Leica Filters

Camera Gear

Lens Filters Camera Accessories

Suggested Reading

David Busch's Quick Snap Guide to Photo Gear Photographic Lenses: Photographer's Guide to Characteristics, Quality, Use and Design
Leica filters for the Leica M system are made of optically pure glass, parallel plane ground and precisely annealed, so the full performance of the Leica M lenses is retained even with a filter attached. The range is purposely limited to the filters most commonly needed in photographic practice: The UVa filter primarily performs the role of protecting the front element of the lens, and can be left permanently attached. The circular polarization filter eliminates disturbing reflections on non-metallic surfaces, and helps to increase contrast as well as provide richer color reproduction.
 
Leica Lens Filters
  Protection Filters - Ultraviolet Filters

Your camera won't allow you to develop clear, crisp photos if your camera lens is damaged or dirty. You can protect your thousand dollar lens with a $20 filter if you use a UV or haze filter. These thin glass filters are designed to screw onto the end of your camera lens and you can just leave them on to protect your lens. UV filters can help protect your lenses from dust, moisture and scratches. If your lens is damaged it could cost you quite a bit to repair or replace it. The filters can also give you added benefits of correction for Ultraviolet light which can show on your film as a bluish cast and can sometimes distort distant details. UV filters let you correct for the UV effect to varying degrees. They are also useful if you are shooting mountain and marine scenes, as the haze could affect the color and clarity of the photos. UV filters can be bought for about $20.

Haze Filters Haze Filters do just what they sound like, they filter out haze which is created by minute particles of vapor and dust. Haze settles in the atmosphere and can affect distant photographic scenes. Haze forms when sunlight is scattered by minute particles of matter that exist in the air. Atmospheric conditions have an effect on the amount of haze in the air. Mist, fog, smog, smoke and clouds are all different than haze. Green and red light are scattered by haze, but not as much as ultraviolet radiation, violet and blue light. If you use filters to absorb scattered sunlight you can penetrate the haze. Any filter that can absorb scattered sunlight can be considered a haze filter.

Leica Ultraviolet (UVa) Filter. The Leica UVa Glass Filter is a wise initial investment. It helps protect your valuable investment from dust, moisture and scratches, which can lead to costly repairs. • UV filters provide additional benefits of correction for Ultraviolet(UV) light, which can register on film and videotape as a bluish cast, and can obscure distant details • If desired, they can be left on the lens at all times for protection • Ultraviolet filters allow you to correct for the UV effect to varying degrees
UVA/IR. The Leica E39 UVA/IR Glass Filter (Silver or Black) is specifically recommended for the Leica Digital M8 camera. In order to maintain maximum optical clarity, the M8—with its superior sensor—was not designed with a total IR protection filter system. This filter is designed to eliminate the pinkish/purple/reddish tint that certain black synthetic items might be subjected to when shooting under certain lighting conditions, such as incandescent bulbs. This filter can also serve to help protect the glass in your lens. Note! Leica recommends removing the attached UV/IR filters when using lenses from 16-50mm in analog photography • Infrared filter for the M8 camera which does not have a built-in complete infrared system • Helps minimize potential pinkish tint under cetain conditions; ensures neutral color • No light loss • Can also serve as protective filter • Should only be used with 6-bit coded Leica lenses.
Leica Infrared (Black). The Leica UVA/Infrared filter is targeted for the M8 series camera. Although not a traditional infrared filter in the classic sense, i.e., helping with special effects images, this filter corrects for the magenta cast occasionally found on digital sensors. This filter does not block by means of absorption, but rather by interference of the unwanted UV and IR radiation that is repeatedly reflected between these layers, affecting wavelengths on both sides of the visible spectrum with a steep cut-off.
Leica 1x ND Filter. Neutral Density filters have several uses and offer the possibility to achieve otherwise unachievable results. ND filters appear grey and reduce the amount of light reaching the film. They have no effect on color balance. They have four main uses: 1) To enable slow shutter speeds to be used, especially with high speed films, to record movement in subjects such as waterfalls, clouds, or cars. 2) To decrease depth of field by allowing wider apertures to be used, which helps separate subjects from their background. 3) To decrease the effective ISO of high speed film (above ISO 400) and allow it to be used outdoors in bright situations. 4) To allow cine and video cameras (which have fixed shutter speeds) to film subjects such as snow, sand or other bright scenes which could cause overexposure. Neutral Density factors: ND.3 (exposure adjustment = 1 stop, reduces ISO 1/2) ND.6 (exposure adjustment = 2 stops, reduces ISO 1/4) ND.9 (exposure adjustment = 3 stops, reduces ISO 1/8) Check availability, sizes & prices at  • B&H
Leica 4x ND Filter. for Leica Digilux 2 Digital Camera.
  Polarizing Filters These filters are used to reduce or eliminate reflections. They are ideal for photographing through glass or water as the glare from water tends to be white. Polarizing filters can also reduce the effects of haze and darken the blue sky image in black and white and color photography. There are various polarizing filters available to increase color saturation in a photo without altering the hues of image colors, but there are only two principal styles. One style fits over your camera lens, while the other is made to be used over the source of light. They don't affect color, that's why polarizing filters and screens are used in both black and white and color photography. There are two pieces to a polarizer. The front part rotates so you can change the angle of polarization. If you look at the blue sky through a polarizer and rotate it, the sky appears to get darker and then lighter. These filters range in price from about $15 to $800. They come in various sizes.
Leica Circular Polarizer (rotating Mount). Creates dramatic sky/cloud contrast. Saturates colors without changing color balance. Mount rotates to control amount of effect. Increases contrast equally well with black & white film.
Leica Circular Polarizer (Series 8). Light rays which are reflected become polarized. Polarizing filters are used to select which light rays enter your camera lens. They can remove unwanted reflections from non-metallic surfaces such as water or glass and also saturate colors providing better contrast. The effect can be seen through the viewfinder and changed by rotating the filter. The filter factor varies according to how the filter is rotated and its orientation to the sun. Filter factor is between 2.3 and 2.8 (approx. +1.3 stops). Check availability, sizes & prices at B&H
Leica Linear Polarizer. Other than in an SLR, where the user sees his subject looking through the lens, the effect of a polarizing filter cannot be judged in the viewfinder of a rangefinder camera. Nevertheless, many users of rangefinder cameras would like to benefit from the photographic advantages of a polarizing filter, such as higher color saturation and reduction of reflections at non-metallic surfaces. A very easy-to-handle universal polarizing filter solves this problem for LEICA M-photographers. A hinge allows it to be swung exactly 180° over the viewfinder for composition and setting, and back again over the lens for metering and shooting. The two special adapters (threaded rings) for the filter sizes E 39 and E 46 delivered with the filter enable the use of the majority of the present interchangeable lenses for the LEICA M6-models; others for earlier lenses are also available. The new universal polarizing filter replaces the former polarizing filter A42.
   

Filter Sizes
Filters come in 25mm • 30mm • 34mm • 37mm • 39mm • 40.5mm • 43mm • 46mm • 49mm • 52mm • 55mm • 58mm • 60mm • 62mm • 67mm • 72mm • 77mm • 82mm • 86mm • 95mm • 105mm • 107mm • 125mm and 127mm

The most common sizes being: 49mm • 52mm • 55mm • 58mm • 62mm • 67mm • 72mm and 77mm.

Bayonet sizes, Hasselblad "names" for their bayonet sizes are 50, 60 and 70. Zeiss has a different designation: "bay 57" for HB's "bay 50", and "bay 77"

Series sizes 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 sizes,

Drop-in sizes 2x2" • 3x3" • 3x4" • 4x4" • 4x5" • 4x5.650 • 5x5" • 5x6" • 6x6" and 6.6x6.6".

Square & rectangle sizes are 75x75mm 100x100mm with the graduated. filters being oblong

Look at the front of your lens to find the size. If you have lenses of several sizes, its a good idea get a 77mm or 72mm filter and get a step-up ring (lens to filter size) for each of your lenses. That way, one filter will fit all your lenses.