Are there any known issues with using filter step-up rings?

Question

My 3 lenses all have a different size thread. (77, 67 and 58mm) I am to purchase a good CP filter for the 77 and 67 thread. I don't have any filters for the 58mm thread lens but I was thinking about perhaps getting a step-up ring and use my 77mm filters on the 58mm lens.

Are there any known issues with using filter step-up rings? I am thinking maybe even getting only one good 77mm CP filter and use with with all my lenses with a pair of step-up rings.

Any thoughts?

Asked by Jakub

Answer

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.

Answered by nwcs

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Does a larger lens filter size imply more light and better photos?

Question

I'm wondering about 50mm f/1.4 for Nikons. The Nikon 50mm f/1.4D has a 52mm filter size. The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 has a 77mm filter size. There's a lot more glass in the Sigma.

So, does having a larger filter size mean that a lens will collect more light, and therefore produce better photographs?

Answer

No, a designation of f/1.4 implies the same ratio between focal length and aperture in both lenses. So if you're shooting the same scene, both lenses will give you the exact same shutter speed wide open (unless you vary your ISO...)

From what I've read on the Sigma, the larger opening diameter means less vignetting wide open. I haven't observed this first-hand as I don't have either lens.

If you're shooting a crop digital body, this is moot as you're not going to get the corners where vignetting is visible.

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How does the lens diameter influence photo quality?

Question

I have tested two different 50mm lenses in my camera. One was a Nikkor 50mm ∅52mm. The other one was a Sigma 50mm ∅72mm. I took some pictures with both lenses using the same setup for aperture and shutter speed, but couldn't notice significant differences in the quality of the pictures.

So, how does the diameter affects the photo quality, if it does? What advantages would the ∅72mm lens have over the ∅52mm one?

Answer

It's not just about maximum aperture. Even in two lenses with the same focal length and max aperture, one could have a larger diameter. The larger diameter could be because of using larger lens elements, which could have advantages with regard to sharpness and light falloff at the edges of the image circle. Some lenses may even project a larger image circle than is strictly necessary. These difference would likely be more apparent at larger apertures (especially wide-open), if they are there at all.

Having said that you can't automatically assume the "larger" lens will always be better optically.

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