1680 - Shattered Dreams

Remember that I told you how great it is, that you can’t buy any accessories for the LX5? Just the camera and then nothing? Just a camera and you and your images?

Turns out that is not completely correct 🙂

I have a DMW-LA6 Conversion Lens Adapter now. Sounds great, huh? I have no conversion lens though. I bought it to be able to use a split ND filter.

To mount this tube, you remove the outer lens ring, screw on the tube, and, lo and behold, you suddenly have a 52 mm filter thread where you can screw in filters or a wide angle adapter.

Great, I thought. And now, on my way home, I just go into one of those gorgeous camera shops that Vienna’s 7^th district is so famous for.

I was screwed. In the fifth shop I finally found a B+W two stop split-ND filter, but when I looked through it, it was clear that it wouldn’t make much of a difference. Too soft an edge for such a small lens.

I didn’t buy it. Maybe I still will, because even if the effect is small, it is better than nothing, and in the meantime I learned that there simply are no split-ND filters stronger than two stops, at least not for screwing on. A bigger filter wouldn’t help either. I do have a set of Lee split-ND filters, but they are huge and also have a soft edge.It seems that there’s nothing available in the market.

Where does this leave me? Now I have an adapter ring (well, that sounds so innocent, but in reality it’s a tube longer than the lens when it’s fully extended), but the filter that I wanted does not even exist.

It is not that bad though. This tube is actually quite handy. It keeps me from accidentally touching the lens, it gives the camera more grip, and finally I can use it to attach a polarizer. I have a 62 mm B+W polarizer with 52 mm step-down adapter ring and it fits perfectly. And then, who knows, I may even be tempted to get the wide-angle lens.

The Song of the Day is “Shattered Dreams” from Cyndi Lauper’s recent “Memphis Blues” album. Hear it on YouTube.