Adapter rings in photography

If you are new to photography, you may not have heard of adapter rings yet. Also known as step-up rings or step-down rings, they are one of those photo accessories that can be really useful when you want to save money.

You will find them under several names on e-commerce sites, which can quickly become confusing. This accessory is not the best known among photographers, and it is definitely not the first thing that comes to mind when you think about camera gear.

In this short article, I’ll explain everything you need to know about adapter rings: what they are really for, how to choose them, how to use them, and finally, the drawbacks of this accessory. I’ll end with a specific point about adapter rings used with filter holder systems, especially for neutral density filters (ND) or graduated neutral density filters (GND). Let’s get right to the point.

In fact, I use adapter rings with my filter holder almost every day. I recently reviewed the new 100mm NISI V7 system.

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The adapter ring is simply a circular accessory with threads on both sides, usually with two different diameters. There are many diameter combinations available, and we’ll look at that in more detail below.

Adapter rings allow you to use a circular camera lens filter with a different diameter from your lens. What does that mean in practice? To put it simply, you can use your 82mm polarizing filter on a 77mm lens, which is pretty handy. There are two types of rings: step-up rings and step-down rings. You will therefore see rings marked with two diameters, for example: 77mm – 82mm.

Examples of adapter rings – More details on Amazon

The main advantage of using an adapter ring is financial. Many photographers use circular filters for their photos. The problem is that we often own several lenses with different filter diameters. Adapter rings solve this problem because they allow you to use one filter on all your lenses, or almost all of them. This type of ring is mainly used with circular polarizing filters (CPL) and fixed or variable neutral density filters (ND).

Here is what you need to know when choosing your rings. Nothing too complicated here.

As mentioned in the introduction, there are two types of rings. By convention, the diameter of the lens on which the ring is mounted is always listed first. The diameter of the filter you will attach to it comes second. For example, a 77mm – 82mm ring is mounted on a 77mm lens and can accept 82mm filters. This is called a “step up” ring. In the vast majority of cases, this is the type of ring you will use.

On the other hand, a 55mm – 52mm ring can be mounted on a 55mm lens and can accept a 52mm filter. This is called a “step down” ring. But do you see the problem? Depending on the focal length used, there is a risk of vignetting, with black edges appearing in the image. The filter diameter is smaller than the lens diameter, and this can clearly show in the photo. That is why these rings are used less often.

Even though it is “just” a ring, many photographers agree that quality can vary a lot from one model to another. You can either buy cheap rings that will do the job, or choose better-quality rings, which, just between us, do not cost that much more. Here is an example of a Hama ring for mounting an 82mm filter on a 77mm lens. Here is also a set of 22 step-up/step-down rings from K&F, which has a very good reputation.

The difference mainly comes down to the rigidity and surface treatment of the ring. Many photographers mention low-end adapter rings that lock up when tightened a little too much, or even deform and get stuck.

As mentioned above, there is a good chance you will choose a step-up ring. Why? Simply because if you have three lenses with different diameters, let’s say 82mm, 77mm, and 72mm, all you need to do is buy one quality 82mm filter. Then you only have to buy the two adapter rings that fit your smaller-diameter lenses. You will not risk vignetting, and you will only have bought one filter.

When buying your largest-diameter camera lens filter, I really recommend seeing it as an investment. Don’t try to save $10 if it means ending up with a poor-quality filter.

Here are three examples of quality filters: a polarizing filter, a neutral density filter/ND filter, and a variable ND filter.

Another point worth mentioning is the range of available diameter combinations. When you browse popular rings on shopping sites, you will see that there are a huge number of different models. Even if you only look at step-up rings, which are probably the ones you are interested in, you will find options such as:

• 72mm – 77mm,
• 67mm – 77mm,
• 52mm – 77mm.

So if it was not already clear, you can find almost any diameter combination you need. I have not checked every possible option, so you may not always find exactly what you want in a single ring. For example, if you want to mount an 82mm polarizing filter on a 55mm lens. Well, actually, I just checked, and that one does exist, but you get the idea.

The point is that if you cannot find the perfect ring, you may have to stack several rings on top of each other to adapt your filter to a smaller-diameter lens. You can also often buy a “step-up set” with around ten rings, for example. With that, you should be able to find what you need.

Here are a few useful tips:

• Never over-tighten the adapter ring, as this can cause it to jam, especially with low-end rings;
• It is often better to screw the ring onto the lens first, and then screw the filter onto the ring.

Even though these rings can be very useful, don’t forget their drawbacks:

• You cannot really combine this system with other filters, let alone with a filter holder used for GND or ND filters;
• You usually cannot use a lens hood, although there are some inexpensive options from Hoya;
• You need to keep in mind the risk of jamming or deformation when unscrewing;
• If you use step-down rings, there is a significant risk of vignetting;
• Depending on the diameter conversion you need, you may have to stack several rings.

The purpose of this article is not really to go into that level of detail, but if you are a filter enthusiast, you probably know that many photographers use filter holders. They allow you to combine several different filters, including polarizing filters, ND filters, and/or GND filters. They also have the advantage of being usable on several lenses with different diameters, thanks to an adapter ring.

I personally use the 82mm wide angle adapter ring to place my Lee filter holder on my Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS.

So, depending on the filter holder you are going to use, and especially the diameter on which you want to mount it, make sure you choose the right adapter ring.

That’s it, I’ve come to the end of this short technical article on adapter rings. You should now be able to make a more informed choice. Personally, I’m a big fan of camera lens filters, and I prefer spending time taking pictures rather than sitting behind a computer doing post-processing. If you like accessories and gadgets, I invite you to read the article on travel photo accessories!

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Written by Sylvain PONS

I've been passionate about photography since 2010, learning as I went along. Today, I dedicate myself to guiding others in their choice of camera gear and sharing a variety of tips to improve their photography skills.

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