Removing a Jammed UV Filter at DVinfo.net

Shiv Kumar · October 5th, 2007, 03:01 PM

This is the second time its happend. After having used my Letus and dismounting it from the Camera the UV filter on the Camera gets jammed.

When I mount the Letus it's not so tightly mounted, but the UV filter is virtually impossible to remove using hands.

This time, I'm unable to remove the UV filter using my hands and as much might as is feasible. So is there a trick or tool or something for this purpose?

I need to clean the Camera Lens and UV filter.

The UV filter is a Hoya UV filter.

Thanks.

Shiv.

Eric Weiss · October 5th, 2007, 03:29 PM

There is a tool

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...ch_Set_of.html

and a trick..

try wrapping a thick rubber band around the filter and twist it. it should grip it. you can also use a kitchen rubber glove..or one of those rubber discs to open jars with.

if the cam was outside in the heat, just wait for it to cool off and it will also be easier to remove.

Greg Boston · October 5th, 2007, 04:42 PM

You can also try placing your palm over the front of the filter and press while twisting, as opposed to gripping by the edges.

When it's stuck, and you try to grip harder on the edges, you deform the circumference and make it even harder to remove.

Try the front side approach.

-gb-

Shiv Kumar · October 5th, 2007, 05:11 PM

The camera was not in the heat so that's not it.

Thank you both for your replies! It's is mcuh appreciated.

Now I've tried the following:
1. Front side approach
2. Special rubber mat that one uses to open bottles.
3. Front side approach using the rubber mat.
4. I cooled the metal ring of the UV filter by placing it over an ice bag and tried the above approaches once again.

The only option left now is to buy the wrench.

Eric Weiss · October 5th, 2007, 05:56 PM

Wow. Did a gorilla put it on there for you?

You may have bent it trying to get it off.

My filters are always getting stuck, but a rubber band always does the trick.
I just carry one in my filter pouch. The kind the Post Office uses.

I've never used the wrench, but I've heard it works very well.

Bill Pryor · October 5th, 2007, 06:23 PM

I've always been able to get one off by the method suggested above--placing my palm down, pressing and twisting--totally avoiding squeezing the filter. Laying one of those jar opening rubber mats can help if it's really stuck, but you can't squeeze the sides at all.

Jack Walker · October 5th, 2007, 06:24 PM

This is the precise reason B+W says they make their filter rings out of brass and not aluminum. The aluminum binds, and B+W says that the brass won't.

I believe this is true, at least in part.

Richard Hunter · October 5th, 2007, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shiv Kumar

The camera was not in the heat so that's not it.

Thank you both for your replies! It's is mcuh appreciated.

Now I've tried the following:
1. Front side approach
2. Special rubber mat that one uses to open bottles.
3. Front side approach using the rubber mat.
4. I cooled the metal ring of the UV filter by placing it over an ice bag and tried the above approaches once again.

The only option left now is to buy the wrench.

Hi Shiv. Cooling the filter will make it contract and stick even more. How about heating it with a hot wet face cloth or small towel? You can put a piece of cling film over the lens first to keep it dry.

Richard

John L. Miller · October 5th, 2007, 07:28 PM

Amen to the last post. Shiv, you need to apply a small amount of heat. I don't know about using water on a cloth, but try using a simple hair dryer. Turn on the hair dryer then put your hand in front of it to make sure it cannot burn you but it should be almost hot. Then point towards the UV filter metal ring and rotate the blow dryer around it until the ring feels almost hot, or very warm. Then put the hair dryer down and proceed to twist it off. I would say this will work. Good luck. John

Shiv Kumar · October 5th, 2007, 08:04 PM

John, Richard,

I thought since the filter screws inside the camera's lens it needs to contract rather than expand.

I'll try the heating method.

Richard Alvarez · October 5th, 2007, 08:07 PM

I've had some luck with the 'oil filter wrench' approach. Basically, get yourself one of those plastic cable tie-wraps. ONe that is long enough to go all the way around the filter, and through the lock-end, and leave a good inch or two proturding.

Wrap the tie-wrap COUNTER CLOCKWISE around the filter. In other words, when you pull the end through the lock, you should be pulling it through a counter clockwise direction.

Grasp the free end with a pair of pliers and pull tightly. It will 'tighten the wrap around the filter, and if you are pulling on a tangent, also pull the filter in a counter clockwise direction.

Good luck.

Shiv Kumar · October 5th, 2007, 08:12 PM

Eric,

When I screwed th efilter on it was just normal tight. But the screwing the Letus on seems to make it over tight. This is happened twice now and both times, I've had the Letus mounted and then removed it.

The first time I did notice that the filter was turning while screwing on the Letus. When I later dismounted the Letus and tried unscrewing the filter the filter was jammed. After a lot of patients and effort it came off that time. I was on a shoot and needed to clean the filter and lens.

Being back from the shoot and noticing a lot of spots on (against sunlight) the filter/lens on parts of some footage I took at the end with the Letus off, I decided to clean the filter and lens and found that filter jammed again.

I've even tried pressing the camera onto a thick mouse pad with the rubber disk for opening bottles and the like over it (the mouse pad) and hold the rubber disk and pad in place with one hand and twisting the camera with the other to no avail.

I'm going to take it in to a Ritz Camera tomorrow. They said they may be able to help (they don't have a filter wrench however).

Shiv Kumar · October 5th, 2007, 08:15 PM

Richard,

I have a few cable ties lying around somewhere. I'll give that a shot too.

Thanks.

Shiv Kumar · October 5th, 2007, 08:26 PM

I got it off! Whew!

I have a thin strap for a lens bag (kind of like a camera strap). I strung it around the filter (like the wrench, cabel tie etc. would go), pulled the ends really tight between thumb and index finger and unsrewed. It took a bit of effort but it came off.

Thank you everyone for all the ideas and help. I feel much better now.

Jack, what/who is B+W? The filter in use is a Hoya filter (glass with obviously a metal ring). The real issue is screwing on a Letus like device onto the filter. It seems to tighten the filter while it is being screwed on.

Eric Weiss · October 5th, 2007, 08:26 PM

Well, that's good info for those using the Letus and a UV filter.
I guess you'll be leaving it a few stops loose next time.

Buy the wrench anyway. For normal filter issues, the rubber band should work most of the time.

As for applying progressive methods of hot and cold to the camera, just be careful with it. All I meant earlier was to allow the camera to naturally adjust to the temp that the filter was applied. That's not going to work in your case right now.

October 5th, 2007, 03:01 PM	#1
Shiv Kumar Major Player Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gainesville, VA, USA Posts: 327	Removing a Jammed UV Filter This is the second time its happend. After having used my Letus and dismounting it from the Camera the UV filter on the Camera gets jammed. When I mount the Letus it's not so tightly mounted, but the UV filter is virtually impossible to remove using hands. This time, I'm unable to remove the UV filter using my hands and as much might as is feasible. So is there a trick or tool or something for this purpose? I need to clean the Camera Lens and UV filter. The UV filter is a Hoya UV filter. Thanks. Shiv.

October 5th, 2007, 03:29 PM	#2
Eric Weiss Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Philly,PA Posts: 360	There is a tool http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...ch_Set_of.html and a trick.. try wrapping a thick rubber band around the filter and twist it. it should grip it. you can also use a kitchen rubber glove..or one of those rubber discs to open jars with. if the cam was outside in the heat, just wait for it to cool off and it will also be easier to remove.

October 5th, 2007, 04:42 PM	#3
Greg Boston Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DFW area, TX Posts: 6,117 Images: 1	You can also try placing your palm over the front of the filter and press while twisting, as opposed to gripping by the edges. When it's stuck, and you try to grip harder on the edges, you deform the circumference and make it even harder to remove. Try the front side approach. -gb-

October 5th, 2007, 05:11 PM	#4
Shiv Kumar Major Player Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gainesville, VA, USA Posts: 327	The camera was not in the heat so that's not it. Thank you both for your replies! It's is mcuh appreciated. Now I've tried the following: 1. Front side approach 2. Special rubber mat that one uses to open bottles. 3. Front side approach using the rubber mat. 4. I cooled the metal ring of the UV filter by placing it over an ice bag and tried the above approaches once again. The only option left now is to buy the wrench.

October 5th, 2007, 05:56 PM	#5
Eric Weiss Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Philly,PA Posts: 360	Wow. Did a gorilla put it on there for you? You may have bent it trying to get it off. My filters are always getting stuck, but a rubber band always does the trick. I just carry one in my filter pouch. The kind the Post Office uses. I've never used the wrench, but I've heard it works very well.

October 5th, 2007, 06:23 PM	#6
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	I've always been able to get one off by the method suggested above--placing my palm down, pressing and twisting--totally avoiding squeezing the filter. Laying one of those jar opening rubber mats can help if it's really stuck, but you can't squeeze the sides at all.

October 5th, 2007, 06:24 PM	#7
Jack Walker Trustee Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Burbank Posts: 1,811	This is the precise reason B+W says they make their filter rings out of brass and not aluminum. The aluminum binds, and B+W says that the brass won't. I believe this is true, at least in part.

October 5th, 2007, 07:28 PM	#9
John L. Miller Major Player Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Huntington, WV Posts: 260	Amen to the last post. Shiv, you need to apply a small amount of heat. I don't know about using water on a cloth, but try using a simple hair dryer. Turn on the hair dryer then put your hand in front of it to make sure it cannot burn you but it should be almost hot. Then point towards the UV filter metal ring and rotate the blow dryer around it until the ring feels almost hot, or very warm. Then put the hair dryer down and proceed to twist it off. I would say this will work. Good luck. John

October 5th, 2007, 08:04 PM	#10
Shiv Kumar Major Player Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gainesville, VA, USA Posts: 327	John, Richard, I thought since the filter screws inside the camera's lens it needs to contract rather than expand. I'll try the heating method.

October 5th, 2007, 08:07 PM	#11
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	I've had some luck with the 'oil filter wrench' approach. Basically, get yourself one of those plastic cable tie-wraps. ONe that is long enough to go all the way around the filter, and through the lock-end, and leave a good inch or two proturding. Wrap the tie-wrap COUNTER CLOCKWISE around the filter. In other words, when you pull the end through the lock, you should be pulling it through a counter clockwise direction. Grasp the free end with a pair of pliers and pull tightly. It will 'tighten the wrap around the filter, and if you are pulling on a tangent, also pull the filter in a counter clockwise direction. Good luck.

October 5th, 2007, 08:12 PM	#12
Shiv Kumar Major Player Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gainesville, VA, USA Posts: 327	Eric, When I screwed th efilter on it was just normal tight. But the screwing the Letus on seems to make it over tight. This is happened twice now and both times, I've had the Letus mounted and then removed it. The first time I did notice that the filter was turning while screwing on the Letus. When I later dismounted the Letus and tried unscrewing the filter the filter was jammed. After a lot of patients and effort it came off that time. I was on a shoot and needed to clean the filter and lens. Being back from the shoot and noticing a lot of spots on (against sunlight) the filter/lens on parts of some footage I took at the end with the Letus off, I decided to clean the filter and lens and found that filter jammed again. I've even tried pressing the camera onto a thick mouse pad with the rubber disk for opening bottles and the like over it (the mouse pad) and hold the rubber disk and pad in place with one hand and twisting the camera with the other to no avail. I'm going to take it in to a Ritz Camera tomorrow. They said they may be able to help (they don't have a filter wrench however).

October 5th, 2007, 08:15 PM	#13
Shiv Kumar Major Player Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gainesville, VA, USA Posts: 327	Richard, I have a few cable ties lying around somewhere. I'll give that a shot too. Thanks.

October 5th, 2007, 08:26 PM	#14
Shiv Kumar Major Player Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gainesville, VA, USA Posts: 327	I got it off! Whew! I have a thin strap for a lens bag (kind of like a camera strap). I strung it around the filter (like the wrench, cabel tie etc. would go), pulled the ends really tight between thumb and index finger and unsrewed. It took a bit of effort but it came off. Thank you everyone for all the ideas and help. I feel much better now. Jack, what/who is B+W? The filter in use is a Hoya filter (glass with obviously a metal ring). The real issue is screwing on a Letus like device onto the filter. It seems to tighten the filter while it is being screwed on.