Will 52 mm filters + 55 ->52mm step down ring work.

I have collected my Nikon lens system (5 lenses from 24 to 200) all with 52mm filter size. Lately, I am looking to get a 100mm macro lens and considering 1/2 lifesize and third-party is OK for my need. I have my eyes on the Tokina 100/2.8 ATX AF. However, it has 55mm filter ring. Therefore, I am wondered whether I can used a 52mm filter (mainly warming for nature or soft-warm for portrait) + step down ring and get no serious vignette. I use slide most of the time (except for portrait). Any comment would be appreciated. (PS- I am not interested in the Sigma 90/2.8 AF Macro . Also, the Nikkor 105/2.8 AF Macro is out of my budget)

Not really a nature photography question. Better asked in the original

photo.net Q&A.

 

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Answer: While you can use step down rings on some lenses under

some conditions (focal length and aperture) without vignetting,

nobody can say for sure. You have to try each lens (at all

apertures) with each

filter to know for certain. Usually you will have a problem, if

you are <em>really</em> lucky, you might get away with it.

Let's see, using the <a href="http://www.bhphoto.com/">B&H Web site</a> for comparison, I see the Tokina listed at $380 and the Nikon 105/2.8 AF Macro (with 52mm filter size) at $700. That's a difference of $320. The Tokina's probably a fine lens. Then again, it might not. There's little doubt about the Nikon plus it has 52mm filter threads like the rest of you equipment.

 

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It's obvious you've already spent a considerable amount of money building your system. I'd spend the extra money and get the Nikon.

You may very well get vignetting. In fact, unless you test and confirm otherwise, I'd count on it for anything that isn't at point blank range. Unfortunately, there's no easy solution to this problem, especially if you have a lot of money sunk into your present set of filters. The Cokin filters will work, but using them on lenses with rotating front elements is frustrating.

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Most of Nikon's lenses are either 52mm or 62mm and the largest common one is 77mm (80-200/2.8). I have a lot of 62mm filters and the 52mm-62mm step-up ring allows me to mix and match. With the 80-200/2.8 (77mm filter thread) and 24-120 (72mm filter thread), I just don't presently use many filters. If I had it to do over again, I'd consider sinking the extra money into 77mm filters and using step-up rings on all the lenses with smaller filter diameters. This too has its flaws, however. The step-up rings make it difficult to impossible to use the standard hoods for most lenses. Kirk has just about every step-up or step-down ring you'll ever need.

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Regarding your purchase decision, Mike's comment about the Micro 105/2.8 AF is a good one. This is one of the sharpest lenses Nikon has ever made; it's one of their legends. The Tokina may or may not be able to compete. If you want to do decent macro work now and still save for the 105-Micro, you can get one of Nikon's close-up lenses for about $60. These screw onto the filter threads of your present lenses and can give you reproduction ratios of 1:1 and beyond. The 4T is the strongest of these, with the 3T on down giving you progressively less magnification (the 5T and 6T are made for lenses with 62mm filter threads). These aren't as sharp as the prime macro lenses, but they still do a nice job.