[Raid Amin]

The barnoor hood looks silly. I have used my hood once in fifteen years.It is bulky when opened, and it looks strange.

Raid