Lens caps for Wide Angle lenses

[Torsten]

Hi, I'm looking for very solid and rigid lens caps for wide angle lenses like my
apo-Grandagon 55mm. The original lens caps are too soft and might damage the
glass by touching it in the backpack. I know that SK Grimes is producing some, but I'm not sure that he'll do that without having the lens in his hands - to adjust the cap to the exact size. Any ideas or suggestions?

thank's

Torsten

[Gene McCluney]

Grimes, I'm sure has the factory specs for the threads on most lenses. He will know what size it needs without having the lens in hand, unless it is a very obscure, very old lens.

[Bob Salomon]

Torsten,

Do you really believe that Linos would keep supplying caps that would damage their lenses?

[David Karp]

Bob,

I don't want to cross swords on this one, and it may be that the Linos caps are different than the caps that came on the older Rodenstock lenses, but it seems that the caps that come with the older versions of Rodenstock lenses are not as rigid as the caps that have come with my Nikon and Fujinon LF lenses. It is quite easy to depress the Rodenstock caps from the center, and not so easy with the Nikon or Fujinon caps. I am basing this on the caps that came with my older Rodenstock Grandagon-Ns (90 and 75 f/4.5) and the my Caltar II-E and Caltar II-N lenses (one new and one old). This may not be a problem for someone who uses lenses in a studio, but potentially a problem if the lenses are carried in a backpack. Why take the chance.

It may be my imagination, or the chance for damage may be remote, but I decided not to take a chance on damaging a lens that, even used, cost me a lot of money. I think that there are others who feel the same way. To ease my concerns, I put plastic snap caps on the front element, and look for rigid slide-on caps that fit on the rear element.

When I wanted to get a rear lenscap to protect my Caltar II-N, I found a used Nikon cap in the proper size.

Another alternative might be screw in metal caps.

[Steve Hamley]

I had Adam at S.K. Grimes make caps for my 55mm Grandagon. If they are a little loose, you can "dimple" the inside rim with a small soldering iron or something like a heated nail.

Bob, it depends on how you use/carry the lens. You can certainly push the cap into thr glass with moderate pressure (ditto Schneider 150 SS XL). If it's sitting on a shelf or stored in a hard case, the caps are probably fine, but I didnt feel comfortable with the Rodenstock caps with the lens in a backpack.

Cheers, Steve

[GPS]

Hi, I'm looking for very solid and rigid lens caps for wide angle lenses like my
apo-Grandagon 55mm. The original lens caps are too soft and might damage the
glass by touching it in the backpack. I know that SK Grimes is producing some, but I'm not sure that he'll do that without having the lens in his hands - to adjust the cap to the exact size. Any ideas or suggestions?

thank's

Torsten

One easy way to go around the problem is to put the lens with its lens board to a simple plastic box to carry around in your backpack. This way the lens is protected not only for its front element...

[Bob Salomon]

Bob,

I don't want to cross swords on this one, and it may be that the Linos caps are different than the caps that came on the older Rodenstock lenses, but it seems that the caps that come with the older versions of Rodenstock lenses are not as rigid as the caps that have come with my Nikon and Fujinon LF lenses. It is quite easy to depress the Rodenstock caps from the center, and not so easy with the Nikon or Fujinon caps. I am basing this on the caps that came with my older Rodenstock Grandagon-Ns (90 and 75 f/4.5) and the my Caltar II-E and Caltar II-N lenses (one new and one old). This may not be a problem for someone who uses lenses in a studio, but potentially a problem if the lenses are carried in a backpack. Why take the chance.

It may be my imagination, or the chance for damage may be remote, but I decided not to take a chance on damaging a lens that, even used, cost me a lot of money. I think that there are others who feel the same way. To ease my concerns, I put plastic snap caps on the front element, and look for rigid slide-on caps that fit on the rear element.

When I wanted to get a rear lenscap to protect my Caltar II-N, I found a used Nikon cap in the proper size.

Another alternative might be screw in metal caps.

David,

We have been the distributor for Rodenstock since the mid 1980s. In all that time if we had 5 reports of a lens cap damaging a lens it would be a lot.

We have a lifetime warranty on the glass of the lenses that we sell in the USA and the caps have never been an actual issue.

We have been the Linhof distributor in the USA since the 1970's and there again, with any Rodenstock or Schneider lens that we have sold we have not had an issue with the caps.

[Henry Carter]

I have had SK Grimes make lens caps for all my LF lenses.

SK Grimes makes lens caps that are far superior to the surprisingly flimsy ones supplied with new Rodenstock lenses.

For the long-term protection of high quality lenses, invest in properly made lens caps.