# step up/step down



## recon photography (Nov 9, 2011)

do either step up or step down rings work for filters?


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## dr croubie (Nov 9, 2011)

Yep, that's what they're for.

Example, I've got a 72mm CPL that I bought for my EFs 15-85. Then I bought my 70-300L, which has a 67mm thread. So with a 67-72mm step up ring, I put my 72mm CPL on my 70-300L.

Alternatively, I have an EF 50/1.8 II, which has a 52mm thread. My lensbabies all have 37mm thread, so the macro lenses have 37mm thread. I use a 52-37mm step down ring to mount my 37mm macro lens on my 50/1.8 II (note, this will vignette a lot on a FF camera).


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## branden (Nov 9, 2011)

recon photography said:


> do either step up or step down rings work for filters?


Yeah -- buy filters sized for your lens with the largest filter mount, and use step-up rings for all your other lenses to mount those filters.


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## neuroanatomist (Nov 9, 2011)

branden said:


> Yeah -- buy filters sized for your lens with the largest filter mount, and use step-up rings for all your other lenses to mount those filters.



The caveat is that use of a step-up ring to mount a larger filter often precludes the use of the appropriate lens hood.


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## te4o (Nov 9, 2011)

That's good news because I just ordered Heliopan ND and have to step down twice - from 82 to 72 and from 72-67 - would this work as well? I mean now that I ordered the adapters and One filter I hope this will work out. BTW, neuro, Heliopan makes the same quality ND and has a complete size range. I was lucky that leGreve gave me the German website on the ND filters thread.


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## awinphoto (Nov 9, 2011)

I'd recommend step-up before I'd recommend step down, but as long as it doesn't vignette then go for it... That's what they're made for.


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## dr croubie (Nov 9, 2011)

te4o said:


> That's good news because I just ordered Heliopan ND and have to step down twice - from 82 to 72 and from 72-67 - would this work as well?


It depends what lens and what you use it for on what camera.
As an example, my EFs 15-85 takes 72mm filters, if I put 2 or more filters on that are 72mm thread, I get vignetting. I couldn't use any step-down rings on this.
But my 70-300L is a full frame lens with 67mm threads, if I mount it on my 7D, I can use step-down rings to 52mm before I see vignetting. But with the 70-300L on 68mm of extension tubes for macro, I can use step-down rings to 37mm without vignetting.
And my Samyang 35/1.4 with 77mm threads, on my 7D, can take step-down to 58mm before I see vignetting.

And as neuro said, using a 67-72 step-up to my 72mm CPL on my 70-300L, I can use the hood, but I have to put the hood on before the filter, and take the filter off before the hood (and it's annoying to adjust the CPL).

In short, with an EF lens on APS-C body, you can get away with a few step-down rings before you get vignetting.
On a 1D, you can use some rings, but not as many as on APS-C.
On a 5D or 1Ds, or using an EFs lens on APS-C, you can't use step-down rings at all (unless you get lucky with a weird-designed lens, or one end of a zoom).


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