Some help with these, please.

[NLAlston]

Hello friends.

Today, our neighbor across the street (knowing how much I love photography) gave me some various lens filters. I was so thankful for her thoughtfulness, but (honestly) don't rightly know what it is that I have, here, before me. I am assuming that the colored filters are 'Gel' filters, and I can do some research on the internet about them. All the colored filters, save one (Sunpack), were manufactured by Tiffen. There are three 'Close Up' filters in that little black case, and those are by Vivitar. But what has me stumped more than anything else is that rubberized ring, at the lower left portion of the photo

I am trying to gain information as to whether or not it would be worth it, for me to look into an adapter ring for my cameras (Nikon D300 & D3).

[Manfred M]

The coloured filters were used in B&W photography to achieve some of the same effects that we use Photoshop's sliders for different colours when we do B&W conversions. The closeup filter's are the "poor man's" macro approach and the rings are conversion rings so that you can match a larger sized filter for your lens. For instance, I have a number of 77mm filters, but don't have the full set for my 72mm lens, so I use a stepdown ring to uses them on the 72 mm lens.

The reason I recognize it is that I owned a stepdown ring like that decades ago. Back then, in my highschool student days, I was playing with IR film photography and I was able to borrow a 25A filter, but the lens thread size was wrong for my lens. This style of stepdown ring was the cheapest one I could find, so I got it and used it. The all metal ones rings were a lot more expensive.

[Stagecoach]

Hi Nathan, my first thought was that the item you call a rubberised ring was a lens hood but you mention on the drawing that the rubberised outer is also threaded so I'm stumped !

Does the rubber outer extend forward ?
How is the rubberised outer threaded, does it have a hard plastic threaded ring embedded in it ?
Are the threads in both sections the same size (perhaps it's an adaptor) ?

[NLAlston]

Thanks for your response, Manfred.

[NLAlston]

Hi Nathan, my first thought was that the item you call a rubberised ring was a lens hood but you mention on the drawing that the rubberised outer is also threaded so I'm stumped !

Does the rubber outer extend forward ?
How is the rubberised outer threaded, does it have a hard plastic threaded ring embedded in it ?
Are the threads in both sections the same size (perhaps it's an adaptor) ?

Grahame, it may be a bit difficult to describe this thing. There are no identifiable markings on this ring, except for the number '55' having been stamped on it. The while thing is made of pliable rubber, with the exclusion of the hard, plastic inner ring, which happens to be threaded on its inner and outer sides. The outer part of the rubberized portion is carries a fluted design around its outer wall. This 'wall' can be pulled out to double its width - making it about a 1" spread. That action reveals threads which nearly fills this width. There is just a narrow section that is devoid of any threading, and that is about a 3/16" width where the outer wall can be folded out, and back in.

[Stagecoach]

Hi Nathan, I'll stick with lens hood until someone comes up with the correct answer. Then again why would there be a thread in the extending rubber section ? mmmmmmmmmm

Pity you can not use your newly aquired close up filters for a clearer shot of it

[NLAlston]

Hi Nathan, I'll stick with lens hood until someone comes up with the correct answer. Then again why would there be a thread in the extending rubber section ? mmmmmmmmmm

Pity you can not use your newly aquired close up filters for a clearer shot of it

Grahame,

I tried to get a couple of better shots of what I have. Here is a picture:

[Manfred M]

Now that I see the new images, I'll agree with Graham. It's a rubber lens hood. The 55 refers to 55mm thread.

The outer thread is to screw it to the lens. I suspect that the inner thread is to screw a filter into it. The ribbing we see appear to be an anti-relective surface. Plain moulded rubber can pick up a bit of a sheen, which is not a desirable feature in a lens hood.

[NLAlston]

Now that I see the new images, I'll agree with Graham. It's a rubber lens hood. The 55 refers to 55mm thread.

The outer thread is to screw it to the lens. I suspect that the inner thread is to screw a filter into it. The ribbing we see appear to be an anti-relective surface. Plain moulded rubber can pick up a bit of a sheen, which is not a desirable feature in a lens hood.

Thanks again, Manfred. Well, I guess that it is nothing special that could be used on my gear ��.

[Stagecoach]

Clearly as suspected, just like the hood I bought for my treasured Nikor 28-105.

Next quiz please Nathan.

[FrankMi]

Hi Nathan, the rubber lens hood is the ideal ticket for eliminating reflections from glass when shooting anywhere where there is glass between your camera and the subject, for example at a zoo or aquarium. By holding the hood against the glass you can get the shot without scratching either your camera or the glass.

Here is a link to a posting concerning shooting aquariums using the rubber lens hood and some shooting tips.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/nikondi...7627701641799/

Hope this helps!

[EDIT] Thanks for the broken link info Dave. It should work now!

Nathan, If your lenses are too large to use the 55mm rings and accessories such as the rubber lens hood, a hood and adapter ring is usually less than $10. I just bought several from Amazon.

[Dave Humphries]

Glad you got in with that idea Frank, just what I was going to suggest

The link got mangled in posting though and doesn't work.

Hi Nathan,

Whether you can use any of these just depends if you have any lenses with a 55mm (or smaller) diameter thread on them.

Cheers,

[NLAlston]

next quiz please nathan.

lol.

[NLAlston]

Hi Nathan,

Whether you can use any of these just depends if you have any lenses with a 55mm (or smaller) diameter thread on them.

Cheers,

That's the thing. I have no lens with a 55mm diameter thread. My Nikkor 50mm happens to be 52mm, and my next size up is 62mm. I am sure that adapter rings are sold, for these filters, but I am (first) trying to find out how I might benefit from their usages, before coming out of pocket.

Thanks.

[Dave Humphries]

Yes, with a cheap step up ring, you could use them on the 52mm (dia) lens.

With a step down ring, there's a high chance that you'll get vignetting (dark corners) even on the 62mm (dia) lens, unless it's a telephoto or the 105mm macro, which might be OK.

The coloured ones probably aren't worth bothering with on a digital camera - if you shoot RAW, much better to do that kind of thing in Photoshop (or whatever) in PP and get any colour filter under the sun.

The close up lenses might be worth a play with if you want to dabble in macro - assuming you don't have such a lens already. They will only be good for small things that fit completely within the image boundaries, e.g. a ring, watch face, or similar - anything that extends to the edge of frame is going to look soft as heck.

The lens hood is likely to be most useful as Frank describes.

[NLAlston]

Yes, with a cheap step up ring, you could use them on the 52mm (dia) lens.

With a step down ring, there's a high chance that you'll get vignetting (dark corners) even on the 62mm (dia) lens, unless it's a telephoto or the 105mm macro, which might be OK.

The coloured ones probably aren't worth bothering with on a digital camera - if you shoot RAW, much better to do that kind of thing in Photoshop (or whatever) in PP and get any colour filter under the sun.

The close up lenses might be worth a play with if you want to dabble in macro - assuming you don't have such a lens already. They will only be good for small things that fit completely within the image boundaries, e.g. a ring, watch face, or similar - anything that extends to the edge of frame is going to look soft as heck.

The lens hood is likely to be most useful as Frank describes.

Hi Dave.

I do have the Nikon 105 (tried to list my gear in the 'signature' panel, but was unsuccessful in getting it to show). As I don't foresee a step-down ring hitting the pockets hard, I may just get one to try a couple of the filters out. You may laugh at my naivety, but I had thought/hoped that the left-most colored filter (in my first photo) was a ND filter . I had been hearing a lot about the advantage of using them, but have since gained information that such filters do not attach to the lens. Supposedly, there is a squared type of housing which attaches directly to the lens, and the ND filters just slide into a recessed area of said housing.

Oh well, I guess we learn something every day .

[Manfred M]

Hi Dave.

I do have the Nikon 105 (tried to list my gear in the 'signature' panel, but was unsuccessful in getting it to show). As I don't foresee a step-down ring hitting the pockets hard, I may just get one to try a couple of the filters out. You may laugh at my naivety, but I had thought/hoped that the left-most colored filter (in my first photo) was a ND filter . I had been hearing a lot about the advantage of using them, but have since gained information that such filters do not attach to the lens. Supposedly, there is a squared type of housing which attaches directly to the lens, and the ND filters just slide into a recessed area of said housing.

Oh well, I guess we learn something every day .

There are two formats of ND filters; screw on, which I use, and the rectangular designs that go into a holder. The screw in means you need one size per lens filter thread and the ones that go into the holder can be reused amongst different lenses, but you do need an appropriate holder for each size of lens.

I can see an advantage for the rectangular filters if you are shooting a graduated neutral density filter, as you can accurately move the filter to suit the horizon line you are shooting. I use screw in GND as well, simply because if is easier and I am will ing to live with this downside. I don't see a significant (if any) advantage for a plain ND

[NLAlston]

There are two formats of ND filters; screw on, which I use, and the rectangular designs that go into a holder. The screw in means you need one size per lens filter thread and the ones that go into the holder can be reused amongst different lenses, but you do need an appropriate holder for each size of lens.

I can see an advantage for the rectangular filters if you are shooting a graduated neutral density filter, as you can accurately move the filter to suit the horizon line you are shooting. I use screw in GND as well, simply because if is easier and I am will ing to live with this downside. I don't see a significant (if any) advantage for a plain ND

Thanks Manfred. Methinks that I will, indeed, try to outfit myself with a GND, soon. I am anxious to explore photography with the aid of such an add-on.

[rpcrowe]

Hi Nathan, I'll stick with lens hood until someone comes up with the correct answer. Then again why would there be a thread in the extending rubber section ? mmmmmmmmmm

Pity you can not use your newly aquired close up filters for a clearer shot of it

When I used rubber collapsing lens hoods, the interior of the rubber was ribbed which looked like threads but, mine did not have threads..

[NLAlston]

When I used rubber collapsing lens hoods, the interior of the rubber was ribbed which looked like threads but, mine did not have threads..

You know what? Being that you mentioned what you did, I think it is quite possible that the 'ribbed' portion may be just that (ribbed) as opposed to threading. Thanks for the, very likely, insight .