The filter is stuck on my lens !!! :(

[islandphoto]

I think when i screwed the filter on my 24-70L lens it got stuck unevenly and now I can't get it off. What do I do?????

[RossW]

I don't think there is much you can do other than try to gently but firmly unscrew it. If you have some sort of jar lid opener that won't scratch or bend it, use it for a better grip and some extra persuasion. Lacking that, put a wide rubber band around the filter for a better grip. Try to carefully back the filter out. Once you get it out, look to see if the threads on the filter and the lens have been stripped or nicked badly. You might try to put another filter onto the lens -- very slowly and carefully -- to see if you can clean up any minor damage.

If you don't think you've got the will to try, I'm sure there must be a bunch of camera shops on Oahu... see what one of them can do for you. They may have a special technique for that sort of thing. Good luck... hope it's all OK!

[Eagle]

Copied from another site.

A stuck filter with an aluminum ring should not be removed by squeezing from both sides with your hand; aluminum deforms and this could permanently warp the filter, damaging it and also making removal even more difficult. If the filter is stuck and a filter wrench is not available, cup the whole filter with a piece of fabric and press it down against something solid. Then twist the lens barrel to unstick things.
If you have a rubber band slightly smaller than the diameter of the filter, wrapping the rubber band around the filter ring sometimes improves the grip enough to let you remove the filter by hand.

[Bob_A]

If you have a pair of latex gloves or a rubber grip used for opening large mouth bottles/jars you can usually get enough grip to remove a stuck filter.

[zacker]

see my reply in your other post about this problem.
-zacker-

[greg20d]

a hammer and sharp chisel ??? j/k good luck

[rklepper]

I always keep a filter wrench set (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=WishList.jsp&A=details&Q=&sku=251749&is=REG)handy.

[lon10c]

Put the lens filter down on a mouse pad, push down slightly and turn the lens. Mouse pad should grip the filter allowing you to screw it on off.

[cneville101]

I have had this happen to me a couple of times... in my case, it has always been a function of temperature. The threads of the filter have expanded when I go from one temperature (typically air conditioning ~ 70 deg F) to another (typically outside, around 95 deg F and high humidity).

The filter eventually normalizes to the temperture and screws off without a problem. If that doesn't work, you can try putting the lens in the fridge for a couple of minutes - it won't hurt the lens (just don't spill anything on it) & it might loosen up the threads.

Good luck.

CMN

[islandphoto]

thanks everyone. THis thing is on so tight! I am going to look into a filter wrench set.

[Titus213]

Have you tried a large, flat rubber jar opener?

[islandphoto]

thanks... my husband popped it off with a kitchen knife :)

[Dante King]

FYI, when this happens to me, I screw in another filter on top of the stuck filter. Most times it will change the pressure on the stuck filter and it will come off easily.

[islandphoto]

I actually tried that but no luck... It was really stuck. Hopefully I didn't damage anything :|

[lmelendez]

Glad to hear you took it off the lense.

The only time it happened to me... I didn't want to risk the lense. I sent it to Canon and they took it out without leaving one scratch :)

Leo.