Help figuring out which Lensmate adapter pieces my G11 needs?

I finally broke down and bought a G11, but now that I've been playing (I'm pretty much a noob), I want to see if I can use some of the old 58mm filters that I had laying around from a college course. .. . I came across the Lensmate after reading the poor Canon reviews, but now I'm totally lost.

On this page:
http://www.lensmateonl​ine.com …__utmv=-&__utmk=200651694


it says that you can use the adapter's base / "A" with the "Kenko Pro1 Digital Circular Polarizer 58mm" filter. Is this the only 58mm filter that I can use?? Or can I use the ones that I've got laying around as well?

I'm confused as to whether I have to be parts A and B (base and 72mm adapter) in order to use filters (and thus having to buy 72mm filters as opposed to playing with what I already have)

Can someone pllleeeaeeeeaaaaase help me out? . .. . .we're heading out on a trip next month, and I'd like to get and play with this before we leave

Wow 65 views and not one reply! I wish I could help but don't have any of the Lensmate pieces and wouldn't want to steer you wrong.

Have you tried to contact Lensmate? I haven't used any of their adaptors but it would seem a 58mm thread is a 58mm thread

well AFAIK it should be the same as for the G10.

With part A u can use 58mm filters but u are limited on the amount u can zoom in before the lens hits the filter. They recommend u to use their filters as they are thinner than most and some thicker ones may cause vignetting as they made their adapters as small as possible i believe.

Part C + part A allows u to zoom in more and use 58mm filters but the added length will cause vignetting/block the corners of the shot when zoomed out.

Part B + part A allows u to zoom in and out freely without vignetting and without needing to take part C on and off but requires the larger 72mm filters.

I also considered getting the lensmates awhile back for my G10 but i ended up getting a much cheaper ebay part A + C alternative.

...although the quality isnt great and the threads are quite rough (particularly for my part C, filters are hard to screw on and off) they still do the job.

^^^ Like Yapo said...

You can use part A with the filter, but it can only really be used at the wide angle.

For my G10, I have parts A + B with the 72mm filter. At the widest angle, I have some vignetting in 2 of the corners. So, as lensmate suggested, I removed the gasket on part A, and now the vignetting is pretty much gone.

Ok, got it . . . thanks!
Lensmate wasn't much help when I contacted them via email - they just sent me a link to the same page that I was confused over.
I did find a review on a blog that helped clarify a bit more: http://jefflynchdev.wo​rdpress.com …or-landscape-photography/
and based on that went with the base (a) + 72mm adapter (b). So now it's wait time, and crossing of fingers to see if it'll work.

Thanks everyone!

I have the lensmate for the G9 and all my 58mm filters fit on it so it shouldn't matter which one's you get. If you stack more than one filter you start noticing vignetting on the wide end though...

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I was very tempted by the Lensmate but importing them to the UK is very expensive, I eventually went for a Chinese clone which basically gave me their version of Part A, B & C for UK 16 pounds or around $25. The only major difference is that the Part C filter size is 77mm which is fine for me as that is what I use with several of my L Lenses. eBay Dealer Link - may be of interest, hope it helps... Some pics -

G11 fitted with A & C

GSeries1 wrote in post #9627176
I have the lensmate for the G9 and all my 58mm filters fit on it so it shouldn't matter which one's you get. If you stack more than one filter you start noticing vignetting on the wide end though...

The lensmate website says if the lens hits the filter the camera shuts off. So how do you use the camera and be sure not to go beyond 53mm focal length? I can't see any display within my G11 tell me what focal length I'm at.

To further confuse things, lensmate says a 55mm spacer is required when using a UV filter and their part A.

Thanks for your help.

Cheers,
Rene

rbil wrote in post #9657670
The lensmate website says if the lens hits the filter the camera shuts off. So how do you use the camera and be sure not to go beyond 53mm focal length? I can't see any display within my G11 tell me what focal length I'm at.

To further confuse things, lensmate says a 55mm spacer is required when using a UV filter and their part A.

Thanks for your help.

Cheers,
Rene

Too complicated. They must have had to make all sorts of compromises because of the G11's wider angle of view.. The lensmate on my G9 is all one piece and works at all focal lengths. (On the other hand the wider angle is a nice feature)

OK, didn't know the G9 and G11 were different in terms of lenses. But my question should still be valid. You said you used a 58mm filter. So you should be restricted in zooming only to a standard lens focal length. If you zoom a bit beyond doesn't the lens hit the filter and if it does, what happens? Does the camera shut off? Do you worry about damage to lens or camera?

rbil wrote in post #9657899
OK, didn't know the G9 and G11 were different in terms of lenses. But my question should still be valid. You said you used a 55mm filter. So you should be restricted in zooming only to a standard lens focal length. If you zoom a bit beyond doesn't the lens hit the filter and if it does, what happens? Does the camera shut off? Do you worry about damage to lens or camera?

It's 58mm on my lensmate and that refers to the size of the filter thread, (diameter) not the length of the tube. The lens doesn't hit the filter even when zoomed in to its max,,, on the G9 anyway.

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But you probably can't shoot at a short focal length without terrible vignetting, no? What is the widest the G9 will shoot at?

rbil wrote in post #9658191
But you probably can't shoot at a short focal length without terrible vignetting, no? What is the widest the G9 will shoot at?

I have the G9 with adapters from Canon and Lensmate, and I get a small amount of vignetting with an inexpensive polarizer I got at Walmart when at the widest zoom - 35 mm. The vignetting is only in the upper left-hand area, and is eliminated by zooming out every so slightly. I could probably eliminate the problem by buying a thin polarizer, but I'm not very concerned about the problem. The G9 zoom range is 35 to 210 mm equivalent.

I plan on getting a G11 (and keeping the G9) next month, and will have to navigate the complicated adapters from Lensmate to achieve the same results. As I understand it, you can use 58 mm filters with part A, but you are limited to wide angle shots. I assume this is because the lens may crash on the filter if you zoom out too far. You can avoid this issue if you go to 72 mm filters, and add part B to part A. And, if you want to use the tele conversion lens or a macro filter, you need to add part C to part A. I have the Canon tele (2x) conversion lens as well as their wide (0.75x) conversion lens. I hope to be able to use them on the G11, but I'm not entirely certain yet. I have not purchased a macro filter lens, but have been considering it. These lenses allow me optically expand the G9 zoom range from 26 to 420 mm equiv., but at the cost of convenience (carry them with me and change lenses, etc.). They might allow me to change the G11 zoom range to 21 to 280 mm equivalent.

Dennis

rbil wrote in post #9658191
But you probably can't shoot at a short focal length without terrible vignetting, no? What is the widest the G9 will shoot at?

I get no vignetting at any focal length unless I use more than 1 filter but my G9 only goes out to the equivalent of 35mm or so,,, while I think the G11 goes out to 28.