how to decide what size of filter to use?

[ursuladeux]

I was planning to get a polarizer for my 17-85mm lens, whose size is 67mm.
I have heard of pple saying that should straightaway buy the 77mm filters and then use a converter instead of buying many sizes of filters.. is that true?

where can i buy such a converter and what are the pros and cons of changing the filter sizes across different lenses (other than the inconvenience, any sacrifice of picture quality?)

 

[ahbian]

I think they are referring to a step up rings instead of converters.

 

[Octarine]

Yep, it's a step-up ring. Just a piece of metal with two threads, the smaller and the bigger one. In general: the filter thread should be bigger than the lens thread, otherwise the smaller filter will block the bigger lens partially (vignetting).
The main reason for using the biggest CPL is just the price. Have you checked the prices yet? Having one filter and 2..3 step-up rings is cheaper than 2..3 CPL filters. Also, a CPL is used occasionally, no need to get one per lens. The rings need less space than 3 filters. Picture quality is not affected by using a CPL + step-up ring, unless you use a lousy el cheapo CPL. The rings are available in most camera shops. OP sells them for about 8-12 bucks, depending on size.

 

[Lestn]

Why 77mm? Why not 82mm (bigger diameter)?

 

[zhiw3i]

77mm is commonly used for Canon Lens.

 

[night86mare]

Why 77mm? Why not 82mm (bigger diameter)?

82mm is very rare.

anywyas, yes, threadstarter is talking about step up rings.

so far, octarine has given a good answer, so listne to him.

 

[catchlights]

Why 77mm? Why not 82mm (bigger diameter)?

good quality 77mm filter is already very expensive, anything bigger than this will cost you an arm or a leg. I bought a Hoya 95mm PL filter (the cheapest) at $300 many years ago.

 

[acerpic]

Why 77mm? Why not 82mm (bigger diameter)?

A lot of good lens is 77mm.

 

[Lestn]

77mm is commonly used for Canon Lens.

Noted. Thank you.

82mm is very rare.

anywyas, yes, threadstarter is talking about step up rings.

so far, octarine has given a good answer, so listne to him.

Thank you.

good quality 77mm filter is already very expensive, anything bigger than this will cost you an arm or a leg. I bought a Hoya 95mm PL filter (the cheapest) at $300 many years ago.

Wow, so expensive and you buy it. You the can man. :thumbsup:

A lot of good lens is 77mm.

Noted. Thank you.

 

[ursuladeux]

Hmm.. i haven't checked the prices yet..
but currently planning to buy the canon 17-85mm, then add polarizer to it..

I also saw on bhphoto many types of polarizer, considering B&W circular polarizers cos i heard its good.
but so confusing..so many patterns one
- Kaeseman Circular Polarizing Multi-Resistant Coating (MRC) Glass Filter
- Warm Polarizer Glass Filter
- Pro Circular Polarizing Glass Filter
-Digital Pro Kaeseman Circular Polarizing Glass Filter

Duno what the diff between them, anyone has any idea?

 

[Reportage]

Hmm.. i haven't checked the prices yet..
but currently planning to buy the canon 17-85mm, then add polarizer to it..

I also saw on bhphoto many types of polarizer, considering B&W circular polarizers cos i heard its good.
but so confusing..so many patterns one
- Kaeseman Circular Polarizing Multi-Resistant Coating (MRC) Glass Filter
- Warm Polarizer Glass Filter
- Pro Circular Polarizing Glass Filter
-Digital Pro Kaeseman Circular Polarizing Glass Filter

Duno what the diff between them, anyone has any idea?

can write an entire book on that but basically its..... the glass made of what, the quality control, the lens tolerance and how much is the profit.

Myself i use Kenko and Tokina, though do the same job but each polarizer renders the same picture differently.

 

[Octarine]

Some pointers, the rest is well explained either here in the forum or on many other photography sites. Hint: for neutral information better stay away from websites of manufacturers or merchants.
Kaeseman: The filter is sealed, preventing dust or moisture entering the space between lens and filter. If you don't have other sealed equipment it's pretty useless. Also, CPL filters are rather used occasionally, no point having such a sealing.
Circular Polarizers: Necessary for DSLR. Don't use (older) Linear PL.
Multi-Coating: Quality of the coating on filter surface. Prevents flare and ghosting (to a certain extend). There are uncoated, single coated and multi-coated filters. Multi-Coated is recommended.
Warming Filter: Adds warm tone to the image, can also be done in post-processing (and there much more precise).
Glass: well, the material of quality filters
Digital Pro Super Mega blabla... sales pitch, can skip it. Hoya uses it to label a certain range of their filters. Better check in detail what it means.

 

[ursuladeux]

Hi

Are there any disadvantages of using step up ring (pairing 67mm lens with 77mm filter)?
Anyone knows how much is a b+w 77mm mrc Cpl?

 

[daredevil123]

Ok this is my experience. You do get some vignetting if your lens is wide. 17mm is quite wide and can cause some problems (see below).

I have a 17-50/2.8 Tamron lens with 67mm filter thread.
I also have 2 other older lenses at 72mm filter thread and I have 2x 72mm CPL. One is a Hoya, One is a B+W Kaseman CPL (old version, not slim).

I bought a 67 to 72mm stepup ring and use the 2 CPLs with my Tamron and both causes vignetting at 17-22mm focal lengths. So, I sold both CPLs and got a slim Kenko Pro1D CPL ($90 at OP). Now this one only causes very slight vignetting at 17mm which is acceptable to me.

To go from 67mm to 77mm, you need 2 step up rings. I am not sure if you will get vignetting or not. But it will definitely be thick. Better try in a store like OP and make sure. There is also a single step up ring from 67 to 77mm. I am not sure if it is available in SG. See here. This might work better. I've not done this since I do not yet own a 77mm thread CPL or lens. You can try.

One more thing, when you start using step up rings, if you intend to leave the step up rings permanently on the lens, You will not be able to use the original Lens hood. If you want to use your lens hood, you will have to take the step up ring on and off with the CPL which is quite troublesome. I leave mine on the CPL permanently but I have a soft filter holder to store the CPL. The normal CPL filter case will not work anymore. You have to consider all the angles here.

As for prices of B+W, you can get an idea from the mass sales thread here. Definitely not cheap. And I really suggest you get the KSM slim version since your lens is quite wide at 17mm.

So, IMO, for my personal case, I use step up because I have other lenses with larger filter thread. I also sometimes bring those lenses out with my Tamron and I do not want to carry 2 CPLs. I do have other CPLs:

Cokin P 84mm CPL (not threaded)
Hoya 58mm CPL For use with my prosumer Fuji
Tokina 52mm CPL I use this with my 50/1.8, 50/1.2, 55-200VR. Imagine if I have to step up from 52mm to 72mm.. I will look like an idiot.

 

[ursuladeux]

Ok this is my experience. You do get some vignetting if your lens is wide. 17mm is quite wide and can cause some problems (see below).

I have a 17-50/2.8 Tamron lens with 67mm filter thread.
I also have 2 other older lenses at 72mm filter thread and I have 2x 72mm CPL. One is a Hoya, One is a B+W Kaseman CPL (old version, not slim).

I bought a 67 to 72mm stepup ring and use the 2 CPLs with my Tamron and both causes vignetting at 17-22mm focal lengths. So, I sold both CPLs and got a slim Kenko Pro1D CPL ($90 at OP). Now this one only causes very slight vignetting at 17mm which is acceptable to me.

To go from 67mm to 77mm, you need 2 step up rings. I am not sure if you will get vignetting or not. But it will definitely be thick. Better try in a store like OP and make sure. There is also a single step up ring from 67 to 77mm. I am not sure if it is available in SG. See here. This might work better. I've not done this since I do not yet own a 77mm thread CPL or lens. You can try.

One more thing, when you start using step up rings, if you intend to leave the step up rings permanently on the lens, You will not be able to use the original Lens hood. If you want to use your lens hood, you will have to take the step up ring on and off with the CPL which is quite troublesome. I leave mine on the CPL permanently but I have a soft filter holder to store the CPL. The normal CPL filter case will not work anymore. You have to consider all the angles here.

As for prices of B+W, you can get an idea from the mass sales thread here. Definitely not cheap. And I really suggest you get the KSM slim version since your lens is quite wide at 17mm.

So, IMO, for my personal case, I use step up because I have other lenses with larger filter thread. I also sometimes bring those lenses out with my Tamron and I do not want to carry 2 CPLs. I do have other CPLs:

Cokin P 84mm CPL (not threaded)
Hoya 58mm CPL For use with my prosumer Fuji
Tokina 52mm CPL I use this with my 50/1.8, 50/1.2, 55-200VR. Imagine if I have to step up from 52mm to 72mm.. I will look like an idiot.

oh thanks.. cham.. i am thinking of getting the 15-85mm instead, which is even wider..and the size is 72mm...so i guess i will defintely hve to consider getting the B+W MRC CPL slim instead?... and also then I will only need one step up ring

 

[LenzLaw]

Consider this: If u have, or are planning to have several lenses with 77mm filter threads, and have or are planning to have many different 77mm filters for your 77mm lenses, and lets say u buy a 67mm lens. Would u rather buy a step up ring that will allow ur 77mm filters to be compatible with ur 67mm lens for a few bucks or re-buy your entire collection of filters for ur 67mm lens?
See what I mean?

That is the only reason IMHO for getting a step up ring. A step up ring will not make ur filter better in any way. It just allows a filter of one size to be compatible with lenses of diff thread diameters (so that u dont have to spend extra money getting the same type of filters in diff sizes, especially expensive filters).

 

[daredevil123]

oh thanks.. cham.. i am thinking of getting the 15-85mm instead, which is even wider..and the size is 72mm...so i guess i will defintely hve to consider getting the B+W MRC CPL slim instead?... and also then I will only need one step up ring

Well, even with the slim CPL I am getting some very slight vignetting on 17mm. So you must decide if you can accept that or not especially you are going for the 15mm lens.

 

[Octarine]

Are there any disadvantages of using step up ring (pairing 67mm lens with 77mm filter)?
Anyone knows how much is a b+w 77mm mrc Cpl?

I have Tamron 17-50 (67mm thread) with Tokina CPL (77mm, standard, not slim) coupled via step-up ring. No issues at all. The price for B+W CPL is in Mass Sales / Filter Price Guide. IIRC it's around SGD 180.00

 

[daredevil123]

I have Tamron 17-50 (67mm thread) with Tokina CPL (77mm, standard, not slim) coupled via step-up ring. No issues at all. The price for B+W CPL is in Mass Sales / Filter Price Guide. IIRC it's around SGD 180.00

Bro did you use a 67-77 step up or 2x +5mm step up rings?
By the way, the mass sales dude said next month. I placed my order already for the Super DHG.

 

[Octarine]

Bro did you use a 67-77 step up or 2x +5mm step up rings?
By the way, the mass sales dude said next month. I placed my order already for the Super DHG.

I use a single 67-77mm step-up ring.
Saw your response, I'm watching the thread as well. Hope he gets the right stuff, the current images only show the standard DHG filters.