Hello all:

Am wondering about black and white filters for Schneider 90mm SA-XL. I am confused by conflicting advise I have received from dealers. I am choosing between B+W and Heliopan. Do I have to have special "wide" or "thin" filters for this lens? One dealer told me that I needed "special" filters or they would touch the glass of the front element.

I am also planning to use step down rings to use these large 95mm filters with my other lenses which have 77mm and 58mm filter sizes. Is it nuts to try to go down this far (58mm)?

Thanks!

-- Scott Jones (scottsdesk@home.com), November 27, 2001

Answers

Seriously you might really want to look at the Lee or Hitech 100mm resin filters instead of the very expensive glass filters. There is no loss in optical quality (if there were, I wouldn't use them.

If you do want to stick with glass filters look at getting Series IX filters. This is a stndardized filter size that is not threaded. Instead the filter is placed in a two piece ring, the back half being the adapter for the various filter sizes you are using and the front being a retaining ring or a lens shade if you prefer.

-- Ellis Vener Photography (ellis@ellisvener.com), November 27, 2001.

I agree with Ellis- take a look at the Lee filters. Lee makes a special adapter for the SA-XL lenses with the 95mm filter adapter. The model # is FK100 and I've been using one on my 90mm XL for about 3 months now. It clamps on to the outside of the filter ring securely and can hold 2 or 3 filters (can't remember which at the moment....don't have it here for reference). The only problem I've had with the system was mounting the 4x4" filters in those little plastic mounts, but that's easy enough to get past. If you decide to go that route, you may have a little trouble finding one. When I bought mine I looked all over the place and eventually had to order it directly from the importer. B&H had them listed as out of stock at the time, but they may well have them in by now. So long as you're careful with the filters, using gel/polyester filters will save you a bundle, especially if you use a number of different filters, and the image quality is every bit as good as, if not better than through a glass filter.

-- David Munson (apollo@luxfragilis.com), November 27, 2001.

I have the 90/5.6 SA XL and use B+W MC 95mm filters with them plus the Schneider IVa center filter (95mm to 110mm threaded). For one, if your movements are limited (like an inch of rise), you can often get by without the center filter. You can stack a 81A and kaseman PL, but I don't use the center filter with this combo (will vignette). I've only had vignetting w/ the PL and center filter when using extreme rise. I've yet to hit the image circle on the 90XL...it's as if it's larger than advertised. BTW, as I use Technika lens boards, you need to unscrew the special ring on the rear element (that the slip on cap adheres to) to fit it through the hole in the lens board. The filters don't touch the front element...that guy's probably never used it, so he has no clue. Depending on the step rings, you might get vignetting on a wide lens like the 58XL or 47XL...I haven't tried it yet, but am considering 72mm and 77mm step-up rings.

-- James Chow (dr_jchow@yahoo.com), November 27, 2001.

Hi Scott,

I don't use a 90XL for 4x5, but I do have one (in helical mount) for my 617 and there's no problem with the Schneider CF (which is a must for this lens on 617) hitting the front element of the lens. The guy may have had the 90XL confused with the 110XL...I've heard several comments that the 110 *will* have glass-glass contact if a filter is mounted. I solve that problem by using 72mm filters with step-up ring (lens thread is 67mm)...something to keep in mind if you also have or acquire a 110XL.

Best, Danny www.dannyburk.com

-- Danny Burk (foto28@aol.com), November 28, 2001.