step-down rings or new filters?

I am saving up to buy a Canon 18-135mm IS USM lens, but it has a 67mm filter thread.

I have 58mm filters and 49mm filters.

Should I buy a couple of step-down rings, or just bite the bullet and buy a set of 67mm filters?

I read that there are vignetting issues when using step-down rings. Is that true?

Steve Thomas

What filters do you have and want to convert ? 10-16 mm difference seems to me way too much ?

guinness2 wrote:

What filters do you have and want to convert ? 10-16 mm difference seems to me way too much ?

guinness2,

I have one set (a UV, CPL and  3-stop ND) for a 58mm lens, and one 49mm set for a 50mm 2.8 lens.

The 58 filters are Tiffen, and the 49mm are Hoya.

The Hoya are probably better quality huh?

Now that I think of it, I guess that leads me to a second question. If I step-down from a 67mm lens to a 58 or 49mm filter, do I lose any field of view?

Are the diameters of various lenses different from each other? Is an 18mm, or a 100mm  field of view the same no matter what lens you use?

Steve Thomas

Well, I try to clean the dust on my experiences:

I prefer Hoya , no experience with the latter one.

- UV filter has no usage on a digital camera

- CPL .. no way of step down

- gray … yes, vignetting , but does it disturb ? Do you use it often? Step down? Maybe

Additional answers:

No, with the step down ring, you don’t loose the view angle  beyond vignetting.   But it could be heavy.

To sum up: forget the step down ring and consider to buy a Hoya CPL 67mm.

“Are the diameters of various lenses different from each other? Is an 18mm, or a 100mm field of view the same no matter what lens you use?”

Not sure, what you mean. Of course different lenses have different diameters. Contrary, the scale of filter diameter has less variants than that.

Focal length and field view are siblings, both the same on different lenses, lens diameter plays no direct role here. It is related to the lens speed and construction.

Steve, you'll probably experience quite heavy vignetting at the short end of your to-be 18-135mm lens. Especially with the 49mm filters. It might be different if it was an EF lens (full-frame), but it's not, it's an EF-S lens (APS-C).

Out of interest, what filters do you use? ND, Polariser? I currently only use UV filters, and am planning on getting some at some point.

Both my current lenses are 58mm, but I plan on getting the canon ef-s 10-18mm at some point, which has a 67mm filter thread. I don't know if I should buy filters that are too large for my current lenses, and get a step-up ring or just buy 58mm filters, and upgrade them later.

Jethro B-UK wrote:

Steve, you'll probably experience quite heavy vignetting at the short end of your to-be 18-135mm lens. Especially with the 49mm filters. It might be different if it was an EF lens (full-frame), but it's not, it's an EF-S lens (APS-C).

Out of interest, what filters do you use? ND, Polariser? I currently only use UV filters, and am planning on getting some at some point.

Both my current lenses are 58mm, but I plan on getting the canon ef-s 10-18mm at some point, which has a 67mm filter thread. I don't know if I should buy filters that are too large for my current lenses, and get a step-up ring or just buy 58mm filters, and upgrade them later.

Jethro,

I keep a UV filter on my lenses all the time. If I'm going to risk something, I'd rather risk a $40 filter than a $600 lens. I use a CPL filter occasionally. I haven't used ND filters much, but bought them for moving water scenes where I want to slow the shutter speed down and blur the water, but mainly for video work where the shutter speeds are much slower than normal still photos according to the 180 rule.

Although I must admit, I don't have much experience in shooting video in M mode, where I shoot with a fixed shutter speed.  Usually I shoot in AV mode and the camera is constantly changing the shutter speed and aperture. I was confused about that until I read in my T8i manual that if you shoot video in any mode other than Manual, the camera behaves as if the camera is in P mode and sets the SS and aperture itself.

I have to get a lot more experience under my belt.

After listening to you and guinness2, I think I'll go with the dedicated 67mm filters rather than step rings.

Steve Thomas

stevet1 wrote:

Jethro,

I keep a UV filter on my lenses all the time. If I'm going to risk something, I'd rather risk a $40 filter than a $600 lens.

So did I, but then I realised how much glare and ghosting it was adding to some photos. Mind you, I only use cheap £10 ones.

I use a CPL filter occasionally. I

What's a CPL filter?

haven't used ND filters much, but bought them for moving water scenes where I want to slow the shutter speed down and blur the water, but mainly for video work where the shutter speeds are much slower than normal still photos according to the 180 rule.

The water case is mainly why I want a ND filter.

...

After listening to you and guinness2, I think I'll go with the dedicated 67mm filters rather than step rings.

That's probably best.

With the possible exception of a polarizer, I wouldn't buy too much in advance. Long ago I bought duplicate filters for both of the lenses I had at the time. Turns out, I used only one filter (CPL) very much and on only one lens. The others have been mostly unused. Give it a little time to see what you really need.

Technically speaking, a square filter holder that will accommodate your largest lens and some adapter rings for the smaller lenses will cover everything. But if all you need is a CPL, for instance, that's overkill. Still, in landscape photography I think square filters are very useful (ND, GND, etc.). And CPLs are made for those holders as well.

Using an UV for protection is close to shoot through the window for that sake. 
Better protection and even better images provides the lens  hood. It protects the lens against door hits, very light rain and side light. Like if you make shade to your sight by a palm shield. Sorry for my unusual english.

Useful advice Len.

guinness2 wrote:

Sorry for my unusual english.

guinness2,

Your English is fine.

I notice from your equipment list that you have an SL3.

How do you like it?

Steve Thomas

stevet1 wrote:

guinness2 wrote:

Sorry for my unusual english.

Your English is fine.

I notice from your equipment list that you have an SL3.

How do you like it?

I'm interested too.

stevet1 wrote:

guinness2 wrote:

Sorry for my unusual english.

guinness2,

Your English is fine.

I notice from your equipment list that you have an SL3.

How do you like it?

Steve Thomas

Hehe, thanks.
As I don’t want to hijaack this thread I start a new one called “How do i like my SL3”, right .?

stevet1 wrote:

guinness2 wrote:

Sorry for my unusual english.

guinness2,

Your English is fine.

I notice from your equipment list that you have an SL3.

How do you like it?

Steve Thomas

Damn! I wrote a detailed answer in the separate thread and just before I finished, Safari browser crashed!

So , in brief:

- Finally reasonable wifi connection (to iPAD , thus to the family or friends social networks.)

-Excellent battery life ( I shoot vith viewfinder all the time)

- Small dimensions , yet comfortable grip.

- not a fan of scenes shooting, but the “Handheld Night Scene” for example is priceless !

What I don’t like is the sharp edged  on/off switch on the corner, which is prone to switch on when camera in bag, and tiny buttons (no big deal for me, as I am using the LCD menu anyway due to senior sight) . Yes, I miss the DOF check button , too

Happy shooting.

guinness2 wrote:

Steve Thomas

So , in brief:

- Finally reasonable wifi connection (to iPAD , thus to the family or friends social networks.)

-Excellent battery life ( I shoot vith viewfinder all the time)

- Small dimensions , yet comfortable grip.

- not a fan of scenes shooting, but the “Handheld Night Scene” for example is priceless !

What I don’t like is the sharp edged on/off switch on the corner, which is prone to switch on when camera in bag, and tiny buttons (no big deal for me, as I am using the LCD menu anyway due to senior sight) . Yes, I miss the DOF check button , too

Happy shooting.

Guinness,

Have you ever thought about doing remote shooting using your IPAD?

It's like having a 10" LCD screen.

It does use up your battery quickly though.

PS: I downloaded the pdf version of my camera to my tablet, so that I can quickly look something up as I go. It's pretty convenient.

Steve Thomas

stevet1 wrote:

guinness2 wrote:

Steve Thomas

So , in brief:

- Finally reasonable wifi connection (to iPAD , thus to the family or friends social networks.)

-Excellent battery life ( I shoot vith viewfinder all the time)

- Small dimensions , yet comfortable grip.

- not a fan of scenes shooting, but the “Handheld Night Scene” for example is priceless !

What I don’t like is the sharp edged on/off switch on the corner, which is prone to switch on when camera in bag, and tiny buttons (no big deal for me, as I am using the LCD menu anyway due to senior sight) . Yes, I miss the DOF check button , too

Happy shooting.

Guinness,

Have you ever thought about doing remote shooting using your IPAD?

It's like having a 10" LCD screen.

It does use up your battery quickly though.

PS: I downloaded the pdf version of my camera to my tablet, so that I can quickly look something up as I go. It's pretty convenient.

Steve Thomas

I was thinking about tethering shooting in the past,  when it was complicated.

Besides of the library , iPad editing and especially Snapshot app is ingenious in the workflow when travelling.

But I am really affraid we hijaack the thread.

Don’ get it wrong, I really like this discussion. PM, maybe ?

guinness2 wrote:

I was thinking about tethering shooting in the past, when it was complicated.

Besides of the library , iPad editing and especially Snapshot app is ingenious in the workflow when travelling.

But I am really affraid we hijaack the thread.

guinness2,

If you want to do wired or wireless shooting with, or download photos, to your phone or tablet, I found an app called Camera Connect and Control that works. You can try it free for 3 days, then it's $9.99 to purchase. I just checked, and it's available in the Apple Store or on the Google Play Store. It's compatible with your iPad and your Canon SL3.

You can shoot either still photos or videos.

If you want to tether your camera in a wired mode, you'll need an OTG (on the go) cable to connect your  device to the USB cable, and an IFC-600PCU interface cable to connect the USB cable to the USB port on your camera.

I got the OTG cable off Amazon, and the IFC-600PCU cable from Canon.

Lately, I've been shooting in a wireless mode, taking shots from 20 or 30 feet away. You need direct line of sight though.

Steve Thomas

guinness2 wrote:

But I am really affraid we hijaack the thread.

It's called thread-drift. It happens all the time.

Don’ get it wrong, I really like this discussion. PM, maybe ?

Please don't, I wan;t to eavesdrop.

Jethro B-UK wrote:

guinness2 wrote:

But I am really affraid we hijaack the thread.

It's called thread-drift. It happens all the time.

Don’ get it wrong, I really like this discussion. PM, maybe ?

Please don't, I wan;t to eavesdrop.

Ok, I don’t :-)))