Generic Info on Lenses?

[CameraRick]

Hi there,

right now I'm planning to buy a ND-Fader Filter (something which you can't live without when you're filming and like your Lens wide-open), so I'm doing some research on "common" Filter Threads I have to cover.

Problem is, I can't find good Infos about lenses, and many of them aren't labeled like new ones. E.g., if I would like to buy a 135mm, I would hate to have one with 67mm-thread if I buyed a 62mm ND-Fader.
Is there some kind of "Lens Info"-Site, where such Infos are listed?

Best Regards,
Lucas

[seta666]

I think fast teles/wide angles will have bigger optics and some zoom may have big filters too. 67mm (helios 40-2 85/1.5, tokina rmc 17mm )will cover quite a lot of lenses but some wide angles will use 77 or even 82mm filters. Many lenses will use 49mm(jupiter-9 85/2, tamron sp 90mm 2.5) or 52mm filter(yashica ML 50 1.4, 50 1.7, 28/2.8, 35 2.
135mm 2.8 and 200mm f4 lenses would be on the 52-58mm range(pentacon and yashica are 55mm) most of the time
I you can buy only one 67mm is a good choice, but will look huge with some lenses. 58mm will cover a lot too(may be cheaper and more convinient), most lenses but the widest(17mm, 20mm, 24mm) or fastest teles (85mm 1.4, 135/2)
Regards

[CameraRick]

Hi Seta,

I wanted to buy at least 62mm. My Lenses are 49mm (Zeiss Tessar), 52mm (cheap Revuenon) and 58mm (Canon Kit-Lens which I use sometimes because of the Widangle).
I don't want to buy a whole ND-Fader, I want to build one (you need a Pol-circular and Pol-linear Filter). On 62mm it would cost ~44€, at 72mm ~83€.
You see, I want to buy only one "for all times" I'm thinking about buying a Tokina 70-220mm f3.5 Zoom (doing research on it at this time), and I think it's 72mm. It would be very nasty to buy another Fader for only one lens, so I want to cover the "most" used Lenses.

So, in "normal scenario", I'll fit the most with 62mm?

Regards,
Lucas

[Arkku]

62mm is a good size, also because it's not large enough to look ridiculously out of place on most manual focus primes but large enough to fit all but a few wide-angle lenses and a few fast teles.

Personally I have most of my filters only as 62mm, and just a couple in 77mm for modern lenses and wide-angles.


P. S. For your DIY variable ND you can also use two linear polarisers, or two circular polarisers mounted front to front with a coupling ring.

[seta666]

[CameraRick]

Hi there,

I'm always looking on these nice Canon AF Lenses with wide-angle for APS-C and stuff, but I have to be honest to myself: I'll never afford one in the next six years
I want to specialise myself on MF-Lenses (to get this cool Cinema-Feeling), so I think 62mm would fit the most of what I want to buy.
Btw, do you know anything about the Tokina? I can't find good information about - but it sounds nice, 70-220 with f3.5... but seems to be quiet heavy.

How ridicilously it will look doesn't matter to me, I like to impress people with my work, not with my Gear
I read that it works only with a linear and circular Pol-Filter. A friend of mine uses this Combo with Filters from Hama, they have a thread on the front so you can easily mount the one onto the other. I tried it, and the result is amazing (kinda magic!)
But thanks mate

Regards,
Lucas

[Orio]

Many super wides and long teles will require more than 62mm
So it depends ultimately on which lenses you are planning to use.
If you want to go under 24mm focal lenght or above 135mm focal lenght I definitely recommend to buy at least the 77mm filter, even better the 82mm or 88 mm

[Arkku]

[CameraRick]

Hi there Arkku,

I see.
I saw those color-problems in extreme conditions, it runed kinda violett; but in most cases I don't want to film right in the sun
Linear-Linear would be nice, because it's simply cheaper. With linear I can't use AF anymore, but I don't know if that's much ob a problem...
The eBay-Offer is great, but to be honest, I don't need such expensive Filter. And after that it' 45$ plus Taxes and Stuff, and "only" 62...

Hi Orio,
I think I simply don't have the money for ultra-wide lenses in most Cases. Fisheyes distort very much, so they aren't that useful, and other stuff below 28mm is simply very expensive - and after all that, in wide-angles it's not that problem to reduce the iris
The real problem seems to be for the tele - I think I won't use focal length above 135mm very often (for filming use!), but I'm thinking of buying a zoom so you are a bit more flexible at this lengths (that's why I thought about the Tokina). I think on day I'll check out the Tokina myself (I borrowed my Cam today - d'oh!) so I'll see if I have to buy a big one.

Regards,
Lucas