How much vignetting would this cause...?

Alliecat · 08-14-2011, 12:42 AM

This is probably a dumb question.
My biggest filter size is 67mm; I have a 67mm polarizer & a 72mm gold-n-blue on a 67 step-up ring.
I'm looking for a wide angle lens (still...) & they all seem to be 77s.
I definitely can't afford another gold-n-blue polarizer; I might manage a regular one. I would be shooting things for which I'd probably want both types of filter.
I was wondering how much of a mess it would make, if I put my current filters on a step-down ring. I've never had a very-wide-angle lens; currently my widest is 35mm, so I really don't know enough to guess what the effect would be, but I assume it would look weird. (Looking for lens in the 17-35mm range.)
I'm just wondering if it would be usable at all, if I framed it so that it left room to crop when I scanned the negatives. I assume this could be determined through the lens... you'd just get a black ring around the edges or something...?
Would this be do-able or is it a dumb idea? I mean, they must use step down rings for something...

Thanks!

billtin59 · 08-14-2011, 06:47 AM

Seems to me that cropping a wide angle shot kinda defeats the purpose of the wide angle lens.

Alliecat · 08-14-2011, 10:48 AM

Well, that was why I asked.
Obviously if there is a lot of vignetting it's not worth it. If it's only a wee bit on the edges or in the corners, you could compose at a wider angle than you "need" & crop out the edges.
I wanted to find out how much vignetting.

RioRico · 08-14-2011, 01:53 PM - **1 Like**

Y'know, that is (as they say) a Very Good Question (VGQ). I like VGQ's; they make me get off my moldy butt and check things out. So I got off my butt and grabbed the Tamron 10-24 (77mm thread) and a 67mm GND filter and my K20D. And I aimed straight up and balanced the naked filter on the lens, and then again with a 72-77mm step-up ring to approximate the spacing of a 77-72mm step-down ring. And I peered through the viewfinder.

The answer to your VGQ is: I see some, but very little, vignetting with the lens at 10mm. I'd use a Barrel Distortion Correction tool to push out the corners a tad, no problem.

Alliecat · 08-14-2011, 10:34 PM

Hey, thanks for checking that out

I appreciate you took the time to do it.
I will have a look at my PS Elements 5 (I think it's 5...) & see if there's a correction function. Otherwise it sounds like I can crop out narrow edges too.
Today I went shopping online & scored a Tiffen 77mm polarizer for $28, so the only problem filter now, if & when I ever make my mind up what lens to get, will be the 67 gold-n-blue.
Cheers

abacus07 · 08-16-2011, 04:31 PM

I've wondered the same about using a 49mm filter on a 52mm thread. I only have one 52mm thread that I use regularly and it's inconvenient to use step up rings all the time. But I did get the slightest vignetting on my M28 a couple of weeks ago. Step up ring (49 to 52) + ND + POL + rubber lens hood. And I've been procrastinating my next GBA (3 stop and 10 stop ND) because I can't decide on 49 or 52mm fliter size.

This is one reason why I'm only considering a DA15 wide angle. I'm just not interested in investing in a new filter set or using square filters.

RioRico · 08-16-2011, 05:38 PM

Originally posted by abacus07

I'm just not interested in investing in a new filter set or using square filters.

I have actually purchased a couple of new filters for special applications (IR etc). All the rest of the zillions I have were blow-by from batch-lot eBay sales. When buying new filters purposely, I quickly discovered this truth: BUY THE BIGGEST FILTERS YOU THINK YOU WILL EVER NEED! Then get cheap sets of step-down rings to adapt them to various lenses. A 72mm filter on a 49mm lens may be a bit awkward, but the rings are MUCH cheaper than buying new filters.

And the other hard-learnt truth is: DON'T BUY FILTERS UNLESS YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED THEM! So I have a zillion UV filters that are good for target practice...

abacus07 · 08-19-2011, 07:44 AM

Originally posted by RioRico

I have actually purchased a couple of new filters for special applications (IR etc). All the rest of the zillions I have were blow-by from batch-lot eBay sales. When buying new filters purposely, I quickly discovered this truth: BUY THE BIGGEST FILTERS YOU THINK YOU WILL EVER NEED! Then get cheap sets of step-down rings to adapt them to various lenses. A 72mm filter on a 49mm lens may be a bit awkward, but the rings are MUCH cheaper than buying new filters.

And the other hard-learnt truth is: DON'T BUY FILTERS UNLESS YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED THEM! So I have a zillion UV filters that are good for target practice...

The problem that I hadn't considered is that the DA 15 can't take step up rings and still use the built-in hood. It might not even be possible to put a step up ring on the lens. And this lens is on the horizon.

I have a dozen UV filters that are good for extra lens caps.

Alan Clogwyn · 08-19-2011, 04:08 PM

I guess it depends on the lens. I have a 19mm prime with 72mm filter thread, that'll happily run a 55mm filter with no vignetting, however I had a 77mm filtered 19-25mm zoom and that would vignette wit ha P type holder so no hope of step down rings on that.

08-14-2011, 12:42 AM	#1
Alliecat Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: East of Everywhere, Canada Posts: 740	How much vignetting would this cause...? This is probably a dumb question. My biggest filter size is 67mm; I have a 67mm polarizer & a 72mm gold-n-blue on a 67 step-up ring. I'm looking for a wide angle lens (still...) & they all seem to be 77s. I definitely can't afford another gold-n-blue polarizer; I might manage a regular one. I would be shooting things for which I'd probably want both types of filter. I was wondering how much of a mess it would make, if I put my current filters on a step-down ring. I've never had a very-wide-angle lens; currently my widest is 35mm, so I really don't know enough to guess what the effect would be, but I assume it would look weird. (Looking for lens in the 17-35mm range.) I'm just wondering if it would be usable at all, if I framed it so that it left room to crop when I scanned the negatives. I assume this could be determined through the lens... you'd just get a black ring around the edges or something...? Would this be do-able or is it a dumb idea? I mean, they must use step down rings for something... Thanks!

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08-14-2011, 06:47 AM	#2
billtin59 Banned Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Massachusetts, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 84	Seems to me that cropping a wide angle shot kinda defeats the purpose of the wide angle lens.

08-14-2011, 10:48 AM	#3
Alliecat Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: East of Everywhere, Canada Posts: 740 Original Poster	Well, that was why I asked. Obviously if there is a lot of vignetting it's not worth it. If it's only a wee bit on the edges or in the corners, you could compose at a wider angle than you "need" & crop out the edges. I wanted to find out how much vignetting.

08-14-2011, 01:53 PM - 1 Like	#4
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	Y'know, that is (as they say) a Very Good Question (VGQ). I like VGQ's; they make me get off my moldy butt and check things out. So I got off my butt and grabbed the Tamron 10-24 (77mm thread) and a 67mm GND filter and my K20D. And I aimed straight up and balanced the naked filter on the lens, and then again with a 72-77mm step-up ring to approximate the spacing of a 77-72mm step-down ring. And I peered through the viewfinder. The answer to your VGQ is: I see some, but very little, vignetting with the lens at 10mm. I'd use a Barrel Distortion Correction tool to push out the corners a tad, no problem.

08-14-2011, 10:34 PM	#5
Alliecat Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: East of Everywhere, Canada Posts: 740 Original Poster	Hey, thanks for checking that out I appreciate you took the time to do it. I will have a look at my PS Elements 5 (I think it's 5...) & see if there's a correction function. Otherwise it sounds like I can crop out narrow edges too. Today I went shopping online & scored a Tiffen 77mm polarizer for $28, so the only problem filter now, if & when I ever make my mind up what lens to get, will be the 67 gold-n-blue. Cheers

08-16-2011, 04:31 PM	#6
abacus07 Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Taiwan Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,075	I've wondered the same about using a 49mm filter on a 52mm thread. I only have one 52mm thread that I use regularly and it's inconvenient to use step up rings all the time. But I did get the slightest vignetting on my M28 a couple of weeks ago. Step up ring (49 to 52) + ND + POL + rubber lens hood. And I've been procrastinating my next GBA (3 stop and 10 stop ND) because I can't decide on 49 or 52mm fliter size. This is one reason why I'm only considering a DA15 wide angle. I'm just not interested in investing in a new filter set or using square filters.

08-16-2011, 05:38 PM	#7
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	Originally posted by abacus07 I'm just not interested in investing in a new filter set or using square filters. I have actually purchased a couple of new filters for special applications (IR etc). All the rest of the zillions I have were blow-by from batch-lot eBay sales. When buying new filters purposely, I quickly discovered this truth: BUY THE BIGGEST FILTERS YOU THINK YOU WILL EVER NEED! Then get cheap sets of step-down rings to adapt them to various lenses. A 72mm filter on a 49mm lens may be a bit awkward, but the rings are MUCH cheaper than buying new filters. And the other hard-learnt truth is: DON'T BUY FILTERS UNLESS YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED THEM! So I have a zillion UV filters that are good for target practice...

08-19-2011, 07:44 AM	#8
abacus07 Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Taiwan Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,075	Originally posted by RioRico I have actually purchased a couple of new filters for special applications (IR etc). All the rest of the zillions I have were blow-by from batch-lot eBay sales. When buying new filters purposely, I quickly discovered this truth: BUY THE BIGGEST FILTERS YOU THINK YOU WILL EVER NEED! Then get cheap sets of step-down rings to adapt them to various lenses. A 72mm filter on a 49mm lens may be a bit awkward, but the rings are MUCH cheaper than buying new filters. And the other hard-learnt truth is: DON'T BUY FILTERS UNLESS YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED THEM! So I have a zillion UV filters that are good for target practice... The problem that I hadn't considered is that the DA 15 can't take step up rings and still use the built-in hood. It might not even be possible to put a step up ring on the lens. And this lens is on the horizon. I have a dozen UV filters that are good for extra lens caps.

08-19-2011, 04:08 PM	#9
Alan Clogwyn Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Gwynedd Photos: Gallery Posts: 93	I guess it depends on the lens. I have a 19mm prime with 72mm filter thread, that'll happily run a 55mm filter with no vignetting, however I had a 77mm filtered 19-25mm zoom and that would vignette wit ha P type holder so no hope of step down rings on that.