Stupid Question.. my filter is stuck

[BrandonSi]

I can't get my polarizing filter off of my 50mm. Is there some trick to this damn thing? It turns (which I assume is so I can adjust it), but it won't say goodbye to the lens.. !?

[velvetjones]

Bad things sometimes happen to good people. I would remove the lens from your camera and use something to get a good grip on the filter without doing any damage to it or the lens. It will come off......

[PJ]

I've had this problem before. What i did was remove teh lens from the camera body and place the rear end cap on. I then took a pen and tapped the filter all over the place on the metal ring. Eventually it loosend up and I could remove it.

[BrandonSi]

Bad things sometimes happen to good people. I would remove the lens from your camera and use something to get a good grip on it without doing any damage. It will come off......

It won't strip anything inside the lens.. where the filter screws on? Just don't want to break it...

[PJ]

wow three posts showed up all at once

[BrandonSi]

Thanks guys.. I'm not sure what method did it but it finally came off once the lens was off the camera and I gave it some tapping and elbow grease.. damn filter.. guess that's what I get for buying a cheap-o Tiffen :(

[Steven M. Anthony]

this happens to me all the time. I've found that less "grip" actually works better. So rather than grasping it for all you're worth, just gently turning the botton part of the filter will likely do the trick.

[ScottE]

Try putting the lens filter down on a "sticky" surface like a mouse pad. Press lightly down so that the filter won't tum and turn the lens. Sometimes it is easier to un-thread the filter if you are not gripping in from the side.


Woops - you are using a polarized filter. That won't work. Sorry, I didn't read carefully enough.

I never put a polarized filter on very tight because I don't want to have to solve that problem.

[Nolz]

just out of curiosity...was it cooler (temperature) when you put the filter on?...

i left the lens off the body, grabbed some dish washing gloves (made sure they were dry) and gripped the lens in one hand and the filter between my index and thumb, then with a few tries she came loose...without any damage :)

[CyberDyneSystems]

You could try a good pair of slipjoint pliers... or more precisely.. Channel Locks.

[BrandonSi]

just out of curiosity...was it cooler (temperature) when you put the filter on?...




Actually it was.. about 20 degrees cooler and about 6,000 feet higher in elevation..

[csondagar]

just out of curiosity...was it cooler (temperature) when you put the filter on?...




Actually it was.. about 20 degrees cooler and about 6,000 feet higher in elevation..

This happened to me once I put a filter whilst visting Glasciers in Banff. On our way back to Jasper, I turned on the car heater (in summer!) and left the lens near (not too close) to the heater vent. This slightly raised the temp around the lens, expanded the diameter, and voila - easily unscrewed the filter. Make sure not to heat the lens.

[Brianbar]

In Winnipeg Canada, we have a true dollar store that sells jar opener, used mainly by older people, there are two sizes in a pack and they have a rubber insert that protect the filter and lens.
I find this always works for me.

Good luck
Brian
Winnipeg

10D
17-40L
28-105
75-300
420EX

[cmM]

lost of liquid wrench and a crowbar! :P

No seriously, I've had my UV filters get stuck a couple times. I just took the lens off and used a cloth to get a better grip of the filter and it came off no problem. I don't trust my dexterity with pliers and clamps and whatnot

[Rendezvous]

I guess if you grip the filter with your hands, it squashes it tighter against the thread on the lens...

[Belmondo]

A strap wrench will usually do the trick.

[Bruce Foreman]

In Winnipeg Canada, we have a true dollar store that sells jar opener, used mainly by older people, there are two sizes in a pack and they have a rubber insert that protect the filter and lens.
I find this always works for me.



Another item that works well, is very safe to use, and fits in any corner or pocket of the camera bag, is one of the thin rubber "grip" pads that are used to turn jar lids off.

Bruce Foreman

[stevekwiz]

My wife and I were on a two day photo shoot of waterfalls on the north shore of Lake Superior between Duluth and the Canadian border. To get one shot I had to climb down some rocks, and at one point set the camera down, gently, I thought. When I aimed, I noticed a spiderweb effect on the filter of my fixed 50mm lens. I had set the camera down lens first. I went to take the filter off and it was stuck, probably had been in place for years. The only other lens I had with me was a zoom, and I had no choice but to use it the last part of the last day. The last waterfalls is on the Pigeon River on the border, and it's a big one. I could not get the whole falls in with the zoom.

Later the lens came right off with one of those rubbery jar grippers.

[B_uzz]

I always carry a few wide rubber bands with me for this. They don't take up much room and can be used for other tasks.

[MrKickalot]

just out of curiosity...was it cooler (temperature) when you put the filter on?...




Actually it was.. about 20 degrees cooler and about 6,000 feet higher in elevation..

If you think it might be the cooler temperature that caused it put it in the fridge for a minute?? I wouldn't think it would hurt it.. Just a thought.

[arumdevil]

no your all wrong. what a bunch of amateurs!!

next time just hit it with a hammer ;)

[Hogleg 44]

I suspect the real problem stems from dis-similar metals in the construction of the filter versus the lens causing some slight galling. Aluminum against steel or titanium. I seem to remember an add for one of the more expensive filtermakers stating that this won't happen with their filters. Perhaps a tiny bit some type of clean lube on the filter threads??? or....just don't tighten the filter all of the way!