Schneider Super-Symmar XL 110mm f5.6 v. Nikon Nikkor-SW 120mm f8

[Salmo22]

The gap between my 58mm SAXL front element and a filter is uncomfortably thin. The 67/77 step up ring gives me reasonable separation.

I default to 77mm and 105mm. Some of these Schneider lenses require a step up ring anyway. I don’t know why Schneider make their wide angles so the filter can potentially mar the coating. At least I don’t want to take any chances.

[Sal Santamaura]

...Front contact with a bulging wide-angle element, and the need for an intermediate spacer ring? Well, not every manufacturer who should have warned of it actually did. When in doubt, check visually or with a straightedge.

A straightedge might mislead, since different filters place the glass at different depths within their rims. I've always cut a small square of Kodak Lens Tissue (or today's substitute) and laid it atop the front element while the lens is sitting face up on a horizontal surface. Then gently screw in the filter of interest until it shows resistance. Pick up the lens and tilt it 90 degrees to horizontal. If the tissue slides around, there's enough clearance. If it's trapped, resort to a spacer or step up ring.

None of the CM Fujinon W lenses I have ever came close to motivating performance of this test.

[xkaes]

The 67/77 step up ring gives me reasonable separation.

That's how I have unintentionally avoided the entire problem -- all of my wide-angle lenses have step-up rings for the, nearly always present, HMC UV filter.

[xkaes]

None of the CM Fujinon W lenses I have ever came close to motivating performance of this test.

The CM-W "hoods" assure that. The widest CM-W, at 105mm, has a 67mm hood that's as long at the lens itself.

[Sal Santamaura]

...None of the CM Fujinon W lenses I have ever came close to motivating performance of this test.

The CM-W "hoods" assure that. The widest CM-W, at 105mm, has a 67mm hood that's as long at the lens itself.

Thus the smilie at the end of my post.

[xkaes]

I do have one lens where I needed a little more space on the front, but I did not want to use a step-up ring. I simply found a cheap filter of the same diameter that had the glass held in place with a thing ring. I removed the glass and it provided the extra space I needed.

I guess this won't work with some (all?) of the "thin/slim"-labeled filters. The ones I've seen don't have a filter thread on the front.