Where to buy 90mm filters for a Rodenstock 300mm f5.6 Sironar-N lens?

[AtlantaTerry]

I had no idea when I bid on this lens on eBay how BIG it actually is.

Now that I own it I am trying to find 90mm filters for it: red, orange, green, diffusion, Polarizer, etc.

I have looked on eBay but can't find anything useful.

Where does one purchase filters for lenses this large?

Thanks,
Terry

[Steve Goldstein]

Terry,

Filters are classed by thread size, not by outer barrel size. That lens should take a 90mm front cap (80mm rear) and 86mm screw-in filters. You can look for them on eBay with patience, or buy them new from any number of places. Here's B&H's listing for black-and-white contrast filters in that size:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?atclk=Circular+Sizes_86mm&ci=113&N=4026728353+4294955262

You'll have to click around their site to find polarizers, diffusion, etc, as they categorize filters - I've never found a complete listing of all filters in a given size on their site, but have never looked very hard.

I may have caps for that baby if you need them, let me know by PM.

[pasiasty]

You can also use either Cokin Z or Lee 100mm holder and filters (or their cheap imitations).

[AnselAdamsX]

I picked up some 95mm B+W and Heliopan filters at KEH. I use step down rings for most lenses. I thought 95mm was big until I put circular filter on my 72mm SA XL. Now I wish I could find used 110mm ones.

[AtlantaTerry]

Terry,

Filters are classed by thread size, not by outer barrel size. That lens should take a 90mm front cap (80mm rear) and 86mm screw-in filters. You can look for them on eBay with patience, or buy them new from any number of places. Here's B&H's listing for black-and-white contrast filters in that size:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?atclk=Circular+Sizes_86mm&ci=113&N=4026728353+4294955262

You'll have to click around their site to find polarizers, diffusion, etc, as they categorize filters - I've never found a complete listing of all filters in a given size on their site, but have never looked very hard.

I may have caps for that baby if you need them, let me know by PM.

86mm makes more sense.

There are a bunch of 86mm filters on fleaBay, some with Schott glass.

The lens came with slip-on caps for front and back.

Thanks, Steve.

[AtlantaTerry]

Yes, the filter size is 86mm.

BUT the thread is non-standard. I bought an 86mm filter from an eBay vendor but it screws on only 1/2 of a turn then stops.

In another thread I'm told that the lens could have one of several other thread specs. Oh great...

[Bob Salomon]

Yes, the filter size is 86mm.

BUT the thread is non-standard. I bought an 86mm filter from an eBay vendor but it screws on only 1/2 of a turn then stops.

In another thread I'm told that the lens could have one of several other thread specs. Oh great...

Don't jump to conclusions!

The filter thread for a 90mm Sironar-N lens is M86 x 1. This is a standard size, in fact it is the only 86mm thread made by Heliopan. You should have no problem finding a filter to fit this lens. Unless you filter threads on the lens or on the filter are damaged or you purchased some sort of salvaged lens from an OEM project. So there is no confusion, the Apo Sironar-N also uses that same filter and the 300mm Apo Sironar-S uses a 100 x 1 thread filter

[Bob Salomon]

Don't jump to conclusions!

The filter thread for a 90mm Sironar-N lens is M86 x 1. This is a standard size, in fact it is the only 86mm thread made by Heliopan. You should have no problem finding a filter to fit this lens. Unless you filter threads on the lens or on the filter are damaged or you purchased some sort of salvaged lens from an OEM project. So there is no confusion, the Apo Sironar-N also uses that same filter and the 300mm Apo Sironar-S uses a 100 x 1 thread filter
Meant 300mm. Don't know where 90mm came from. Sorry.

[Adamphotoman]

You could use a behind the lens filter holder such as the Horseman Behind the lens [4 inch gel filter] holder.
A polariser will need to be put on the front, but colour filters can be used on the back.
I have one that might be useful to you. PM me.

[Bob Salomon]

You could use a behind the lens filter holder such as the Horseman Behind the lens [4 inch gel filter] holder.
A polariser will need to be put on the front, but colour filters can be used on the back.
I have one that might be useful to you. PM me.

And it is a great way to degrade the image as well! Filters always belong in front unless they are designed by the lens manufacturer to go somewhere else.

[AtlantaTerry]

You could use a behind the lens filter holder such as the Horseman Behind the lens [4 inch gel filter] holder.
A polariser will need to be put on the front, but colour filters can be used on the back.
I have one that might be useful to you. PM me.

Grant, thanks. Being affected by a bad case of GAS, I have a couple of those behind-the-lens filter holders that I have never used.

I'm with Bob, I want my filters out front where I can see them.

I also bought an eBay vendor's 86 to 77 step-down adapter ring so I can try out my Lindahl filter holders and Lindahl special effects filters but it won't screw into the lens either. Dang! the lens looks pristine. I'm going to have to take a very close look with a magnifying glass and strong light to see if the lens threads are messed up.

[AtlantaTerry]

And it is a great way to degrade the image as well! Filters always belong in front unless they are designed by the lens manufacturer to go somewhere else.

Bob, why? If one is using a gel, what technical difference does it make if a filter is in front of or behind a lens? The reason I bought some of the behind-the-lens gel filter holders is so the gel would not be affected by wind or light reflections since it would be inside the view camera.

Thanks,
Terry

[Jim C.]

If the lens is as pristine as you're saying, I'd focus on the filters and step rings rather than the lens,
filter threads are very fine, a munged up thread is very apparent.
Take the lens into a camera store and try some filters there.

[AtlantaTerry]

Jim, even in a big city like Atlanta there are very few professional-level camera stores left. And those that are left have almost nothing to do with analog photography let alone large format. However, I will call around to see if any have 86mm filters for video cameras.

Thanks,
Terry

[Bob Salomon]

Jim, even in a big city like Atlanta there are very few professional-level camera stores left. And those that are left have almost nothing to do with analog photography let alone large format. However, I will call around to see if any have 86mm filters for video cameras.

Thanks,
Terry
PPR, Quality and Showcase will all have 86mm filters. Maybe not the best ones, but they will have them.

[Leigh]

I bought an 86mm filter ... vendor but it screws on only 1/2 of a turn then stops....
The modern standard pitch for an 86mm filter is 1mm, but 0.75mm or 1.25mm pitch is not unreasonable.

Also, 1mm pitch is very close to the 40 tpi (turns-per-inch) imperial thread.

If the filter was made in china, you have no idea what the pitch is, and neither did the manufacturer.

- Leigh

[Steve Goldstein]

Leigh, here in Massachusetts it's 25.4mm per inch, so a 1mm pitch would be very close to 25tpi. I didn't realize Maryland used a different standard...

I suspect you were thinking inverse, as in 1mm being about 0.040".

[Jim C.]

Local isn't your only option, you can try B&H, Adorama, isn't KEH close to you ?



Jim, even in a big city like Atlanta there are very few professional-level camera stores left. And those that are left have almost nothing to do with analog photography let alone large format. However, I will call around to see if any have 86mm filters for video cameras.

Thanks,
Terry

[onnect17]

Terry,
I owned that lens in some point and, as other in the thread mentioned, the filter size is 86mm x1mm.
Not sure if you're aware Sigma (the company making many lens) also makes very good filters, including 86mm.
I usually buy them at B&H.

[Joseph O'Neil]

I am in Canada and now pretty much go with B&H in NYC anytime. I like to buy local, but most local camera shops that this kind of stock on hand are long closed, and for the big chains here like Henrys, even the "standard" black & white filters - yellow, orange and red - are almost all now special order. I could not believe that a basic #25 red filter in 52mm (standard filter size for Nikon lenses on 35mm film and digital cameras) was a special order. So, last month, I ordered form B&H. I want to buy local, but B&H was not only less money, they were much faster.

If you still have a good local camera store that has stock, use them, but for the rest of us, even the "basics" seem to be going all mail order from the big places.

One last thought - check the used department at B&H and others. Used filter are a pretty safe thing to buy. If they are not cracked or scratched, usually they work :) . Myself, found a couple of excellent used filters at B&H in the odd sizes I was looking for.