If you are a habitual lens-cap fan and own some older Leica M lenses with hood caps, you’ve probably lost one or two caps in your time. The 14043 hood cap, supplied with the Leica Summicron 35mm f/2 (V4), Summicron 35mm f/2 ASPH (Mk1) and Elmarit 28mm f/2.8 ASPH (Mk1), was discontinued last year. But salvation is at hand for when you next lose yours.
The 14043 was easy to lose or misplace, and it would detach easily at the slightest knock. Not surprisingly, despite Leica’s decision, there is still a big demand for replacements.
London’s Red Dot Cameras reacted to this demand by revisualising and improving the original design.
This 3D-printed hood cap, exclusive to Red Dot Cameras, is made of Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) rubber. The cap fits the hood securely when the lens is stored or not in use.
It features integrated clips to hold the cap in place when attached to the hood, a pull tab for ease of removal from the hood and an eyelet to attach a leash (not supplied).
The cap is in stock now at the cost of £20 a pop, but it comes only in red for the time being. Personally, I think the little red cap looks rather fetching. If I owned one of the three lenses in question, I’d be on to Red Dot like a ferret up a drainpipe. But I do think they missed a trick. This little cap should be known as the Red Dot Rotkäppschen. Perhaps it will, as lens owners continue to misplace their boring old black numbers.
and… my Summicron 50mm lens cap falls off with gay abandon, the last one now off and lost as well two weeks ago. Lens costs x squillion quid, lens cap cost 4p to make and sells for £25!!!… go on Wetzlar, spend one euro more and make a cap that works. Aaaaaaagggghhhhhh…
Hello Mike, I think it would properly be called a Deckel. Rot Deckel or Deckel Rot?
Bill, I never let facts get in the way of a good story. But I’ve always thought Objektivkappe or Schutzkappe for a lens cap. I have no idea what a hood cap is called. It’s not something I’ve ever thought about (or had occasion to need). Deckel is a possibility as you suggest. Let’s see what our German readers have to say… it must be there in the German Leica catalogue.
An excellent, and novel solution, good thinking by the good folks at Red Dot.
Red lens caps are definitely a good idea. In my case, the hood for the lens was always falling off. I just changed the hood on my 35mm Summicron to a metal one, which I bought from Ivor and which I use without a cap. Two problems solved at once.
William
I wish I could get lens caps in red as I keep losing them for various lenses. I will search for one and not find it but find it days or months later in my camera bag.
I just leave them in the lens box so I have them when I come to sell.