Can removing a stuck filter by gripping the lens tightly damage it or affect image sharpness?

Question

I use a Nikon D80 with the 18-55mm kit lens and sometimes a screw-on circular polarizer gets stuck. To remove it, I may need to hold the front of the lens quite firmly, and the lens barrel can seem to flex slightly. Could that kind of force damage the lens or knock an element out of alignment enough to cause softness or extra chromatic aberration?

I’m asking because I once had a period where photos looked softer than usual, with more chromatic aberration, but the problem later went away on its own. Could tight gripping while removing a filter have caused that, or is something else more likely?

user27440 · Answer

It's unlikely you caused damage if it spontaneously fixed itself. However, excessive heat may have caused expansion in the barrel that caused an element to shift, and once you left sunny climes, this expansion would have disappeared. Or it could be that you simply found yourself shooting wide open more often than you usually do.

If you find you need excessive force to remove a filter, you may simply be gripping it too tightly and warping it enough to make it impossible to unscrew. Consider getting a filter wrench.

Can removing a stuck filter by gripping the lens tightly damage it or affect image sharpness?

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