Using step up filter adapters in vintage cameras

[eharriett]

I'm wanting to do more experimental photography with filters in both color and black and white. I am using a couple vintage 35mm cameras. The ones I'm most interested in adding filters to is a Rollei 35 and an Olympus RC35. But they both take odd sized filters, with the Rollei at 30.5 mm and the Olympus at 43.5mm. I have filters for both of them made for the camera, but I'm looking at some more interesting modern ones made by Tiffen. The costs are a bit high if I got different sizes, and I was able to find step up rings for both camera sizes for 46mm filters. I have never used step up rings before. These seem like no brainers to me to have one set of filters for these cameras. This seems a bit too good to be true, so I must ask: are there downsides to adding step up rings so I can use more modern filters on my cameras? Thanks.

 

[voceumana]

Optically, there is no disadvantage to using these adapters with larger filters. Sometimes there might be mechanical issues such covering the adjustments on the Rollei 35 (if the filter is too big) or covering up the rangefinder patch on the Olympus or making its f/stop and shutter settings harder to access.

 

[neilt3]

I do it all the time with off sized filter threads .
I also use clip on filters that I think use series 5 filters .
It's only the main lenses in my systems ( 49mm ,55mm ,62mm ) that I have a set of screw in filters , colours for B&W , ND's , a skylight , warm-up and polariser filter .
My most used filters other than that are ND grads .
So generally I'm using a set with Cokin slot in filter systems , Cokin A , P and Z-pro depending what sort of lenses / format I'm using .
I have the full range that I need in each size .

 

[eharriett]

Great, thank you. I’ll check out the ring to make sure it doesn’t interfere with the viewfinder. And I’ll also check out cokin’s selection before investing in tiffen’s.

 

[narsuitus]

... are there downsides to adding step up rings so I can use more modern filters on my cameras?

I have used step-up, step-down, and spacers on cameras. Rarely have I had problems.

The only problems I have had were:

1. Bringing the wrong ring.

2. Forgetting to bring the ring.

3. Vignetting with step-down ring.

4. Needing a larger lens hood to attach to larger filter. For example, I had a wide-angle lens that had a 67mm filter thread but my filters were 72mm. When I used a 67mm to 72mm step-up-ring, I had to discard the 67 lens hood and use a 72mm Nikon HN-9 lens hood instead.

5. Using a ring that was too thick or too thin when used as a spacer to attach supplemental lens to front of main lens. For example, to attach a supplemental fisheye lens to the fixed lens of a camera, I needed to use a step-up adapter to obtain not only the proper connection between the two lenses but also the proper spacing between the two lenses.

 

[ProfessorC1983]

Check out filterfind.net -- Tim has helped me out with a variety of "odd" filters and step-up rings, including that 30.5mm fine-thread (for an old Schneider 6x9 lens in my case). I decided to go with mostly Series 6 and 7 filters, so I don't need many duplicate filters (they just drop into the adapter rings and then are secured with a retainer, or can be stacked) and can just buy an adapter for S6 or S7 for whichever old lens I need.