[ASK] Step up ring recomendation??

[CalmSoul]

Hi Guys,

I am new to photography and now I am planning to purchase a step up ring for the lenses filter, probably getting 62-77 and 67-77. I was wondering are there any specific brand that is recommended or good that I should buy? Or should I just randomly pick one from eBay? Thanks a bunch =D

[bvukich]

I can't really recommend a brand, but I would suggest getting something on the higher end of the scale.  And really the cost difference between the cheapest ebay ones at a couple of dollars each, and the most expensive ones they have on say B&H, may be $20 total for the set.

If you buy super cheap ones and your $300 CP with titanium threads slices right into the soft, poorly machined, aluminum threads and gets stuck (or even worse, stuck in a lens); you'll know why I made that recommendation. 

[dr croubie]

I'm a big fan of rings, and i just bought randomly off ebay. I'm just about to go there again and buy another lot soon too.
I bought in 2 or 3 lots, a few each time to combine postage, and i ended up with:

S&W - a bit more expensive than the cheapest, but i bought them all from one guy and paid the same postage as one ring, so ended out cheaper all up. The best thing about them is they come with a nice soft plastic pouch-envelope thing (i know i'm not describing it the best, want a photo?) that i've ended up using to keep my filters and pinholes in.

Sonia? i think it says - the step down on these are cut all along the sides vertically for extra grip, the step up have a diagonal bit chamfered off the top for grip. all my other brands are silky smooth on the outside, so less grip to get them apart (by the same token: less grip to force them stuck together). came in a throwaway paper box, so now jangle loose in my bag (but mostly i keep them stored on lenses or together in a stack anyway).

Kood - think it was more expensive again, only got one, but it was the only brand that made a certain size i wanted.

noname brand - no idea, was dirt cheap and chinese i think. still, nothing wrong with it.


all of them together, i've never had a problem. Even if i thought in the past i've stuck them irreversibly together, the next time i try they just come apart. each brand to each other or between brands.
no brand can shield you from that 100%, but taking care of them will. never force anything, stop and take a deep breath before you break anything.
There are differences between brass/aluminium/steel, but you never know what you're getting even if they do state it on their ad, i can't remember which one is meant to be better anyway. just make sure they're black, i've seen steel-polished ones and that's just asking for ghosting...

[neuroanatomist]

I have B+W Step-Up Rings (67→77mm and 72→77mm), and they work quite well.  I previously had a cheap Adorama (General Brand) 58→77mm ring, and that worked fine, too.

If you plan to use a step-up ring or stack filters, you should have a set of filter wrenches handy. 

[KBX500]

Brass is easier to unthread, although I can't confirm that from personal
experience with step rings, but it is true with other types of fasteners.
If one does get stuck try setting in sunlight for awhile. The heat causes
the metal to expand and it will seperate much easier.

[awinphoto]

Step up rings are relatively cheap and you shouldn't lose any sleep on your selection of the ring.  Just make sure it's metal/threads are metal (so they dont damage your expensive filters) and dont have any areas where they can let in light that could cause flare and other problems.  I second the filter wrenches suggestion... sometimes they can be a pain in the butt to remove otherwise =)

[awinphoto]

Quick question for neuro and or anyone who has the my lens and can answer... I believe neuro said in some post somewhere back he has/had a 70-200 F4 IS... Has he or anyone else use this lens, with a step up ring to 77mm for a polarizer or whatever filter had any problems with the hood? I have that lens and the hood shoots out a little bit width wise which seems like it would accommodate it, however, it is a longer circular hood so adjusting lets say a polarizing filter with such a hood on would be cumbersome... any experience with this lens and filters or this lens and step up rings and filters and the hood?  Any thoughts from those who have this lens would be welcomed.  =)

[dr croubie]

Quick question for neuro and or anyone who has the my lens and can answer... I believe neuro said in some post somewhere back he has/had a 70-200 F4 IS... Has he or anyone else use this lens, with a step up ring to 77mm for a polarizer or whatever filter had any problems with the hood? I have that lens and the hood shoots out a little bit width wise which seems like it would accommodate it, however, it is a longer circular hood so adjusting lets say a polarizing filter with such a hood on would be cumbersome... any experience with this lens and filters or this lens and step up rings and filters and the hood?  Any thoughts from those who have this lens would be welcomed.  =)

I don't have the 70-200, but i have the 70-300L, and i'm guessing that the designs would be the same.
If the hood reverses to go over the body and shoots out wider straight away, it looks possible. actually, just looking at the TDP Compare Tool, the hood shoots out even wider sooner.

But you want to put a 77mm on a 67mm thread, so now i'm not so sure. if you've got the lens, first thing to try is whether you can get the 77mm filter to touch the lens without jamming on the hood (you can even do it with the hood and filter, without the lens). my 72mm filter goes all the way up the hood (doen't that sound dirty?) of the 70-300L, so i'm guessing it'll easily work with the stepring (which i must buy on ebay today, didn't get there yesterday).

my plan for a way of controlling it is with magnets. firstly, the hood is plastic, so it won't interfere. I've got a tiny (2*2*1mm) super-magnet (neodymium?) which i'll glue to the edge of the CPL (it won't stick if the cpl is brass/alu). I've got a bit bigger magnet for the outside, which will attract the smaller one inside and when i move the outer one the smaller one will drag the ring around with it. (i plan to add some kind of cloth covering or fluff to the magnet outside the hood so as to not scratch the hood).

whether this works will depend on if the magnets are strong enough to attract each other through the distance to outside the hood, and if i can glue the smaller magnet to the CPL without gluing it to its holder and stop it spinning around at all.

if it works (trying it as soon as i get my step ring delivered) i'll post photos.

[neuroanatomist]

Quick question for neuro and or anyone who has the my lens and can answer... I believe neuro said in some post somewhere back he has/had a 70-200 F4 IS...

Sorry, not me.  I have the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, never had the f/4L IS version.  I did previously comment that I can use a 77mm filter with a step up ring on my 85mm f/1.2L II and still mount the hood over the larger filter.  But that's a 72mm filter thread on the lens, and also a somewhat special case - the 85L's hood is a push-button clip, rather than the usual bayonet mount, and you need to push in the clips to get it over the filter (my other 72mm threaded lenses, the 35L and 135L, won't take their hoods over a 77mm filter).  I would be surprised if the 67mm filter on the 70-200/4 would allow a 77mm filter without blocking the hood.