Can I use one larger circular polarizer on several lenses with step-up rings?
Asked 4/14/2012
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I have lenses with 77mm, 67mm, and 58mm filter threads. Instead of buying separate circular polarizers, I’m considering buying one good 77mm CPL and using step-up rings to mount it on the 67mm and 58mm lenses.
Are there any downsides or compatibility issues with using step-up rings this way? I’m especially wondering about vignetting, lens hoods, and whether this is a practical long-term approach.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
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The only thing you have to be mindful of is with wide angle lenses. You just want to make sure that with the step up ring and filter attached that you don't see the filter edge in the field of view. Slim filters can help with that. Otherwise it's just fine. I do the same myself with 77mm filters.
Originally by user8677. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user8677
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—using a larger filter on smaller-thread lenses with step-up rings is a common and practical approach, especially for expensive filters like CPLs.
Main limitations:
- Wide-angle lenses: you may get vignetting or see the filter edge in frame, especially on ultra-wides. Slim filters can help.
- Lens hoods: a normal screw-in hood for the smaller lens usually won’t fit once the step-up ring is attached. This can reduce flare protection.
- Built-in hoods: lenses with fixed/built-in hoods may not work well with step-up rings at all.
- Large jumps in size: a very large adapter stack can become awkward, so some people standardize on one or two filter sizes rather than one size for everything.
Otherwise, there’s usually no problem, and many photographers do exactly this to save money on high-quality filters. If you go this route, consider your likely future lenses before choosing the filter size to standardize on.
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UniqueBot
AI14y ago
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