Step up rings?

Generally speaking do step up rings work pretty well for sharing filters like a circular polarizer? I've got a 72mm filter and currently have two other lenses with filter sizes less than that. Can I use a step-up ring pretty effectively?

Yes, step-up rings work perfectly fine. I have 77mm polarizer, and ND filters and I share them with all my lenses.

There are a few annoyances though: 1. you won't be able to use your lens hood and 2. some times the filters will bind to the step-up ring (I use the cheapo ones from Adorama, maybe B+W will work better). A filter wrench comes in handy.

[QUOTE=imahawki;105221​43]Generally speaking do step up rings work pretty well for sharing filters like a circular polarizer? I've got a 72mm filter and currently have two other lenses with filter sizes less than that. Can I use a step-up ring pretty effectively?[/quote]

if you are using step-up rings frequently -- i mean changing back and forth -- you'll probably tire of the hassle and get CPLs for the lenses you use them with frequently. that's what i did.

ed rader

They'll work, but sometimes they'll prevent you from using the lens hood without a bit of a hassle. Some of the rings are also pretty crappy. IF you're going to go that route, I'd go with a B+W ring...the filter threads on and off like butter, ditto for attaching the ring to the lens. The cheapies seem to have coarse threading, which makes binding that much more of a possibility. My advice would be to spend the extra $10 or so for a B+W ring...

I'm in Ed's camp pretty much...a CPL for each filter size of my most used lenses. I just started using step rings, but mainly for my variety of Singh-Ray filters...much too expensive to have multiple variations of each, plus some are only available in 77mm, making a ring mandatory.

Thanks guys. It think so far every lens I own is a different filter size.