Since so many people have written to me (e-mail) asking how they can tell what filter size(s) their lens(es) can use, I'm adding this information, to make it easier for us to determine the answers. Look for the lens diameter (which is the filter size) on the front inside of the lens barrel:
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Photographic filters are made to fit lenses of every size, for almost every imaginable kind of camera that can accept a lens; the important measurement needed (as far as filters are concerned) is the diameter of the lens or lenses that you're using on your camera, not the camera itself. Look on the end of the lens(es); there should be a number (e.g., 36mm, 48mm, or perhaps 52ø, ø49, or something similar, etc.) on the outer edge of the lens, on the ring circling the glass of the lens way in front (there may be more than one of these numbers, the focal length and the filter size). One should be the filter (or adapter) size for that lens. Remember, with an adapter, these filters can fit most lenses available today. |
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Look for the lens diameter on
the front inside of the lens barrel. It is often preceded or
followed by this mark, ø, which stands for diameter. Don't confuse the diameter with the focal length of the lens which is also often indicated on the front of the lens. In this example, the lens is a 28mm to 80mm zoom lens (focal length), and it has a lens diameter - and a filter size - of 55mm. |
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It's a little harder to see in this example, but this lens has a diameter - and filter size - of 75mm. |
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The size of the filter On the filter rim you can find the diameter measurement indicating what diameter lenses the filter fits. In this example, the filter is an 80A, and the size is 49mm, which tells us it will fit lenses with a diameter - and filter size - of 49mm. |
| If you have lenses in these sizes: 49mm, 52mm, 55mm, or 58mm, they can all use 48mm filters with an adapter called a step-down ring, (about $8-$10). | |
| If you have lenses in these sizes: 43mm, 43.5mm, or 46mm, they can all use 48mm filters with an adapter called a step-up ring (about $8-$10). | |
| Similarly, many other size lenses can use many different size filters; check with me to find out what size filters your lenses can use. | |
FORMS OF FILTERS
With a few variations, filters usually take on one of two basic
forms: The glass filter mounted in a metal or thermoplastic ring
or the unmounted square filter made of glass, plastic or gelatin.
Some of the glass filters are solid dyed-in-the-mass glass. Others
consist of a glass sandwich with the filter in the middle. The
glass is colorless. The filter is colored. The filter can be either
colored gelatin or a colored bonding medium that holds the glass
sandwich together. Many glass filters are coated to reduce flare
and internal reflections.
Direct-Fitting Filters
By far the most popular and most readily available filter is the
glass filter mounted in the threaded ring that screws directly
into the front of the lens barrel. Durable and fuss free, it simplifies
a photographer's life. This kind of filter comes in a specific
diameter measured in millimeters. It fits lenses with the same
diameter as the filter. Look for the lens diameter on the front
inside of the lens barrel. It is often followed by this mark,
ø, which stands for diameter. Don't confuse the diameter
with the focal length of the lens which is also indicated on the
front of the lens. Seemingly, a direct-fitting filter has a disadvantage
in that it fits only a lens of the same diameter. Thus, a 55 mm
diameter filter would fit only a 55 mm diameter lens. Supposedly,
you would have to duplicate your filters to fit every other diameter
of your collection of lenses. A costly proposition, indeed! Fortunately,
there's an easy solution called adapters. Many companies offer
adapters that let you fit a filter to lenses of different diameters.
These adapters are called step-up and step down rings. With a
step-up ring you can use a 55 mm filter on a 52 mm diameter lens,
and with a step-down ring you can use 48 mm filter on a 49, 52,
or 55mm diameter lens. Usually it's better to adapt a larger filter
to a smaller lens, but within reasonable limits you can do just
the opposite, and many photographers use smaller filters on larger
lenses (BTW, I use all 48mm filters on my 49mm minolta lenses,
and they work perfectly!). Check for vignetting, though, when
using wide-angle lenses in those cases where you use a filter
that's much smaller than the diameter of the lens.
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