Polarising filter

oldbag · 20 Jun 2010 at 12:43

All,

This is probably a really dumb question - I have an 18-70 lens on my Sony Alpha 350 and would like to add a polarising filter - do you know what size i would need? 55mm?

glitch · 20 Jun 2010 at 12:58

I believe it's 55mm, but look at the front of the lens and you'll see a symbol that looks like a circle with a line through it - the numerical value after that will be the filter diameter you need.

oldbag · 20 Jun 2010 at 13:55

Great, thanks!

bigredshark · 20 Jun 2010 at 14:45

Indeed, I remember discovering this on a friends Alpha lens and being shocked it was so small...

Amp34 · 20 Jun 2010 at 15:42

Think some nikon lenses are 52mm, in fact the Canon 50mm f/1.8 is also 52mm I think. Makes the tiny 58mm of the canon kit lenses seem large!

Mud · 20 Jun 2010 at 16:00

Amp34 said:
Think some nikon lenses are 52mm, in fact the Canon 50mm f/1.8 is also 52mm I think. Makes the tiny 58mm of the canon kit lenses seem large!

On Nikon, 52mm is pretty standard for small primes and 77mm for large primes/pro zooms, though annoyingly I've also got lenses with 58mm, 62mm, 67mm and 72mm threads :|

bigredshark · 20 Jun 2010 at 16:06

I was thinking of the Nikon 18-70, which is as I remember a 67mm, that the Sony one is so much smaller for a very similar lens in spec terms surprised me was all...

D.P. · 20 Jun 2010 at 16:43

bigredshark said:
I was thinking of the Nikon 18-70, which is as I remember a 67mm, that the Sony one is so much smaller for a very similar lens in spec terms surprised me was all...

Similar spec but the Nikon lens is much superior AFAIK with the larger front optics contributing.

bigredshark · 20 Jun 2010 at 17:10

Yeah, bad comparison though the 18-70 was a bit of a gem for the price, very sharp indeed and stupidly good for a kit lens. I'm guessing as it was one of the first 2 or 3 DX lenses Nikon produced they actually put some effort into it which hasn't been so evident in the later designs...

Amp34 · 20 Jun 2010 at 17:32

Mud said:
On Nikon, 52mm is pretty standard for small primes and 77mm for large primes/pro zooms, though annoyingly I've also got lenses with 58mm, 62mm, 67mm and 72mm threads :|

That is a pain in the ****, I had 58, 77 and 82mm threads a couple of weeks ago. Now I've managed to get it down to 67 and 77mm threads, with the 77mm thread possibly going...

Mud · 20 Jun 2010 at 17:54

Amp34 said:
That is a pain in the ****, I had 58, 77 and 82mm threads a couple of weeks ago. Now I've managed to get it down to 67 and 77mm threads, with the 77mm thread possibly going...

Plan was to have a 52mm CP, 10 stop ND and a plain glass filter on hand (in case of rain) which allows a light pack of just Voigtlander 40/2 and 20/3.5 pancake lenses. For a bigger pack with more lenses, anything bigger than 52mm should just get adapted up to 77mm. Nice in theory, but it makes an utter pig as far as carrying adapter rings and use of lens hoods are concerned

Reordering B+W filters I've already got in 77mm in smaller sizes (namely the 58mm CP) is a painful thing. Did it anyway as the 50/1.4G deserves its own...the Zeiss glass with its complete lack of standardisation of filter sizes (no compromises!) will just have to deal with clunky adapter rings :rolleyes:

A special rolleyes to the unnecessary 82mm filter thread on the ZF18/3.5. Yes, it'll avoid vignetting, no, I won't buy it its own filters :mad:

K.C. Leblanc · 20 Jun 2010 at 18:45

Mud said:
On Nikon, 52mm is pretty standard for small primes

And the basic 18-55 kit lens. Meant I could get a Hoya Polariser off TP for a fiver.

Amp34 · 20 Jun 2010 at 19:07

Mud said:
Plan was to have a 52mm CP, 10 stop ND and a plain glass filter on hand (in case of rain) which allows a light pack of just Voigtlander 40/2 and 20/3.5 pancake lenses. For a bigger pack with more lenses, anything bigger than 52mm should just get adapted up to 77mm. Nice in theory, but it makes an utter pig as far as carrying adapter rings and use of lens hoods are concerned

Reordering B+W filters I've already got in 77mm in smaller sizes (namely the 58mm CP) is a painful thing. Did it anyway as the 50/1.4G deserves its own...the Zeiss glass with its complete lack of standardisation of filter sizes (no compromises!) will just have to deal with clunky adapter rings

A special rolleyes to the unnecessary 82mm filter thread on the ZF18/3.5. Yes, it'll avoid vignetting, no, I won't buy it its own filters

Sounds about right.

I have a 58mm CPL for the kit lens and 75-300 IS that I had at the time and then when I got round to replacing them got an 82mm CPL and a 77mm 10 stop. Means I have to use occasional step down/up rings but it's much cheaper in the long run!

Now I sold the 82mm CPL and am going to get a 67mm one and keep the 77mm 10stop as it's so difficult to get hold of!

oldbag · 20 Jun 2010 at 19:13

My parents have bought me a Carl Zeiss 55mm - hope its good.

Mud · 20 Jun 2010 at 19:27

Amp34 said:
Now I sold the 82mm CPL and am going to get a 67mm one and keep the 77mm 10stop as it's so difficult to get hold of!

I need a 77mm 10 stop :mad:

Amp34 · 20 Jun 2010 at 19:32

So does everyone apparently, which is why i've decided not to sell it!

It'll be difficult getting a smaller one anyway and when I decide to change lenses again I may need a 77mm one. There's not chance i'll buy another one for £75 after a couple of months wait when I bought mine new for £50 when I wanted it.

Mud · 20 Jun 2010 at 21:29

Got a 52mm 10 stop, another reason to pack light I guess!

Amp34 · 20 Jun 2010 at 21:36

Does than not cause severe vignetting on lenses with larger filter sizes? Especially wide angle lenses.

Mud · 20 Jun 2010 at 22:42

I only use it on the 52mm native lenses. That's why I need the 77mm!

Amp34 · 20 Jun 2010 at 22:52

Ahhh! I read your other post and I made the assumption you were putting smaller filters on larger lenses. It would work with some but I was sure 52mm would be a bit too far...