lens +body compatability

[andy_lightbody]

hi, i have a canon eos 400d...very recent purchase as new to digital life...i

have been given the chance to get a Cannon Wide-Angle-to-Telephoto EF28-300mm

f/3.5-5.6L IS USM lens.....i just wanted to know if the 77mm filter is able to

be fitted to my 58mm filter camera? if so how? and would this cause massive

vignetting? any help would be really appreciated thank you

[leopoldstotch]

I find your post to be a bit confusing. Why don't you just get a 58mm filter for whichever lens you want to put a filter on? (If thats what you meant). Also, bodies do not have filter sizes (Except for point & Shoots)...so are you asking if that lens will fit on your 400D?

[danield]

I presume you are asking about how to fit 77mm filters (that would fit the 28-300L lens) to the 18-55mm kit lens (that takes 58mm filters).

 

The answer is that you can use these things called stepping rings. These are small rings that have two different diameter threads, one male and one female. In your case you need a 58mm to 77mm step-up ring. You may not be able to find such a beast, but you should be able to buy several rings that screw on top of each other. For instance either 58-67 and 67-77 or 58-62, 62-67 and 67-77 could do. They can be fiddly but the good thing is these step-up rings cost just a few bucks each. They should not cause vignetting, because you are 'stepping up' - i.e. attaching a wider ring to a smaller lens.

[jason_hall4]

Also, After you have paid for the stepping rings you could spen just a few more bucks and get a 58mm filter for your other lens. If this is a uv/clear filter (normally used to protect the front element) you will want to leave it on that $2000.00+ 28-300mm lens. Most folks make sure the front element is clean and that the filter is clean and then screw it on and forget about. I do remove mine in certain light conditions to improve contrast.

 

Jason

[adzy]

Let me see if I can explain this-

 

1. camera's do not have filter sizes, lenses do. The filter size of a lens is determined by the size of the front element- the part of the lens which is furthest from the camera when attached to the camera.

 

So as you change lenses the filter size requirement may change.

 

2. You wanted to know if you can fit the 77mm filter on to the "58mm filter camera". I assuem you meant fitting the 77mm onto a 58mm lens front. The answer is to use stepping ring as others have suggested. Will it cause vignetting ? No if teh filter size is more than the lens filter size- it should not.

 

However you will find it problematic attaching teh lens cap during storage if you use the stepping rings. If it bothers you- get a 58mm size filter instead.

 

2.

[alan_myers]

The stepping ring suggestions are correct, if I understand the question correctly.

 

One other thing, though. If you use stepping rings, especially with such a large difference in size (58mm to 77mm), it's unlikely you will be able to fit a good fitting lens hood.

 

Whenever filters are used, a lens hood becomes even more important to help prevent flare, loss of contrast, etc.

 

In the bad old days of film, I used a whole lot more filters than now, and did use some stepping rings to try to keep the total number of filters under control. But, steps were usually 62mm to 67mm, for example. Not huge. And, I also sought out good fitting lens hoods in the larger diameter.

 

Today with digital, personally I carry a set of good quality 58mm, 72mm and 77mm filters (three of each size - UV, Circular Polarizer and a warming filter), plus a few rectangular filters (ND Grads mostly), and some drop-in filters for telephotos that require them (C-Pol, UV & warming). Oh, and I've got a couple specialty filters for portraiture.

 

Far fewer filters than were needed when working with film!

[William Michael]

>>> They should not cause vignetting, because you are 'stepping up' - i.e. attaching a wider ring to a smaller lens. <<< (Daniel D and similarly Azi A)

 

It is not just simple as `stepping up` = it will be OK: though most likely you are correct in this example, which is my guess only. I have the kit lens and have attached items to the front of it.

 

In some cases, when stacking step up rings, vignette CAN occur, on WIDE Focal Lengths.

 

Vignette or no vignette will depend, not on the diameter of the ring, but the thickness(es) of it (them).

 

The simplest method to find out is to try a stack at 18mm FL; alternatively geometry will solve it, but the maths will be quite complicated!

 

WW