Passing On A Helpful Tip

PR Photo (click to enlarge)

A couple of weeks ago it happened.  I was out photographing and found I wanted to attach a polarizing filter to my lens.  Since I now only buy filters for my largest diameter lenses and  use step-up/step-down rings to adapt the filters to smaller diameter lenses, I pulled out my 77mm polarizing filter and a 77mm to 72mm step-down ring.  Onto the lens they went.

I then wanted to change lenses to use a shorter focal length for a different perspective.  That required a 77mm to 67mm step-down ring.  When I attempted to remove the polarizing filter from the larger step-down ring, it wouldn't budge.  I could easily remove the ring from my lens but could not separate the ring from the filter.  As this has happened a time or two in the past, I was prepared with a couple of techniques to remove the filter from the ring.

Technique #1.  I carry filter wrenches just for this purpose.  I retrieved the appropriate size filter wrenches, grabbed the filter ring with one and attempted to grab the very thin stationary portion of the rotatable polarizing filter with the other.  I found it almost impossible.  That stationary ring was just too thin to grab and twist.  Those thin filters I so consciously buy to avoid potential vignetting now became the problem.  The non -rotating part of the filter was just to narrow for the wrench to grip it tightly.  I tried and tried and tried.  Of course it was over 90 degrees F with high humidity so I was dripping sweat from my face onto the filter.  Hmmm.  This isn't working, I thought.  What next?

Technique #2.  I keep thick rubber bands in my bag for 'whatever' purpose as they may come in handy.  I keep the rubber bands that used around bunches of broccoli in the grocery store.  They are wide and heavy duty.  I tried carefully placing the rubber band around the non-rotatable part of the polarizing filter but it wouldn't work as well.  

At that point I gave up.  I packed up my camera and lens and headed home.

Back home I tried the same techniques in more controlled situations but found no success.  I then tried taking a circle of grippy rubber that we use to open stubborn lids from jars and bottles.  I placed the rubber on the counter. I placed the stuck ring/filter on it and tried gently applying even pressure all around and rotating it counter-clockwise.  Still no success.  

I've never had to go to such lengths in the past in separating filters from adapter rings.  What else is in my bag of tricks?  

I then tried differential heating and cooling since brass and aluminum conduct heat and/or cold at different rates therefore expand and contract at different speeds.  I placed the troublesome combination in the freezer and every couple of minutes tried to separate them.  Still no success.  I Then tried gently heating the step-down ring the best I could without heating the filter using a blow dryer.  That really was ineffective.

Finally, I tried something I had never tried before it it worked.  I put the stuck ring/filter combination back onto my lens and carefully taped the step-down ring to the lens with gaffer tape.  I wrapped the tape completely around the lens circumference.  There wasn't much to area to tape on the adapter ring but it worked!  I then easily removed the filter from the ring.

I keep gaffer tape in my camera bag for emergencies but never thought of using it for this purpose.  Gaffer tape is cloth based, has good adhesive qualities and leaves no residue.  It is used in the movie industry extensively.

There are many brands, colors and sizes of gaffer tape available.  I don't know if any particular brand is better than any other.  I buy mine through Amazon and have been happy with it.  I typically buy black one inch wide rolls.  Additionally, I'll buy a two inch wide roll and keep it in my automobile for emergency purposes.  I use it for many tasks that require something more than masking tape or cellophane tape.  One additional thing I heard about it but have never had the need to try it.  If, perhaps, a bit of residue is left behind when removing gaffer tape, if you put another piece down over the area of the residue, it will remove any left behind.  I've never had residue left behind but I thought I would pass that along just as information.  Again, I can't vouch for its accuracy.

I know many of you have had a similar experience and I wanted to pass on my experience to potentially save you a lot of time and effort.  I hope it works for you if needed.  This may be especially helpful if you are not near your home or are traveling.

Funny thing about this.  All my adapter rings are the same brand.  This 77mm to 72mm ring is the only one with which I've had an issue.  The others have always been fine.  I think I will retire and replace this particular ring.  Lesson learned.

Lastly, I only buy very high quality filters with brass rings.  In the past, the inexpensive step-up/step-down rings I've purchased have been aluminum.  I think in the future I will replace all of my aluminum adapter rings with brass ones as that should mostly eliminate the problem.

Join me over at my website, https://www.dennismook.com.  Thanks for looking. Enjoy!  

Dennis A. Mook  

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