RonM12 Loc: Washington State

With the exception of my Nikon 200-500, the remainder of my lenses are 77mm. I have a couple ND filters as well as a Polarizing filter, all 77mm. With recently purchasing a 35mm f1.4, Nikon lens, I’m considering buying a 66mm to 77mm step up ring to allow me to use my existing filters. Not having experience with step up rings, is there a trade off in image quality or other considerations other than not being able to use the lens hood that came with the lens?
Thanks!

IDguy Loc: Idaho

They get stuck. IMHO not worth the hassle. But if you do get a set of (inexpensive) filter wrenches.

BassmanBruce Loc: Middle of the Mitten

I use step up rings all the time, saves me buying different filter sizes for all my old (Minolta) prime lenses. No issues for me.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

No, they won't affect image quality. Use the same common sense as with attaching or removing filters, there should be no problems. I personally prefer Heliopan brass rings, but in practice inexpensive aluminum rings, Bower, Kood, General Brand, &c, perform as well.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

They only get stuck if you over-tighten them! Simply stop turning as soon as you feel the slightest resistance. Very often I see photographers use way to much muscle when screwing filters and filter rings onto their lens - as if they are afraid the ring will magically rotate all by itself and fall off the lens if they fail to tighten it on with all their might.

melismus Loc: Chesapeake Bay Country

Rub all threads, male and female, with a soft pencil lead. I have never had galling of the aluminum in rings so treated.

Bipod

Great lenses!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I wish I had known about step-up rings before I bought so many filters. Now, I use a 77mm filter on whatever lens is on the camera. I don't tighten the rings excessively, and I move them back and forth a bit to make sure they're not stuck.

jtwind

I use step up rings on my lens most of the time. Didn't make sense to buy a nice polarizer to use on the 82mm and not use it on the smaller lens. Ditto for ND filters. If you know how to separate filters there seldom is a problem with getting them apart. Equal pressure is the key.

Tex-s

I use step-up rings for my ND filters, which were purchased for my largest (at the time) filter thread lens. Step-up rings can only, potentially, amplify some image error caused by the filter itself (because of the added distance that light must travel to the sensor after interacting with the filter). As for others that mention rings sticking, I always carry a small rubber 'thing' that most of us have in the kitchen to help with stubborn jar lids. This works perfectly for all filters and rings except circular polarizers..... After death, dental, and taxes, a stuck CPL is prime nightmare for me.

agillot

i use them , the cheap plastic ones , you get a series of them for under $ 10 .there are 2 kind , step up and step down .no problem with stuck ones .

RonM12 Loc: Washington State

Thanks for everyone’s input. My 77mm filters are all higher quality and felt I’d get more use from them using step up rings. So far I haven’t had any issues removing them, but try not to over tighten them.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

The biggest concern when using step-up rings to mount oversized filters on a lens is that the fitted, bayonet mount lens hood for the lens can no longer be used. You might be able to find a "generic", screw-in hood that's a good match to the lens.

Also, using a step-up ring positions the filter farther from the front element of the lens, where any dust or smudges or short-comings of the filter will be more apparent in images.... particularly on wider angle lenses and when using smaller apertures that render greater depth of field.

To me it's not worth it. I simply buy the correct size filter for each lens (and among my current lenses use 52mm, 55mm, 58mm, 67mm, 72mm and 77mm filters). So few filters are needed for digital photography... mostly just CPL, UV and the occasional ND.... it's not a very big deal to just get the correct sizes. Some types of filters I don't even bother with... for example I have no need for ND filters on telephoto lenses (rarely use CPL on teles either, though I happen to have them available if wanted).

Back in the days of film, I used step rings a lot... But had roughly 40 different types of filters!

Today shooting digital, I still use a few step rings... but only in order to conveniently and safely stack filters of different diameters for storage, off-lens.

2666loco

No cost to your photos. Step up rings work fine and do not affect the image. They're a lot cheaper than more filters.
Merry Christmas.

jim quist Loc: Missouri

I used to use step up rings and never had a problem with them.