stuck lense filter

[Matthew Elaschuk]

So I've gotten myself into some trouble with my lense filter. Got my GL2 yesterday and couldnt wait to try it out to get some snowboard footage. I really shouldnt have seeing how it was 15-20°C but I just couldnt resist.

Anyways before I took the camera outside I put on my UV filter to protect the lense. Went up the hill then once at the top put on my Raynox semi-fisheye. I did a few runs with the GL2 and everything was fine. When I got home I went to take off the UV filter and it wouldnt budge. Its stuck the the camera like glue. I think the problem was that I put on the filter in a warm area then when I took it outside the threads shrunk then when I put on the fisheye it forced the filter on even stronger. So when the camera warmed up the threads expanded and now its on there really tight.

Can anyone offer any advice on how I might be able to take off the filter? I've tried a few things already but I dont want to damage the filter or camera.

[Jerry Norman]

I haven't tried either of these, but you might try warming the filter with a hair dryer and/or gripping rim with one of those rubber things used to remove jar lids.

[Andrew Todd]

you might have overthreaded it... i have a step down ring stuck on my xl1s

[Alan Craven]

Photo shops usually have plastic wrenches for sale to remove stuck filters - rather like a lightweight version of the kitchen device for removing lids from glass bottles.

I would not recommend trying to warm the lens front - you have no way of controlling the temperature. You may well do more damage - I recall a lens years ago which I left in the sun and returned to find molten grease all over the place inside the lens.

[Matthew Elaschuk]

Thanks for the tips guys. I'll try to find a camera shop with some filter wrenches and maybe see what they suggest at the shop.

[Matthew Elaschuk]

Ok well I managed to get it off. I did have one of the kitchen jar wrenches, which I did try originally but The band was too wide and kept sliping off when I applied any force to it. But then reading these posts made an idea come to mind. Instead of a smaller band why not a wider filter?

So I lightly screwed another filter to the stuck one and that gave more area for the Jar wrench to grab. And presto the filter came off!

Ah what a relief, thanks again!

[Don Palomaki]

Remeber, if you squeeze the filter ring toward the center (axis) of the lens, the ring will try to distort to oval shape, and grip the threads tighter like brake shoes. Better to press flat as if pushing the filter ring into the camera with an even pressure around the front edge of the ring and then twist.

[Dale Guthormsen]

Funny this should come up!!

I shoot outside in everything down to -25 degrees with my gl2.

With a snow coverd outdoors i always use a adjustable polarizing filter and leave it on most of saskatchewan winter.

The other night I filmed a hockey game and when in side the non heated rink (which was cold but not by outside temps) and low lighting I went to remove the filter and was in quite a frinzy trying to get it off before face off. Part of the problem was the outside turning of the the filter, just could not get a grip.
I have never had that problem before. I would of thought warming the camera up slowly would do the job unless it was cross threaded.
I got it off but a wrench would be better and handy to keep in ones bag.


I am going to look for one of those filter wrenches!!
\Thanks for the info!!!!

[Cosmin Rotaru]

Don Palomaki explains the way to remove the filter. Try like he says.