Hi everyone,

As previously mentioned I recently bought a 52mm Kenko Nostaltone filter. My usual filter size is 58mm, I got the 52mm because I didn’t want to wait until April of next year to get a 58mm size from Japan and the 52mm is also a tad cheaper which is never a bad thing 🙂 . This isn’t a problem as the vast majority of my lenses have a filter thread size of 52mm or less.

This got me thinking on adapting four of my most frequently used small, light Micro Four Thirds lenses to this filter thread size. My Lumix 14mm f/2.5, 20mm f/1.7 and 35-100mm f/4-5.6 lenses all have 46mm filter threads as do quite a few of my other lenses and my Lumix 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 lens has a 37mm thread size so I bought four step up rings to step them all up to 52mm.

In order to minimize things I adapted one of my metal screw on 46mm hoods by fitting a 52-46mm step down ring and, to the front of the hood one of my 58mm magnetic adapter rings and lens caps allowing the hood to be used on three out of four of the above lenses. Why carry several lens hoods when one will do?, after all I can only use one lens at a time 🙂 . The exception to the above being the 12-32mm lens to which I fitted 37-52 mm and 52-58mm step up rings plus another of my 58mm magnetic adapter rings and lens caps. No vignetting at 12mm with a 52mm and/or 58mm filter/s fitted.

It all might sound more than a bit complicated but there is method to my madness 🙂 and this arrangement is very versatile as it allows me to shoot with:

1. No filters fitted with or without a hood.
2. With a 52mm filter fitted with or without a hood
3. With a 58mm filter snapped on to the end of the hood.
4. With both 52mm and 58mm filters and a hood if, not frequently, I so wish.

As an added bonus my TG-5 camera and filter adapter also takes a 52mm filter size for which I have a 52mm CPL filter I bought some while back. Fitting the 52mm CPL to one of my lenses as well as the hood allows me to rotate the filter by rotating the hood which is my preferred way of doing things as it’s quicker, less fiddly and still provides protection from knocks and flaring.

In total, 3×46-52mm step up rings, 1×37-52mm step up ring, 1×52-46mm step down ring, 2x58mm magnetic filter adapters and caps, one 46mm lens hood with 58mm front thread, there you have it 🙂

Kind regards

Leigh