amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

I also mostly use B+W filters..... their F-Pro (8-layer multi-coated) and XS-Pro (slim frame, 16-layer multi-coated) are excellent.

I DO NOT use step rings to mount my filters. I buy the correct size for the lens I plan to use it upon.

Step up rings preclude using a lens hood, which I consider essential (to protect both lens and filter from both oblique light and accidental bumps).

Step down rings are even worse, causing severe vignetting on most lenses.

A better solution, IMO, is to decide what lens you are likely to use a particular filter on and only buy the size that lens needs. For example. I'd be far more likely to want to use an ND on a wide to wide or a wide to normal zoom, than on any of my telephotos. Also, if the intent with an ND is to shoot still photos in bright light with unusually long exposures or with exceptionally large apertures, likely only one or two strengths of filter would be needed. For example, I might buy only an 8 or 9 stop filter.... or a 3 stop and a 6 stop, which can be stacked to give 9 stops if that's ever wanted.

I actually do use a few step rings... but only so I can screw together different size filters in a single, large stack for storage (with two different size "protective" caps for each end). I carry 58mm, 72mm and 77mm filters this way. I have a couple lenses that use other sizes (55mm and 67mm), but one is a macro lens and the other a telephoto zoom, and I've never had need for any filters on those.

I guess part of the reason I don't mind getting filters in the "correct" size is because we need so few filters for digital. It's not like the days of film, when I'd carry 25 or 30 different types of filters and having those in a variety of sizes was a real problem. Now I mostly only carry polarizers (in three sizes), UV filters (three sizes) for the rare occasion when they might be needed for protection, and a couple ND filters (only in 77mm size, to fit the two or three lenses I might want to use them on).

agillot

buy the cheap ones at $ 8.00 , they work ok

lgaravaglia

I'm not an expert by any means, but my experience is that aluminum rings bind much more easily that brass. Brass step up rings are marginally more expensive than aluminum ones and in my opinion well worth the money.