This topic is in the 2015 archive. You can read it and like its posts here. It is read only.
Archive 2015Voigtlander CV15mm Version III Petal Removal
p.1 #1Voigtlander CV15mm Version III Petal Removal
I bought the VC 15mm III a little time ago and I love this lens on the A7RII body but what always bugged me was this fixed hood. The lens itself take a 58mm thread but its buried inside this hood and a little tough to deal with. But more important the hood really has no effect outside of maybe protecting the lens element. Which is great but I really do not want it and want to use bigger filters that match my Batis 25 and 85 which are 67mm. I want a new combo of hood because i rarely use front lens caps as i always have my hoods on. Less caps to deal with but I also want to use 1 size ND filters , Polarizers or graduated filters so 67mm will work on all three lenses plus anything smaller than 67mm with a step down adapter .
So here is the stock image of the hood. I put in red lines on where i want to cut the Petals . Im trying to go as flat as possible becuase I will be putting a 58mm to 67mm step up ring and want it to be as flush to the lens as possible.
So here is what I am after on the cut
So in prepping the lens I taped everything off and I had a old lens cap that I taped down to protect the glass and the filter threads . Than I used a Dremel with a cut off blade and just cut each petal off. Now as far as this setup it worked but I have a better idea which I did after the cut . Get two 58mm filters get cheap ones they will get ruined. But screw in two filters throw a lens cap on and you can cut right to those filters without any damage to the lens filter threads and the glass.
Here is what I did initially
But if your going to do this look at this and I much prefer to see folks use this idea instead as its much safer on the cut , the grinding and the wire brushing.
So just imagine the Petals are still in place here
Notice the one filter thread you see under the tape having these two filters in place stops you from going into the glass area and protects the lens threads themselves. I did okay with the above setup but I recommend this more
Here you can see after the cut what the lens looks like and the setup
Where I got in trouble was with the wire brush. I had the two filters in place and lens cap which protected the lens itself but I did not put gaffers tape on the area where the white dot sits and when I used the wire brush it slipped to the sides and buffed it up . That was my one fatal mistake . So take gaffers tape right up to the cut than use the Dremel with the wire brush and if you slip than your only hitting tape. Its not as bad as it sounds. I just need to paint that now
Couple more shots after the cut, grinding and wire brushing
Now the whole idea here is the area that has been cut , and such will never be seen becuase I will be screwing down the 58-67mm step up ring and frankly folks i won't be taking it off either. It will become a permanent piece so I am screwing it down very tightly and you will see why in a minute.
No wi used a Sharpie Enamel Paint and it worked great except its glossy so in this area which does not get seen I don't really care but Testers Has a Black Enamel Matte paint that Im going to fix the sides with where I buffed it up. It has the gloss on it now and don't look to bad but I'm going to repaint that part. Bunch of images coming
Here you can see the 58 to 67mm step up ring in place PLUS one 67mm empty filter ring. Why this you ask well its my new hood. Together with the step up and one filter ring I now have a new hood in place. To use filters without vignetting I just remove the one filter ring and replace with a ND filter lets say. I get a hood and i get to use 67mm filters
Now with one filter ring removed I can use the polarizer
At the moment I am using my Batis lens cap until a Push on cap gets here
Link to Push on lens Cap. Its 67mm but it fits over the filter so it is really 70mm
B+W Slip-On Lens Cap #305 for 67mm Slim-Line Filter 65-014141
So here is where I will repaint with the Matte paint, its just too shiny for me. See arrow that band around lens. This is my fault I did not tape that off when using the wire brush and I slipped.
So there you have it. Now let me add something here on options. I am choosing to have that extra 67mm empty thread ring as more of a hood before it hits any Vignetting so right there its all clear. But I do have to take that empty ring off to use a filter. You do not have to have that empty 67mm filter ring there if you do not want it You can go step up ring only if you want and you could use a Lee filter system for 67, 72 or 77 depending how big you really want to go. Im happy with 67mm as it keeps the look of the lens nice and small and I like the Extra filter ring there as the hood. The 58-67 is not that big a jump with regards to size and it looks pretty dang cool too.
One thing I did do is screw down the adapter ring down pretty tight so when i grab that extra ring to take off for filter needs it just unscrews very easy than pop on whatever filter I want.
Also you do not have to even keep the step up ring on but it does hide all the conversion stuff and looks very clean with the ring on. You have some options to decide here. This is just my choice
So here is the stock image of the hood. I put in red lines on where i want to cut the Petals . Im trying to go as flat as possible becuase I will be putting a 58mm to 67mm step up ring and want it to be as flush to the lens as possible.
So here is what I am after on the cut
So in prepping the lens I taped everything off and I had a old lens cap that I taped down to protect the glass and the filter threads . Than I used a Dremel with a cut off blade and just cut each petal off. Now as far as this setup it worked but I have a better idea which I did after the cut . Get two 58mm filters get cheap ones they will get ruined. But screw in two filters throw a lens cap on and you can cut right to those filters without any damage to the lens filter threads and the glass.
Here is what I did initially
But if your going to do this look at this and I much prefer to see folks use this idea instead as its much safer on the cut , the grinding and the wire brushing.
So just imagine the Petals are still in place here
Notice the one filter thread you see under the tape having these two filters in place stops you from going into the glass area and protects the lens threads themselves. I did okay with the above setup but I recommend this more
Here you can see after the cut what the lens looks like and the setup
Where I got in trouble was with the wire brush. I had the two filters in place and lens cap which protected the lens itself but I did not put gaffers tape on the area where the white dot sits and when I used the wire brush it slipped to the sides and buffed it up . That was my one fatal mistake . So take gaffers tape right up to the cut than use the Dremel with the wire brush and if you slip than your only hitting tape. Its not as bad as it sounds. I just need to paint that now
Couple more shots after the cut, grinding and wire brushing
Now the whole idea here is the area that has been cut , and such will never be seen becuase I will be screwing down the 58-67mm step up ring and frankly folks i won't be taking it off either. It will become a permanent piece so I am screwing it down very tightly and you will see why in a minute.
No wi used a Sharpie Enamel Paint and it worked great except its glossy so in this area which does not get seen I don't really care but Testers Has a Black Enamel Matte paint that Im going to fix the sides with where I buffed it up. It has the gloss on it now and don't look to bad but I'm going to repaint that part. Bunch of images coming
Here you can see the 58 to 67mm step up ring in place PLUS one 67mm empty filter ring. Why this you ask well its my new hood. Together with the step up and one filter ring I now have a new hood in place. To use filters without vignetting I just remove the one filter ring and replace with a ND filter lets say. I get a hood and i get to use 67mm filters
Now with one filter ring removed I can use the polarizer
At the moment I am using my Batis lens cap until a Push on cap gets here
Link to Push on lens Cap. Its 67mm but it fits over the filter so it is really 70mm
B+W Slip-On Lens Cap #305 for 67mm Slim-Line Filter 65-014141
So here is where I will repaint with the Matte paint, its just too shiny for me. See arrow that band around lens. This is my fault I did not tape that off when using the wire brush and I slipped.
So there you have it. Now let me add something here on options. I am choosing to have that extra 67mm empty thread ring as more of a hood before it hits any Vignetting so right there its all clear. But I do have to take that empty ring off to use a filter. You do not have to have that empty 67mm filter ring there if you do not want it You can go step up ring only if you want and you could use a Lee filter system for 67, 72 or 77 depending how big you really want to go. Im happy with 67mm as it keeps the look of the lens nice and small and I like the Extra filter ring there as the hood. The 58-67 is not that big a jump with regards to size and it looks pretty dang cool too.
One thing I did do is screw down the adapter ring down pretty tight so when i grab that extra ring to take off for filter needs it just unscrews very easy than pop on whatever filter I want.
Also you do not have to even keep the step up ring on but it does hide all the conversion stuff and looks very clean with the ring on. You have some options to decide here. This is just my choice
Sep 19, 2015 at 11:31 AM
p.1 #2Voigtlander CV15mm Version III Petal Removal
I wanted to point out as Fred and I where discussing this in a thread . That SK Grimes will do this for you at a cost of course and Fred I believe did send his in to have the conversion done. So he can update you on what is happening on his end. I just like doing these things sometimes. Kind of fun
For some folks they would never do this and I totally understand i just ruined a 700 dollar lens. Fully aware of that but I am all about function and not so much about my gear looking good. Sure I'm anal as the next person and like things to look nice but end of day it needs to work they way i want. This solves a need, is it perfect no it is not is it completely ugly well only you can decide that . Once i clean up the paint it will look better but more important now i can go buy the expensive ND and Polarizers that I want because I only have to buy one size and that was the end goal. The bonus was the new hood which I think looks pretty darn nice
For some folks they would never do this and I totally understand i just ruined a 700 dollar lens. Fully aware of that but I am all about function and not so much about my gear looking good. Sure I'm anal as the next person and like things to look nice but end of day it needs to work they way i want. This solves a need, is it perfect no it is not is it completely ugly well only you can decide that . Once i clean up the paint it will look better but more important now i can go buy the expensive ND and Polarizers that I want because I only have to buy one size and that was the end goal. The bonus was the new hood which I think looks pretty darn nice
Sep 19, 2015 at 11:32 AM
p.1 #3Voigtlander CV15mm Version III Petal Removal
I bet your hands were shaking a view times and thinking what have I got myself into again...
Nice work
Nice work
Sep 19, 2015 at 12:45 PM
p.1 #4Voigtlander CV15mm Version III Petal Removal
Wow, that looks very well done. I hear you on function over form, but it looks very good considering what you did to it! Is it safe to assume that 67mm filters do not vignette with the step up ring? How about stacked filters?
Sep 19, 2015 at 01:50 PM
p.1 #5Voigtlander CV15mm Version III Petal Removal
I'm good on a single round glass filter. If you want to stack im thinking Lee filters might be better. Now if you went to 72 you probably can two glass. I'm not a grad filter person. That stuff I can do in post with some bracket shots
Sep 19, 2015 at 02:59 PM
p.1 #6Voigtlander CV15mm Version III Petal Removal
I went to a hobby shop bought flat black paint by testers. Model cars place and hand painted it and looks really good now. Even put a new white dot. Get a photo up later
Tools and supply
Dremel with cut off blade, grinding tool and wire brush attachments
Gaffers tape
2 58mm dead filter rings
Testers flat black enamel paint
58-67 step up ring
67mm blank ring only
Tools and supply
Dremel with cut off blade, grinding tool and wire brush attachments
Gaffers tape
2 58mm dead filter rings
Testers flat black enamel paint
58-67 step up ring
67mm blank ring only
Sep 21, 2015 at 08:27 AM
p.1 #7Voigtlander CV15mm Version III Petal Removal
GMPhotography wrote:
I'm good on a single round glass filter. If you want to stack im thinking Lee filters might be better. Now if you went to 72 you probably can two glass. I'm not a grad filter person. That stuff I can do in post with some bracket shots
+1. The Sony A7 series allows to avoid grad ND filters, this is my own experience, too. The DR is so wide that it can be done fully in post processing as you said. I also found that an attached grad ND filter is hard to detect through the EVF due to its exposure compensation.
I'm good on a single round glass filter. If you want to stack im thinking Lee filters might be better. Now if you went to 72 you probably can two glass. I'm not a grad filter person. That stuff I can do in post with some bracket shots
+1. The Sony A7 series allows to avoid grad ND filters, this is my own experience, too. The DR is so wide that it can be done fully in post processing as you said. I also found that an attached grad ND filter is hard to detect through the EVF due to its exposure compensation.
Sep 21, 2015 at 08:36 AM
p.1 #8Voigtlander CV15mm Version III Petal Removal
FYI. I went the "Grimes" route. $65 + shipping.
Paul
Paul
Sep 21, 2015 at 10:16 PM
p.1 #9Voigtlander CV15mm Version III Petal Removal
Great job Guy, you are a brave man! 
fishjump wrote:
FYI. I went the "Grimes" route. $65 + shipping.
Paul
Now I know how were the customer already doing the hood removal at Grimes.
Paul, can you post some pictures of their job?
fishjump wrote:
FYI. I went the "Grimes" route. $65 + shipping.
Paul
Now I know how were the customer already doing the hood removal at Grimes.
Paul, can you post some pictures of their job?
Sep 21, 2015 at 10:34 PM
p.1 #10Voigtlander CV15mm Version III Petal Removal
Paul love to see how it looks. For me just fun to do. Thanks Fred
Sep 21, 2015 at 10:47 PM
p.1 #11Voigtlander CV15mm Version III Petal Removal
I made an inquiry to SK Grimes and they have a number of options available. I'm asking for more detail on Option 4 as a possible route for my lens.
______
Thank you for the inquiry about the Voigtlander SW Heliar 15mm 4.5 hood modification. We have a couple options for you:
1. Cut down the hood and paint the exposed aluminum edges – $65 (2 -3 wks)
2. Cut down the hood, strip the ring and send out for standard black anodizing. – $80 (3-4 wks)
3. Cut down the hood, strip the ring and send out for hard coat black anodizing, a more robust scratch resistant finish. – $220 (3-4 wks)
4. Fabricate a replacement ring with standard black anodizing. - $115 (6-8 wks)
5. Fabricate a replacement ring with a hard coat black anodizing. - $320 (6-8 wks)
In any case where we put a piece through anodizing, the black finish may not exactly match the lens.
______
Thank you for the inquiry about the Voigtlander SW Heliar 15mm 4.5 hood modification. We have a couple options for you:
1. Cut down the hood and paint the exposed aluminum edges – $65 (2 -3 wks)
2. Cut down the hood, strip the ring and send out for standard black anodizing. – $80 (3-4 wks)
3. Cut down the hood, strip the ring and send out for hard coat black anodizing, a more robust scratch resistant finish. – $220 (3-4 wks)
4. Fabricate a replacement ring with standard black anodizing. - $115 (6-8 wks)
5. Fabricate a replacement ring with a hard coat black anodizing. - $320 (6-8 wks)
In any case where we put a piece through anodizing, the black finish may not exactly match the lens.
Sep 22, 2015 at 09:34 AM
p.1 #12Voigtlander CV15mm Version III Petal Removal
rji2goleez wrote:
I made an inquiry to SK Grimes and they have a number of options available. I'm asking for more detail on Option 4 as a possible route for my lens.
______
Thank you for the inquiry about the Voigtlander SW Heliar 15mm 4.5 hood modification. We have a couple options for you:
1. Cut down the hood and paint the exposed aluminum edges – $65 (2 -3 wks)
2. Cut down the hood, strip the ring and send out for standard black anodizing. – $80 (3-4 wks)
3. Cut down the hood, strip the ring and send out for hard coat black anodizing, a more...Show more →
I'm curious, either option 2 or 4 might give you a different shade of black than the lens. Less time and cost seem to be more preferable. I'm surprised that they actually charge less than Zeiss.
Did anyone ask them about fabricating a hood for this lens? The cost is actually very reasonable that I might send my ZM 15 for this mod.
I made an inquiry to SK Grimes and they have a number of options available. I'm asking for more detail on Option 4 as a possible route for my lens.
______
Thank you for the inquiry about the Voigtlander SW Heliar 15mm 4.5 hood modification. We have a couple options for you:
1. Cut down the hood and paint the exposed aluminum edges – $65 (2 -3 wks)
2. Cut down the hood, strip the ring and send out for standard black anodizing. – $80 (3-4 wks)
3. Cut down the hood, strip the ring and send out for hard coat black anodizing, a more...Show more →
I'm curious, either option 2 or 4 might give you a different shade of black than the lens. Less time and cost seem to be more preferable. I'm surprised that they actually charge less than Zeiss.
Did anyone ask them about fabricating a hood for this lens? The cost is actually very reasonable that I might send my ZM 15 for this mod.
Sep 22, 2015 at 09:58 AM
p.1 #13Voigtlander CV15mm Version III Petal Removal
Geez takes a long turn time. After the flat black paint it matches the lens pretty good. Or I should say it looks much better than the gloss paint. I actually like my oversize hood and 67mm filter ring. Obviously we all have diffrent needs and wants. Interesting though and they are a really good shop. So whatever they do it will look great. I figure it this way if I ever went to sell it, there is somebody out there just like buying a shaved shroud Leica 19 R that will buy it if I ever went to sell it. So I chose obviously not to spend to much in it.
Honestly had I known the turn time I would have most certainly would have done it myself. For me I chose okay. I hate waiting on anything
Honestly had I known the turn time I would have most certainly would have done it myself. For me I chose okay. I hate waiting on anything
Sep 22, 2015 at 10:14 AM
p.1 #14Voigtlander CV15mm Version III Petal Removal
Guy. I haven't received my lens back yet, so no photos.
I'm currently traveling around Oregon at the moment, and my lens will be delivered before I get home this coming weekend. I will say, that Adam was very responsive and quick. The whole process has taken about two weeks, and that is with 9 days of shipping (total)!
I was given the same options as Rji2goleez. I called Adam to go through each of the options, and chose #1, as this was the quickest, and it's only a $700+ lens, and it would allow me to use the filter thread. My understanding, is that if you choose to have it re-anodized, then it marrs the filter thread, so if you want to use filters, you need to choose an option to replace the ring.
Hope this helps.
I should add, that when I spoke to Adam and made my option decision, they completed it the following day.
Paul
I'm currently traveling around Oregon at the moment, and my lens will be delivered before I get home this coming weekend. I will say, that Adam was very responsive and quick. The whole process has taken about two weeks, and that is with 9 days of shipping (total)!
I was given the same options as Rji2goleez. I called Adam to go through each of the options, and chose #1, as this was the quickest, and it's only a $700+ lens, and it would allow me to use the filter thread. My understanding, is that if you choose to have it re-anodized, then it marrs the filter thread, so if you want to use filters, you need to choose an option to replace the ring.
Hope this helps.
I should add, that when I spoke to Adam and made my option decision, they completed it the following day.
Paul
Sep 22, 2015 at 10:20 AM
p.1 #15Voigtlander CV15mm Version III Petal Removal
Yea its really not a long process to actually cut the petals off. I have a machinist on my forum and this guy is one of the best around but he said 2 minutes on a lathe is about what it would take. Out of my area but the whole idea here is not settling for something that functionally does not work or improve a function. So glad to see folks do this to improve there shooting. If it was the Zeiss 15mm I would probably send it out. Just high risk on a expensive lens. Here Im not going to lose much money and frankly its so damn good not sure when they do come out with a native I will actually switch. I like this lens a lot
Sep 22, 2015 at 10:57 AM
p.1 #16Voigtlander CV15mm Version III Petal Removal
rji2goleez wrote:
I made an inquiry to SK Grimes and they have a number of options available. I'm asking for more detail on Option 4 as a possible route for my lens.
______
Thank you for the inquiry about the Voigtlander SW Heliar 15mm 4.5 hood modification. We have a couple options for you:
1. Cut down the hood and paint the exposed aluminum edges – $65 (2 -3 wks)
2. Cut down the hood, strip the ring and send out for standard black anodizing. – $80 (3-4 wks)
3. Cut down the hood, strip the ring and send out for hard coat black anodizing, a more...Show more →
In my view for a $750 lens, I would go with option "1" as well. (1. Cut down the hood and paint the exposed aluminum edges – $65 (2 -3 wks)
I made an inquiry to SK Grimes and they have a number of options available. I'm asking for more detail on Option 4 as a possible route for my lens.
______
Thank you for the inquiry about the Voigtlander SW Heliar 15mm 4.5 hood modification. We have a couple options for you:
1. Cut down the hood and paint the exposed aluminum edges – $65 (2 -3 wks)
2. Cut down the hood, strip the ring and send out for standard black anodizing. – $80 (3-4 wks)
3. Cut down the hood, strip the ring and send out for hard coat black anodizing, a more...Show more →
In my view for a $750 lens, I would go with option "1" as well. (1. Cut down the hood and paint the exposed aluminum edges – $65 (2 -3 wks)
Sep 22, 2015 at 01:31 PM
p.1 #17Voigtlander CV15mm Version III Petal Removal
It really looks pretty good in the end. I'm kind of anal too so even better I like the result.
Sep 22, 2015 at 03:23 PM
p.1 #18Voigtlander CV15mm Version III Petal Removal
GMPhotography wrote:
Yea its really not a long process to actually cut the petals off. I have a machinist on my forum and this guy is one of the best around but he said 2 minutes on a lathe is about what it would take. Out of my area but the whole idea here is not settling for something that functionally does not work or improve a function. So glad to see folks do this to improve there shooting. If it was the Zeiss 15mm I would probably send it out. Just high risk on a expensive lens. Here Im not going...Show more →
2 minutes on a lathe my a**. That's just hyperbole. First you need to figure out how to hold it tightly enough without distorting whatever the chuck jaws grab on to. Since it's an intermittent cut you need to be careful it doesn't grab and ruin your lens - thus the holding onto it just enough part.
Personally, I'd use a dremel thin metal cutoff saw mounted in the chuck of a knee mill or drill press, put a lens cap on the base and use my hands to rotate the lens against the cut-off saw to take the majority of the hood petals off, then think about either doing a final cut with the cutoff saw, put it in the lathe, or put it on a rotating chuck on the mill for a skim cut.
SKGrimes could likely do it quickly as they likely have a custom M-mount adapter to put the lens into on their lathe or they have a six jaw chuck to grab thin metal pieces securely.
$750 is still an expensive lens to me . . .
PS - It does look pretty good to me - though I grew up in a custom part machine shop you are a more brave man than me - I'd send it to SKGrimes . . . . even then you likely will own it for a long time as the resale price, unless to just the right person who appreciates the mod, is likely much lower. But then you knew that already!
Yea its really not a long process to actually cut the petals off. I have a machinist on my forum and this guy is one of the best around but he said 2 minutes on a lathe is about what it would take. Out of my area but the whole idea here is not settling for something that functionally does not work or improve a function. So glad to see folks do this to improve there shooting. If it was the Zeiss 15mm I would probably send it out. Just high risk on a expensive lens. Here Im not going...Show more →
2 minutes on a lathe my a**. That's just hyperbole. First you need to figure out how to hold it tightly enough without distorting whatever the chuck jaws grab on to. Since it's an intermittent cut you need to be careful it doesn't grab and ruin your lens - thus the holding onto it just enough part.
Personally, I'd use a dremel thin metal cutoff saw mounted in the chuck of a knee mill or drill press, put a lens cap on the base and use my hands to rotate the lens against the cut-off saw to take the majority of the hood petals off, then think about either doing a final cut with the cutoff saw, put it in the lathe, or put it on a rotating chuck on the mill for a skim cut.
SKGrimes could likely do it quickly as they likely have a custom M-mount adapter to put the lens into on their lathe or they have a six jaw chuck to grab thin metal pieces securely.
$750 is still an expensive lens to me . . .
PS - It does look pretty good to me - though I grew up in a custom part machine shop you are a more brave man than me - I'd send it to SKGrimes . . . . even then you likely will own it for a long time as the resale price, unless to just the right person who appreciates the mod, is likely much lower. But then you knew that already!
Sep 22, 2015 at 06:18 PM
p.1 #19Voigtlander CV15mm Version III Petal Removal
John is is a major industrial designer. He builds amazing stairways for industrial stuff. His machine shop is in the Navy ship yards. He makes all kinds of stuff for photographers too. He said posted on forum he would do it by hand. I'm just repeating what he said. But I know him personally and he is a major player in the industry in NYC. Nit my industry , I'm just a handy guy. Built custom homes for a couple years and learned a lot but not this stuff.
Sep 22, 2015 at 06:28 PM
p.1 #20Voigtlander CV15mm Version III Petal Removal
I used a dremel cut off blade and held by hand. I'm sick I know. Very risky. Lol
Sep 22, 2015 at 06:31 PM