step-up rings and vignetting

[sachman]

Hi everyone,

I don't want to stimulate discussion on whether filters should or should not be used. I am new to digital photography but know enough that this is a contentious issue. What I do want to know is the following:

I presently have 2 lenses: 52mm and 58mm diameter. I am considering a third of 67mm. Rather than getting a polarizing filter for all three, I was planning on getting one of 67mm and using step-up rings for the other lenses.

1. Would this cause vignetting on the smaller lenses?

2. What if I shoot wide open at f/1.8, would that influence whether there would be vignetting in this setup?

3. One lens has an 18-55mm focal length. Would there be vignetting issues at the shorter focal lengths?

4. Does the fact that I am using a crop frame sensor (D5300) make vinetting less of an issue since it would be in the region that is outside of the captured area?

I am not considering getting a 52mm filter with step-down rings for the larger lenses since it seems that this might really cause either vignetting or blockage of some of the viewable area. Is that a correct assumption?

Thanks for the feedback. Cheers.

Mike

 

[Snow Crow]

I don't think you'll have any issues, unless in the future you buy a lens with a filter size larger than 67mm.

 

[AlbertTheLazy]

I presently have 2 lenses: 52mm and 58mm diameter. I am considering a third of 67mm. Rather than getting a polarizing filter for all three, I was planning on getting one of 67mm and using step-up rings for the other lenses.

1. Would this cause vignetting on the smaller lenses?

Almost certainly not.

2. What if I shoot wide open at f/1.8, would that influence whether there would be vignetting in this setup?

3. One lens has an 18-55mm focal length. Would there be vignetting issues at the shorter focal lengths?

Almost certainly not, assuming you use a single, fairly thin stepper ring. Once you go to super-wides it's a different matter, but they have their own problems with polarizers anyway.

4. Does the fact that I am using a crop frame sensor (D5300) make vinetting less of an issue since it would be in the region that is outside of the captured area?

Nope. It's the angle of view that is significant.

I am not considering getting a 52mm filter with step-down rings for the larger lenses since it seems that this might really cause either vignetting or blockage of some of the viewable area. Is that a correct assumption?

Generally, yes, although it depends on the relative sizes of the front element and the filter ring.

I have a close-up lens with step up adapter that vignettes on my 35mm lens but not on my 18mm. They both have the same filter ring size but the front elements are very different.

Thanks for the feedback. Cheers.

Mike

 

[Mark B.]

Hi everyone,

I don't want to stimulate discussion on whether filters should or should not be used. I am new to digital photography but know enough that this is a contentious issue. What I do want to know is the following:

I presently have 2 lenses: 52mm and 58mm diameter. I am considering a third of 67mm. Rather than getting a polarizing filter for all three, I was planning on getting one of 67mm and using step-up rings for the other lenses.

1. Would this cause vignetting on the smaller lenses?

Not usually. But given that using a step-up ring would preclude the use of a hood, there is a greater chance of introducing flare and of course the filter is completely un-protected w/o the hood in place.

Mark

 

[photosen]

Hi everyone,

I don't want to stimulate discussion on whether filters should or should not be used. I am new to digital photography but know enough that this is a contentious issue. What I do want to know is the following:

I presently have 2 lenses: 52mm and 58mm diameter. I am considering a third of 67mm. Rather than getting a polarizing filter for all three, I was planning on getting one of 67mm and using step-up rings for the other lenses.

1. Would this cause vignetting on the smaller lenses?

Nope.

2. What if I shoot wide open at f/1.8, would that influence whether there would be vignetting in this setup?

Nope.

3. One lens has an 18-55mm focal length. Would there be vignetting issues at the shorter focal lengths?

Nope.

4. Does the fact that I am using a crop frame sensor (D5300) make vinetting less of an issue since it would be in the region that is outside of the captured area?

Nope.

I am not considering getting a 52mm filter with step-down rings for the larger lenses since it seems that this might really cause either vignetting or blockage of some of the viewable area. Is that a correct assumption?

Thanks for the feedback. Cheers.

Mike

I use 77mm filters with smaller lenses, no problems, it might just be a little awkward to store in a bag in a hurry, and you can't use a hood. You might also need a cap that fits the larger filter, I have a B&W polarizer with a pop on cap which never failed to pop off, very annoying.

 

[alcelc]

I currently using lenses of various filter thread, 37mm, 46mm, 52mm and 58mm... I used CPL a lot and also Variable ND filters. Except for the smallest, I used 2 step up rings (46->58, 52->58) to share the 58mm filters among my lenses. I also use a crop sensor system (M43) and the wider angle covers 24mm in FF eq AoV.

Basically no obvious vignetting caused by a step up ring be ever seen. I would not stack up the stepup tings.

P.S. use the ultra thin design filter might be most crucial.

 

[petrochemist]

If you are using a single step up to go directly to the larger size then it's VERY rare to have any issues (other than hoods) with stepping up to a larger filter.

With UWA lenses you can have issues if you use a series of incremental adapters (52-55, 55-58, 58-62, 62-65, 65-68...) Sets of stepping rings like this are sold very cheaply on e-bay and while inconvenient using a range together like this is actually OK for longer focal lengths.

With quite a few lenses there doesn't seem to be any issue with vignetting if you use a step down & a filter a size (or even several sizes) smaller than the lens is designed for. I know my Olympus 17mm 2.8 takes 37mm filters but doesn't vignette with 25mm filters - very handy for some of the weirder filters I use for IR.