Anyone know where to find a 100mm polarizer for the P67 55mm f3.5?

-- Michael J. Harding (mjharding@inreach.com), March 29, 2001

Answers

I hate to state the obvious, but if you keep your eye on eBay long enough, you'll see one pop up here and there. Don't expect to get it for cheap, though.

-- scott whitford (swhitford@msn.com), March 30, 2001.

This is not the least expensive route but you might consider getting a 100mm-105mm Step-Up Ring and a 105mm filter. B&H carry 2 B+W Step- Up rings for $96 each and a Heliopan ring for $75. It will be much easier to pick up a new or maybe even used 105mm polarizer. Again, their not cheap!

Maybe someone out there knows if this setup causes vignetting...

Good Luck, Randy

-- Randy Darst (darstdesign@cfu.net), April 22, 2001.

This is the drawback to the original 55. When I worked used equipment, after the 55 4.0 came out, no one wanted to buy this lens. A few good filters now cost as much as the lens, as you never seem to find them used. The 100-105 ring and 105mm B&W might be your best bet. Since these things are SO expensive, you might see if someone could make the ring/holder, if you could provide them with the unmounted glass - which can be had at military and optical surplus auction at incredible prices. I have seen this lens not hit reserve on ebay more than any other; I have to think the 100mm filter plays a role in that.

-- Carl Tower (cjtowerman@yahoo.com), August 09, 2001.

If you decide to search the internet auctions and the like, you might want to keep your eye out for older (and newer?) Sigma mirror lens filter kits. Currently, Sigma 35mm mirror lenses use 95mm filters, and B&H and other sellers carry these. I believe the older Sigma mirror lenses, which might have been sold under the label Spiratone, were 100mm, or maybe 105mm.

-- Miles Stoddard (p67shooter@yahoo.co.uk), October 16, 2001.

This is not directly on point here, but it might apply, and I couldn't find any such discussion on 95mm filters. I did not realize this, but I have been told quite a few older and newer monster teles used 95mm and 100mm filters - as did some aerial units and 70mm cinema cameras. Of course, I cant really prove this, but I was told it by people I consider knowledgable regarding older gear. It turned out VERY valuable information for me. Just the other day I was lucky enough to come across a Kowa 500mm lens. In the hard case were 6 95mm filters (3 b&w, UV, polarizer, and warming). I bought the lens, and sold it within a week for what I paid for it - but I kept the filters, which make them, essentially, free to me. Not everyone would consider such a purchase, just to get the filters, but they are so d^&* expensive! [not sure I can swear on Steve's board]. I add this because if my sources were right, for many people it might be worth it to make a mental note of other earlier uses, in case you came across aerial stuff or cinema stuff - which if you live in the U.S. is often unloaded routinely by the states, government, and military. I have not identified other 95mm lenses made now, and the aerial stuff I have found thus far is unique to a particular camera; and often these are push-on filters with a fractional diameter. But, you never know, there could be other filter treasures out there.

-- Miles stoddard (p67shooter@yahoo.co.uk), April 04, 2002.

My brother-in-law got his 95mm filters for his P6x7 new zoom in much the same way. He bought the original nikon 80-200 AIS lens which used 95mm. He got 5-6 filters with it, and turned around and sold the lens without the filters, for a small loss. The filters might have cost him $500+ if he bought them new, mail order. I remember seeing another Nikon on ebay recently, with the same huge filter size. I believe it was a 50-300mm or perhaps 50-350mm zoom. These lenses are so old, that back then you were basically buying custom filters when you bought something this big. Most people with the lens had at least some filters. I dont know if it is true, but a friend told me some Nikon 8x10 lenses were threaded 95mm, and that there were some sort of elaborate Nikon filter kits made then. If I remember correctly, the 8x10's were 300 series or 300mm? I am not a large-format user and cant say for sure.

-- Carl Tower (cjtowerman@yahoo.com), April 05, 2002.

This is a bit off subject, but since the last few replies were to, I will continue with the trend: The best used cheap source for 95mm & 100mm filters are from old military aerial cameras. Stuff is readily available new, but not exactly cheap. Many current-production meddium format lenses use 95mm: (1) Rollei 6000 series 75-150 Variogon & 300 Tele-Xenar; (2) Contax 645 line Distagon 35mm & 350mm Tele-Tessar; (3) Fuji 680 studio camera has a nearly full line using it = 65, 80, 115, 125 & 180mm; and (4) Bronica 100-220mm. The 100mm is not at all common. If you bought the 67 to use AS A GIANT 35mm SLR (street photography, etc.), you might not be thrilled at the idea of carrying and using a time-consuming and fragile Lee/Lindahl set up. If you want thread-on or push-on filters, the military surplus is an option but be forewarned that most mounts are unique to the camera (meaning you have to do some work to convert them; you may need to pay a machinist which might eliminate any savings you might have seen), some have heating elements built in which make the mount much larger than it needs to be, and some are not uniform across the face (due to the type of lens is was designed for some have parts - usually the center or extreme edges- of a different filter factor; this was so the image, produced using the lens intended would be uniform. When placed on a different lens, the density changes will almost surely underpose the center of the image. If you buy military surplus, you are taking a certain risk, though it can pay off (I know someone who bought for $20 ten 95mm filters for a Canon TV camera; filter code is YH-C-Canon, if that means anything to anyone. The metal hood has an inner ring area threaded for 100mm. So, you could use this as a step ring. It allows you to use 100mm filters on a 95mm lens. Problem is, people need the reverse of this for the older 55mm P67 lens. I mention it as it is the only 95-100 step I have come across). One last thing, if you are thinking of buying surplus sight-unseen, it is worth noting that many vintage aerial filters are very thick. If you intend to make your own mounts remember that many Metrogon, B&H, etc. filters are 1/3" thick (I have a orange Bausch & Lomb filter that is 3.75" in diameter but 1/2" thick!). Due to the thickness, it is often difficult to adapt such glass to existing filter rings from Hoya/Tiffen etc. It can be done, but it is often more time-consuming that many people might think.

-- Michael Tolan (mjtolan@kbjrmail.com), April 13, 2002.

I just purchased a Pentax 67 55-100 zoom lens on eBay in putting a 67II system together and have been researching the same problem. RobertWhite.com contacted Lee and they recommended the 100mm push-on filter holder which they are adapting to this specific lens for no additional charge at 102USD. The 105mm threaded front ring is an additional 32USD. The 105mm circular polarizer is 200USD. I agree these amounts are outrageously high but they're about one-third higher at B&H. I also purchased another holder and adapter ring so I can use the filter on my other lenses as well. I went this route partly because I already have Lee split ND filters and a lens hood/filter holder with which I have been very pleased. Sacha, at RobertWhite, was very helpful in answering my many e-mail questions. Maybe they can help you, too.

-- Peter Edwards (pedwards@edwardscape.com), April 13, 2002.