filter adaptation

[william_3670]

Hello, I have a 240mm sironar s lens that takes 86mm filters. I'm thinking of purchasing a 450mm nikkor m, that I believe takes 52mm filters. Is there a way to use the filters from the rodenstock on the nikkor. Thanks in advance.

[william_3670]

Hello again, The filter size of the nikkor is 67mm, not 52mm, sorry for the error.

[Gem Singer]

William,

Assuming that you already have 86mm. glass screw-in filters that you are using on your 240 Sironar-S, you should have no difficulty finding a 67mm. to 86mm. step up ring that will enable you to use those same filters on the Nikkor 450M.

[Jim Rice]

I wish that I could be encouraging here but, alas, I cannot. If you're working in 8x10 I fear that vignetting issues will arise with a step-up ring on the 240. I am currently in the market for a B+H 67mm wide angle polarizer for this very reason.

[Jim Rice]

Oops, I read the question backwards, didn't I? In which case, nevermind.

[Bob Salomon]

Heliopan makes very thin, black, brass step up rings. 67 to 86mm is a standard size for these rings.

[william_3670]

Thanks for the input, the only 67-86 step up ring I've been able to find so far is a Contax 67-86 that B&H has on their website. The Heliopan sounds wonderful if I could find one. Also,Jim, I often get things backward, I think there's a name for it, I can't remember what it is. Someone told me when I hit 55 I'd loose two things, my memory and something else, I can't remember that either, Cheers.

[Scott Rosenberg]

william... this is a quite common situation. i use 67mm filters on all my lenses, regardless of their native filter size. as eugene and bob suggested, i simply use a step-up ring for each lens from it's size to 67mm. that and some 67mm snap on lens caps is all i need to have but one set of filters!

[Jim Rice]

Alas, William, I know all too well what the other thing is.

[Jim Rice]

And if anyone, say Bob, can explain the differences between the various wide-angle filters it would be greatly appreciated. And I could go Heliopan. ;;)

[Bob Salomon]

Jim,

There is only one kind of wide angle filter and that is one where the front rim is larger then the mounting thread for the lens. In other words the ring is actually a step-up ring with a filter in it.

[Jim Rice]

Got a part number and stocking dealer handy Bob? I'm sitting down, so a price would be nice as well. 67mm W/A Polarizer.

[Gem Singer]

Jim,

B&H, in NYC, has the Heliopan 67mm. slim (wide angle) polarizer listed for $84.95. The wide angle (slim) polarizer seems to only be available in the more expensive circular-type polarizer, not in the linear-type.

[Ralph Barker]

Another non-vignetting option is just to get a 105mm polarizer and the necessary step up rings. The 105mm filter has the side benefit of being large enough to cover the viewfinder on a Leica M, too. ;-)

[Bob Salomon]

: large enough to cover the viewfinder on a Leica M, too. ;-"

Heliopan now makes 77mm step-up rings for using polarizers on M cameras. It has cutouts in the ring so the effect of the filter can be seen as it rotates.

[Bob Salomon]

"B&H, in NYC, has the Heliopan 67mm. slim (wide angle) polarizer listed for $84.95"

Eugene. That is not the wide angle type. The wide angle is a Kaesmann and can not be made slim.

The slim pol above will prevent vignetting on lenses down to, and including, 21mm or equal on 35mm. If your lens is wider then 21mm you would need either the wide angle polarizer or the stepup ring to 105mm and the 105mm filter.

Slim linear pols are available on special order at the same price as the linear pol.

[Gem Singer]

Excuse my confusion Bob. According to B&H, both types of filters are for wide-angle lenses. However, the slim filters do not have a front thread. B&H lists the Heliopan 67mm. Kaesmann linear polarizer glass filter wide-angle at $244.95.

[Jim Rice]

So which one am I after here?

[Bob Salomon]

Eugene,

B&H is wrong.

Slim filters may vignette with wides wider then 21mm. Wide angle filters do not.

It is a common misconception within the photo community that a slim filter is a wide angle. Probably started in the 50's by the advertising for the Lifia or Lifa filters that pushed how thin they were in their ads.

A slim filter extends the length of the lens barrel without broadening the end of the lens. This is what can cause vignetting.

Then do you want to add a lens hood? If so you may find the diameter of the slim filter + a lens hood will vignette.
How about adding a second filter? Same thing.

So yes, a slim (at least heliopan'd slim) will not vignette with a 21mm lens. And that probably covers the largest range of wide angle lenses in common use. But there are still a lot of lenses out there that are wider then 21mm and for them either a wide angle filter or a thin step-up ring with a slim filter is the best choice. And the step-up should be at least 2 filter sizes so if they have a 67mm thread on the lens the minimum step-up should be to 77mm.

[Gem Singer]

Bob,

In other words, everyone has been wrong for more than fifty years. Slim filters are not the same as wide-angle filters. What's the purpose of using a slim filter if I am putting it in front of a lens that is longer than 21mm? Since my widest large format lens is 90mm., I assume that I don't need to be concerned about vignetting with any of my filters, even if they are the slim type, providing that they are large enough in diameter.

[william_3670]

Bob, Can you tell me please where I might find the heliopan 67-86 step up ring that you mentioned earlier. Thanks.

[Bob Salomon]

You can order Heliopan from any of our dealers. There is a dealer locator on our web site www.hpmarketingcorp.com