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[troublemaker]

I am wondering what sort of filter set up some people may be using on their vintage lenses. I am thinking to mount a Cokin adapter ring to a couple of slip on VI filter mounts so I can have the versitility of the Cokin or other filters. But first, I would like to know if modern filters will work with the vintage single coated lenses like my Optar 135's. I have thus far been hand holding a red filter over the lens when needed, but this will never do in the near future, and especially when using a polarizer for handheld shots. I have my RF's adjusted rather well and have already had success shooting the Century handheld for some architectural fun. MY other idea is to mount a 46mm step up ring and just use screw on round filters that I already use for my 35mm. Thus I could use either the Cokin or screw in. I need to use a polarizer more and also a half shade for my landscapes. The photo shop tried to discourage this adaption withe the older lens but I have not tried it and if it works with later lenses, why not with vintage? I am thinking getting a coated filter might even help with brighter conditions?
thanks for reading,
steve

[t.r.sanford]

I've not used the Cokin filters, but I can think of no reason in the world why the age of the lens, or the presence or absence of any antireflection coating, should prevent their successful use. Of course, you're adding another air/glass (or air/plastic) surface, and you'll want to take care to shade the lens, and try to avoid shooting into light sources; but this is good practice with any uncoated lens, whether or not there's a filter in front of it.

The Cokin filters I've seen appear to be more or less square, like the gelatin filters made by Kodak (but, I'm told, more durable). This would seem to make it feasible to construct an adapter for them by forming a holder out of black mount board and simply gluing it to an old retaining ring that will fit whatever Series size adapters you're using.

People were using filters long before coated lenses were introduced!

[troublemaker]

I have been told to keep the Cokin slides as close to the lens as possible, but I would assume that for all filters as you mentioned. I do make every attempt to shade the lens when I shoot. Sometimes wiht a hood, more often with my body, and have recently taken to resting or holding my grey card as a shade, or the dark slide. If I use this old Kodak slip on VI ring I can get the cokin reasonably close, and with screw in ring style filters can have no light leaks from the side. I intend to try both. B&H has a 45 to 46mm adapter and I figure to just glue it in clean with epoxy. No machining, no fuss. I dislike customizing vintage parts, but this may be the best way as opposed to spending hours trying to machine an adapter, and I never use these slip on rings for anything, so what the heck. I am prety sure I will get better performance doing sailboat stuff on the bright water as well as other things with a polorizer. Bouncing around in a skiff trying to frame shots with a full auto 35mm is difficult enough, but I am fairly conviced I can do it with my Graphics now that I have the RF's dialed in. So long as I can keep the bouncing bobbing subject in focuss and stop down enough to keep a 45 to 80 ft boat within the depth of field, not to mention correct shutter speed and remebering to pull the DS, I would hope to get at least 50% decent images. Too bad I can't get 4x5 ISO 400 color slide film, but I could always try some Tmax B&W. I have a 152 Optar that might work well because I could stabalize the subject by being farther away. I intend to use the 103 Trioptar at about f11 with provia 400 on the Century starting out. The only thing left to do is get a polarizer on the front in a way that I can concentrate on composition and not worry about it. Exposure times will be a bit of a crap shoot but I think I have enough experinece now not to have to keep metering constantly.

[Henry]

I dunno, maybe I got lucky once or something, but I was able to acquire (at camera shows) all the series VI slip rings, hoods, polarizer, + and - diopters, color balancing, and b/w filters I would ever need. My feeling is that this is the way to go, if you can, rather than cobble together a system with the Cokin or whatever; but hey, if it works, go for it!

It was fun looking for, and finding, all this stuff too, but this was right before uBuy conquered the world and camera shows began to decline. C'est la vie.

[glennfromwy]

Light sneaking in between the lens and filter or coming in from the edges would cause a lot of problems.
That makes me wonder if there is any way they could be mounted behind the lens, which is prefered by a lot of pros anyway. Just a thought. Personally, I'm more like Henry, as I grab series filters and adapters at every chance. BTW - B&H Photo still stocks some series filters and they are quite expensive for what you get. I'll stick to ePrey.

_________________
Glenn

"Wyoming - Where everybody is somebody else's weirdo"

[Nick]

I was trying to post this yesterday.

Lee makes a holder called a gelsnap. It's a holder using a high tech device called a rubber band. Maybe developed by NASA. Costs around $20 for the holder and will supposedly fit any lens up to 82mm outside dimension. Well that's the claim but like all high tech stuff you have to wonder. I've heard from people with smaller lenses that it doesn't fit well on lenses below a certain size. I guess the rubber band can't handle it. Once you've invested in this system then any 3x3 or 4x4 filter can be used.

For behind the lens Calumet used to [might still] sell a setup that attaches to the back of the lensboard.

Personally I ended up with a Tiffen MCS system. No longer made and for the most part not lamented. Instead of a rubber band it uses three set screws. It's a nice setup for all those barrel lenses without any filter rings. I likely spent too much money putting the whole setup together but it does fit any lens up to I think 105mm outside measurement. Allowing me to use anything from 3x3 to 4x4 to a range of screw in filters.

The other thing I bought is also no longer made. It's in Simmon's view camera book. Unlike the Lee gelsnap it uses a metal band and is limited to 3x3 but is otherwise similar I guess. Includes barndoors. Used it's fairly cheap since most people have no idea what it's for.

I think it depends on your needs. If you're looking for filters for one lens I'd agree with the others and just get series filters. Personally I was looking for a setup that could be used on a variety of lenses and that was flexible.

Likely the better money is no object choice would be one of those hoods with filter slots. But they cost more then my cameras.

[troublemaker]

I have it figured out since last night and shopping around for what step up rings are available.
I am simply, as mentioned above, going to cleanly glue a 44mm to 55mm step up ring in my 1-1/2 and 1-1/4 step slips and I will have a very compact and neat looking adapter that will seal out light and act as a short lens hood. I will be able to use filters I already have including my adjustable circular polarizer. I will also be able to play around with Cokin because I can just screw thier compact adapter ring on it. I will probably find or make a compression lock ring (glorified hose clamp) to keep the slip ring in place if shooting from a boat, but to get this up and working will cost only what the step up ring costs, and it will look super cool, about nine bucks I think. P.S. I do have some VI filters, but want to have the newer coatings in front thinking that it will benifit the older lenses. This slip set up will fit all my best standard lenses.
I do not think I want to deal with the behind the lens thing, I want to put some modern coatings in front of the older lenses. If it doesn't work well, I will sell it on "ePrey" for 35.00!

[Henry]

I did that 44-55 step-up thing and found that my stubby fingers had trouble getting to the shutter settings because the 55 suddenly seemed bigger than a house. That's another reason I stuck with the series VI system. Just my own experience---YRMV.

[troublemaker]

Getting at the works was my main concern, but it doesn't appear that it will be too much trouble for my medium small fingers.
But how did your exposures look when you did try it? I should have my set up running in a couple days.
For now I am going outside to try my first hand-held 4x5 color test. With a naked 135 Optar.

[Henry]

Tell you the truth, I quickly abandoned the 44-55 set-up so I don't really have results to speak of. Plus, it was a few years ago. But best of luck with your method. I see no reason why you shouldn't get good results out of the step-ring arrangement.

[troublemaker]

I have used my step up system and it works fine. and for all my creative thinking, I saw a auction on ebay for a lot of rings and adapters that was a bit humbling. Anyway, the polarizer, cokin graded filter and all seem to work well with littel trouble getting to the controls. Heck, the thing slips off easily, but so much so that it will fall off. A littel black tape will seal up the cokin and can be rapped on the tripod or whatever for field work.
I like it, and it works on most of my lenses for 2x3 and 4x5, and the only thing I bought was two adapter rings.
44mm will stay put in a VI slip on ring without stripping the threads or having to glue it if one is not aggro with it.
regards,
steve