Filters, screw on or holder?

gerax · 06-03-2016, 06:30 AM

Hi all,

in the market for a set of filters and I'm not sure what to look at. I'm using the following lenses: Sigma 10-20 F/3.5, Sigma 17-50 F/2.8, Sigma 70-200 F/2.8.
Now, 17-50 and 70-200 are both 77mm as filter diameter, while the 10-20 is 82mm. I'm mostly sure the 10-20 would get more filter use (for landscape shots and long exposures), so I'd go for 82mm as I don't want to double my set of filters, but...looks like a filter holder and set of filters would be more versatile and I could use it on all of my lenses (including future purchases)...I'm just a bit concerned with set-up/tear down times, bulky management and cost of the whole system...Is that worth it, compared to having to get 2x polarized + ND?

Thanx

L.

**sergysergy** · 06-03-2016, 06:39 AM

I have the Sigma. 10-20. I used to use square filters but they were not big enough and they caused vignetting (I would have to start at around 13mm).I could have bought something bigger but for the kind of amateur photography I do it was too expensive, big and probably not worth it (similar to what you are describing). I started using screw on and they are more convenient in that you do not get dust or dirt between them if you stack them so you just need to worry about the front one. They also cause some vignetting but nothing too terrible. So to sum up...now I have both systems and only use screws on ones

**Quartermaster James** · 06-03-2016, 06:50 AM

Or a set of step down rings, maybe?

**othar** · 06-03-2016, 07:30 AM

Originally posted by Quartermaster James

Or a set of step down rings, maybe?

I use ND filters and a polarizing filter with a diameter of 52mm for my kit lens and with a stepdown ring and screw on hood for my A 50mm 1:1.7 and F 35-70mm lenses, but this is only convenient because those lenses don't have a hood with them. On your Sigma lenses you probably won't be able to use your original hoods in combination with a step down ring.

Last edited by othar; 06-03-2016 at 08:19 AM.

**jatrax** · 06-03-2016, 07:46 AM

If you want to use ND graduated filters then the square ones are the best choice, IMHO. However, for just polalrizers and ND filters I much prefer the round ones. I still have a set of square Cokin grads I use occasionally, but 95% of the time I just use the screw filters and fix anything in Lightroom that the grads would have done.

As noted above just get 82mm filters and step up rings for your 77mm lenses.

Ontarian50 · 06-03-2016, 08:12 AM

My vote's for screw in.

One annoyance is if you go the 82mm and 82-77 step down route, you won't be able to use your original hood over top of the oversized filter. You might want to get that 77mm polarizer as well, eventually.

But if you went with a square holder, the hoods were off the table anyway.

gerax · 06-03-2016, 09:30 AM

Thanx everybody

Checking stepup filter adapters, good suggestion. I wasn't sure they'd be a good idea but looks like they are.

L.

**Quartermaster James** · 06-03-2016, 09:44 AM

You can get whole sets, up and down, pretty cheap these days.

juanma_1 · 06-03-2016, 10:41 AM

I purchased an adapter ring step down 82-77 and 77mm filters. The result is perfect.

cali92rs · 06-03-2016, 10:58 AM

Originally posted by jatrax

If you want to use ND graduated filters then the square ones are the best choice, IMHO. However, for just polalrizers and ND filters I much prefer the round ones. I still have a set of square Cokin grads I use occasionally, but 95% of the time I just use the screw filters and fix anything in Lightroom that the grads would have done.

As noted above just get 82mm filters and step up rings for your 77mm lenses.

Lee makes an adapter to their square filter holder system that accepts 105mm round filters.
Of course, it ain't cheap:

This:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/218398-REG/LEE_Filters_FP105_Accessory...geID/accessory

Plus This:
LEE Filters 105mm Landscape Circular Polarizer Filter PLC105LAND

grispie · 06-03-2016, 11:27 AM

One problem i noticed with screw filters is a limit to how much you can stack. I have a fa31 and thus have to use 58mm screw filters (because of the hood)
For my da 15 i use a uv filter (to go past the retracted hood) and then a stepup to 58mm. then i can stack a cpl, a 10 stop ND and i get a slight vignet. Beyond that, eg adding a gradual nd the vignetting becomes worse ofcourse and framing the shot, taking into account the vignet, becomes difficult.

I don't know. I may want to look for a square system..

Ofcourse, you have different lenses.
One option i am looking into is to stack a cpl and the ND filter and get a future proof holder system for the gradual filters

**othar** · 06-03-2016, 12:15 PM

Originally posted by grispie

One problem i noticed with screw filters is a limit to how much you can stack. I have a fa31 and thus have to use 58mm screw filters (because of the hood) For my da 15 i use a uv filter (to go past the retracted hood) and then a stepup to 58mm. then i can stack a cpl, a 10 stop ND and i get a slight vignet. Beyond that, eg adding a gradual nd the vignetting becomes worse ofcourse and framing the shot, taking into account the vignet, becomes difficult.

Yes, there is a limit to stacking and the wider your lens the fewer filters you can usually stack.
But are you sure the vignetting you get is because of the number of stacks and not the usuall vignetting you get because of the 10 stop darkening. I might be mistaken but as far as I understand it you get vignetting because the light in the corners of the frame pass the filter in another angle as in the ones in the center, because of that the lightrays stay longer in the filter and therefore become darker as in the center. So you might experience that and not the influence of the filter ring.

edit: but I am just speculating, the widest lens I have is the 18-55mm kit lens and I was able to stack up to 3 filters without problems (maybe more is possible but I haven't tried it yet)

grispie · 06-03-2016, 12:41 PM

Originally posted by othar

But are you sure the vignetting you get is because of the number of stacks and not the usuall vignetting you get because of the 10 stop darkening.

the problem of the da15 is that it needs a uv filter to pass the hood, a step up ring to 58 and only then you can stack the filters that matter. I can add cpl + 10stop ND without a problem, but beyond that is a problem. So i don't think it is the 10stop itself causing vignet.
Guess it is just something to take into account. Ofcourse this is a specific da15 issue.

But even with the fa31 (not really a problem on apsc since the lens is FF), but on FF the specific built (hood..) might cause issues when stacking more than two filters.
Its just something to be aware of.
A square filter holder might be safer and better in the long run.
Putting filters in doesn't really take long vs having to screw them either.

06-03-2016, 06:30 AM	#1
gerax Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 224	Filters, screw on or holder? Hi all, in the market for a set of filters and I'm not sure what to look at. I'm using the following lenses: Sigma 10-20 F/3.5, Sigma 17-50 F/2.8, Sigma 70-200 F/2.8. Now, 17-50 and 70-200 are both 77mm as filter diameter, while the 10-20 is 82mm. I'm mostly sure the 10-20 would get more filter use (for landscape shots and long exposures), so I'd go for 82mm as I don't want to double my set of filters, but...looks like a filter holder and set of filters would be more versatile and I could use it on all of my lenses (including future purchases)...I'm just a bit concerned with set-up/tear down times, bulky management and cost of the whole system...Is that worth it, compared to having to get 2x polarized + ND? Thanx L.

06-03-2016, 11:27 AM	#11
grispie Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 1,199	One problem i noticed with screw filters is a limit to how much you can stack. I have a fa31 and thus have to use 58mm screw filters (because of the hood) For my da 15 i use a uv filter (to go past the retracted hood) and then a stepup to 58mm. then i can stack a cpl, a 10 stop ND and i get a slight vignet. Beyond that, eg adding a gradual nd the vignetting becomes worse ofcourse and framing the shot, taking into account the vignet, becomes difficult. I don't know. I may want to look for a square system.. Ofcourse, you have different lenses. One option i am looking into is to stack a cpl and the ND filter and get a future proof holder system for the gradual filters Last edited by grispie; 06-03-2016 at 11:33 AM. Reason: edit

06-03-2016, 12:15 PM	#12
othar Site Supporter Join Date: May 2014 Location: Linz Photos: Albums Posts: 3,098	Originally posted by grispie One problem i noticed with screw filters is a limit to how much you can stack. I have a fa31 and thus have to use 58mm screw filters (because of the hood) For my da 15 i use a uv filter (to go past the retracted hood) and then a stepup to 58mm. then i can stack a cpl, a 10 stop ND and i get a slight vignet. Beyond that, eg adding a gradual nd the vignetting becomes worse ofcourse and framing the shot, taking into account the vignet, becomes difficult. Yes, there is a limit to stacking and the wider your lens the fewer filters you can usually stack. But are you sure the vignetting you get is because of the number of stacks and not the usuall vignetting you get because of the 10 stop darkening. I might be mistaken but as far as I understand it you get vignetting because the light in the corners of the frame pass the filter in another angle as in the ones in the center, because of that the lightrays stay longer in the filter and therefore become darker as in the center. So you might experience that and not the influence of the filter ring. edit: but I am just speculating, the widest lens I have is the 18-55mm kit lens and I was able to stack up to 3 filters without problems (maybe more is possible but I haven't tried it yet) Last edited by othar; 06-03-2016 at 12:23 PM.

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06-03-2016, 06:39 AM	#2
sergysergy Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,171	I have the Sigma. 10-20. I used to use square filters but they were not big enough and they caused vignetting (I would have to start at around 13mm).I could have bought something bigger but for the kind of amateur photography I do it was too expensive, big and probably not worth it (similar to what you are describing). I started using screw on and they are more convenient in that you do not get dust or dirt between them if you stack them so you just need to worry about the front one. They also cause some vignetting but nothing too terrible. So to sum up...now I have both systems and only use screws on ones

06-03-2016, 06:50 AM	#3
Quartermaster James Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 653	Or a set of step down rings, maybe?

06-03-2016, 07:30 AM	#4
othar Site Supporter Join Date: May 2014 Location: Linz Photos: Albums Posts: 3,098	Originally posted by Quartermaster James Or a set of step down rings, maybe? I use ND filters and a polarizing filter with a diameter of 52mm for my kit lens and with a stepdown ring and screw on hood for my A 50mm 1:1.7 and F 35-70mm lenses, but this is only convenient because those lenses don't have a hood with them. On your Sigma lenses you probably won't be able to use your original hoods in combination with a step down ring. Last edited by othar; 06-03-2016 at 08:19 AM.

06-03-2016, 07:46 AM	#5
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	If you want to use ND graduated filters then the square ones are the best choice, IMHO. However, for just polalrizers and ND filters I much prefer the round ones. I still have a set of square Cokin grads I use occasionally, but 95% of the time I just use the screw filters and fix anything in Lightroom that the grads would have done. As noted above just get 82mm filters and step up rings for your 77mm lenses.

06-03-2016, 08:12 AM	#6
Ontarian50 Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 530	My vote's for screw in. One annoyance is if you go the 82mm and 82-77 step down route, you won't be able to use your original hood over top of the oversized filter. You might want to get that 77mm polarizer as well, eventually. But if you went with a square holder, the hoods were off the table anyway.

06-03-2016, 09:30 AM	#7
gerax Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 224 Original Poster	Thanx everybody Checking stepup filter adapters, good suggestion. I wasn't sure they'd be a good idea but looks like they are. L.

06-03-2016, 09:44 AM	#8
Quartermaster James Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 653	You can get whole sets, up and down, pretty cheap these days.

06-03-2016, 10:41 AM	#9
juanma_1 Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Albacete Posts: 45	I purchased an adapter ring step down 82-77 and 77mm filters. The result is perfect.

06-03-2016, 10:58 AM	#10
cali92rs Veteran Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 3,354	Originally posted by jatrax If you want to use ND graduated filters then the square ones are the best choice, IMHO. However, for just polalrizers and ND filters I much prefer the round ones. I still have a set of square Cokin grads I use occasionally, but 95% of the time I just use the screw filters and fix anything in Lightroom that the grads would have done. As noted above just get 82mm filters and step up rings for your 77mm lenses. Lee makes an adapter to their square filter holder system that accepts 105mm round filters. Of course, it ain't cheap: This: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/218398-REG/LEE_Filters_FP105_Accessory...geID/accessory Plus This: LEE Filters 105mm Landscape Circular Polarizer Filter PLC105LAND

06-03-2016, 12:41 PM	#13
grispie Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 1,199	Originally posted by othar But are you sure the vignetting you get is because of the number of stacks and not the usuall vignetting you get because of the 10 stop darkening. the problem of the da15 is that it needs a uv filter to pass the hood, a step up ring to 58 and only then you can stack the filters that matter. I can add cpl + 10stop ND without a problem, but beyond that is a problem. So i don't think it is the 10stop itself causing vignet. Guess it is just something to take into account. Ofcourse this is a specific da15 issue. But even with the fa31 (not really a problem on apsc since the lens is FF), but on FF the specific built (hood..) might cause issues when stacking more than two filters. Its just something to be aware of. A square filter holder might be safer and better in the long run. Putting filters in doesn't really take long vs having to screw them either.