EF 28mm F/1.8 USM & EW-63II & B+W XS-Pro 58mm Filter

[weilin]

So it appears that the combo listed in the subject does not work well together. Namely, the filter diameter is just a little too largethat the hood doesn't fit over it. Given the delimma, what would you guys recommend: the hood or the filter? Is there a nice filter anyone here knows of that will work with the hood?

Wei

[neuroanatomist]

That's odd. A 58mm diameter filter should be no wider in diameter than the end of the lens with the 58mm diameter threads. After all, the EW-63II filter has a 63mm diameter opening, and that really should fit over a 58mm diameter filter with room to spare!


I have never had an issue with installing a lens hood over a filter with a diameter matched to the lens (and in some cases, wider - the hood for the 85L, which has a 72mm filter thread, actually installs over a 77mm filter mounted with a step-up ring).


I should ask, are you sure you have the 58mm B+W XS-Pro filter? B+W makes several styles of filter mounts. There are three styles that are the same diameter as the filter threads - the F-Pro is their standard mount, XS-Pro is a thin mount with front threads, Slim is a thin mount (slightly thinner than XS-Pro) without front threads. But there's also an 'extra wide' mount (sometimes called 'oversized') where the filter glass has a larger diameter than the threads - it's essentially a combination of a step-up ring and a larger filter. If sounds like you may have the 58mm extra-wide filter. If so, you don't need that for a 28mm lens, even on a FF body - I suspect even the F-Pro mount would not vignette on a 28mm f/1.8.


Edit: Forgot to answer one question - given the choice, I'd take a hood over a UV filter. The former improves the quality of your images (by reducing flare, increasing contrast) protects the front element, while the latter only protects the front element.

[weilin]

See for yourself (photo attached), by too wide I

[neuroanatomist]

That's a puzzler, alright. I only have one B+W 58mm filter (an F-Pro mount), currently on my MP-E 65mm, so there's no hood issue. That filter used to live on an 85mm f/1.8, and the hood for that lens went over the filter with plenty of clearance, but then, it was an ET65-III hood, 2 mm wider than yours. I'll measure my 58mm filter when I get home, and also compare a 77mm F-Pro diameter with a 77mm XS-Pro diameter.


I do notice that the difference between filter thread and hood spec is closer than usual for you - a 5 mm difference. Most lenses have a 6 or 7 mm differnetial between the two, although the 24mm f/2.8 has a 58mm filter and uses the EW-60II hood, which at only 2 mm different is very close (I mentioned that the ES-79II hood for the 85L fits over a 77mm filter, but that hood is a pinch-release hood and the buttons need to be pressed to go over the filter; if the 85L's hood was a bayonet mount it would not fit over the filter).

[Dave Johnston]

It does seem weird that it fits funny like that but I suppose you could consider yourself lucky that you have that hood. I have been trying to get one for a while now and they are still back-ordered from the factory. I am unsure how it is possible that NO ONE could have that lens hood, but I understand that this isn

[neuroanatomist]

Ok, so it makes more sense now that I've done some measuring. The 77mm XS-Pro MRC UV filter on my EF-24-105mm f/4L IS actually measures 80 mm in diameter (the glass is 77 mm, the mount adds to the diameter). The EW-83H hood for the lens has an actual minimum diameter of 81 mm, so clearly they don't count the protrusion of the bayonet mount into the hole when they name it an 83. That leaves only 1 mm difference (which matches the actual measurement of the gap). So, the 'spec' difference of 6 mm (83-77) is really only 1 mm. In your case, the 'spec' difference is 5 mm, which if the ratio is the same, means no difference, plus or minus, and in your case, it's apparently minus.


So, given that, I'd say use the hood, unless you need a filter for effect (CPL, ND, etc.). You can always mount the filter after the hood (at least, it's usually possible with the shallower wide angle hoods).