> "street and travel… real flare control without making the setup bulky or blocking the viewfinder"

+1 to Reply #2. Honestly the best “budget/value” move is just a cheap vented screw-in hood matched to your filter size: JJC LH-J39 39mm Vented Metal Lens Hood (E39) or JJC LH-J46 46mm Vented Metal Lens Hood (E46) — like $15-25. They’re lowkey great on an M finder. Just double-check it’s truly vented (not a deep tube), and test wide open for corner shading, especially on 35/28. cheers!

- Not to disagree, but I’d skip OEM unless you need matching vibes… for street I run Leica Hood 12585 (E39) or Leica Hood 12589 (E46), plus Squarehood Model V (E39)—good flare control, less finder blockage, no wide vignette in my experience.

Sooo I’ve been down this rabbit hole for years on M bodies, and honestly the “safety-first” thing is: pick a hood that’s mechanically solid and repeatable. I’ve had issues with some no-name hoods where the threads were just a hair off… cross-threaded an E39 once and yeah, unfortunately that’s the kind of dumb damage that sticks around.

Option A: B+W 39mm Screw-In Metal Lens Hood (E39) / B+W 46mm Screw-In Metal Lens Hood (E46). These are boring in the best way. Threads are clean, finish doesn’t flake into your filter ring, and they don’t randomly loosen in a bag. Flare control is “enough” for street/travel without turning the lens into a battering ram. Finder blockage is minimal vs deeper shades.

Option B: Haoge LH-39 Metal Vented Lens Hood for 39mm Thread / Haoge LH-46 Metal Vented Lens Hood for 46mm Thread. Better than a lot of cheapies, but QC can vary. I’d inspect threads, make sure it seats flush, and don’t crank it down.

Option C (travel beater): Hama 39mm Rubber Lens Hood (3-Stage) / Hama 46mm Rubber Lens Hood (3-Stage). Not as good as expected for flare sometimes, BUT it’s safe around crowds and packs flat.

If you want one “set and forget” pick: B+W. Seriously. gl!

> real flare control without making the setup bulky or blocking the viewfinder on an M body. Basically, I’ve spent way too much time with calipers measuring the exact intrusion of various hoods into my 35mm and 50mm frame lines. If ur a bit of a DIY nerd like me, you’ll realize the biggest technical hurdle with most third-party screw-ins is the indexing—the hood often ends up at a weird angle that blocks more of the finder than it should. I eventually moved away from the standard stuff and went with the Haoge LH-M36B Square Metal Lens Hood. Its high-point is the dedicated compression ring; it allows you to precisely align the hood so the cutout sits perfectly in the corner of your rangefinder patch. For flare control, I did a little self-service mod. Even the best third-party hoods sometimes have a slight sheen inside. I bought some ultra-matte, light-absorbing adhesive felt and lined the interior myself. It’s a huge technical upgrade for stray light suppression compared to just the factory paint. If you’re worried about vignetting on the wider Summicrons, just ensure the hood’s internal diameter doesn't step down too aggressively. Honestly, a well-flocked square hood is the way to go for street work.

For your situation, I’d suggest thinking in 3 buckets: OEM for zero drama, compact vented for street, and a “mini-shade” for max flare control.

1) Leica Lens Hood 12524 (E39, vented) / Leica Lens Hood 12526 (E46, vented)
- Tip: If your Summicron/Summilux takes E39/E46, these are the safest bet.
- Why: OEM tolerances are spot-on (no wobble), flare control is legit, and the venting keeps the M finder pretty usable. I’ve banged these around traveling and they just keep fitting perfectly.

2) Leica Lens Hood 12466 (E39, built-in hood for 35mm Summicron-M ASPH), if you’ve got that lens
- Tip: Use the built-in hood and call it a day.
- Why: It’s lowkey the best “street” solution—fast, compact, and I’ve never seen it vignette. Also doesn’t snag on bags like deeper round hoods.

3) Haoge LH-E39B Metal Square Lens Hood (E39) (third-party)
- Tip: Great if you want a tiny square hood and don’t mind non-OEM.
- Why: Surprisingly good flare cut for the size, and it looks/handles nice. Downside: tolerances vary… I had one that loosened over time, and square hoods can block the finder a bit more depending on focal length.

Rule of thumb: wide-ish (28/35) = keep it shallow/vented to avoid vignetting + finder blockage; 50/75 can handle deeper hoods. Hope that helps—been there, it’s confusing at first!!! cheers

Interested in this too