Stepping Rings

[Yecora99]

Hello,

I have an enquiry regarding stepping rings and wondered if I should post it here in the Camera chat section or within the Lens section.

I'll ask the question and see what responces I receive. If I don't receive any responses I'll post the same message within the Lens section.

In the past I have heard people refer to stepping rings as stepping up and stepping down and wondered which one I actually need.

So I'll explain my situation and see if you can advise accordingly. I bought a second hand Starblitz 1000 Macro Ring Flash a few years ago. This arrived with a stepping ring which enabled me to attach it to my old 49mm diamater lens, which I use with a set of extension tubes.

I have just bought a Tamron 90mm Macro Lens and wish to use the Macro Ring Flash on this Tamron Lens. The Tamron Lens has a filter diameter of 55mm, and the screw thread of the Macro Ring Flash is 52mm in diamater.

Do I need a steping up or stepping down ring?

Best Regards,

Yecora99

[mediaman]

Some front of lens accessories,ringflash included,have a "series V11" filter mount adapter. Do check the back of the ringflash,to find out. This proper type of mounting, [where you have the option]is preferable to stepping rings IMHO.

[Monobod]

I think in this case it sounds as though you need a step down ring from the larger lens to the smaller ringflash, but this may vignette the image by covering the outer corners. Check before you buy it.

[Fen]

You'd definitely need a stepping down ring. But I would think that the flash would be unusable with that lens due to the vignetting you'd suffer.

[mediaman]

What Monobod and Fen have said, about possable vignetting when useing step down rings, is the reason why most front of lens accessories [like a ringflash] have Series V11 mounts.
Have you checked? / "done a Google" on your Starblitz 1000?

[mediaman]

Just done a quick check, and your flash came with 2 adapters. as it fits 55mm, 52mm and 49mm. one assumes that if you unscrew the 49mm adapter, it should fit a 55mm thread. so ,possably,it may just fit "as is"
Bit confused by your statement about flash haveing filterthread of 52mm.....but you say that you used it on a 49mm threaded lens?
Haveing said that tho, cannot see a company producing equipment that needs adapters that need "stacked" so,try the above mentioned, and unscrew, if you can, the adapter still on the flash. It may just end up being 55mm....problem solved?

[Yecora99]

Hello,

Thank you for confirming that I am most likley going to need to order a 55mm to 52mm Stepping Down ring and that Vignetting will appear.

When I bought the Macro Ring Flash second hand a few years ago (off an auction site) it only came with the 49mm stepping ring (not a 52mm or 55mm adapter as shown in some online details). This enabled me to attach it to my 49mm diameter lens.

Last night I wondered if the ring flash would mount directly to the 55mm screw thread on my new Macro lens. I removed the 49mm stepping ring but unfortuntaly it did not fit, when I measured the diameter of the rotating screw thread on the rear of the ring flash it looks like it is 52mm.

I will have another look when I get home, but I'm sure there are no other adapaters attached.

Since you pointed it out, I now realise that moderate vignetting is likley to appear due to the 3mm difference in diameter. I suppose this will appear as a black edge on all sides. Thus resulting in me having to crop the visible image from the exposed image.

Best Regards,

Yecora99

[Norman]

Since you pointed it out, I now realise that moderate vignetting is likely to appear due to the 3mm difference in diameter. I suppose this will appear as a black edge on all sides. Thus resulting in me having to crop the visible image from the exposed image.

Vignetting is more likely to manifest itself as darkening in the corners of the frame. If you are using a cropped sensor you may get away with no vignetting apparent at all.