Are color filters interchangeable?

[Grandpa Ron]

I have a Canon T6 rebel. I would like to try some color filters.

Filters are sold by diameter but will a 58 mm filter fit Canon, Nikon or any other 58 mm lens?

Do they all use standard diameters and thread pitch?

 

[RVT1K]

I've never used a color filter before but I have circular polarizing filters on most of my lenses and I only order them based on the diameter. I've not seen any options for different thread pitch.

 

[Soocom1]

its all standard.

58mm is 58mm is 58mm.

by using a system similar to cokin, you can use the same holder for multiple lens diameters.

 

[zulu42]

For screw in filters, buy the diameter for your largest lens (mine is 77mm). Then buy (cheap) step-up rings so you can use the same filters for all your lenses.
Color filters can be found for pennies on the used market. In fact, I have several from buying used cameras and accessories. Let me know what color you're looking for. I might have one I can send you for free.

 

[480sparky39 38]

A 58mm filter will fit any lens that uses 58mm threads. They're all standard pitch.

 

[Grandpa Ron]

I was a bit confused, because some of the filters on Ebay indicate they are Nikon compatible, others say Canon while others do not specify.

 

[JBPhotog1]

Yes, thread pitch on screw in filters is all the same.

zulu42 has good advise regarding using cheap step down rings but there is a caveat. Depending on the millimetre spread of your filter requirements, lens hoods may not be usable when a 58mm filter is mounted to a 49mm step down ring for that lens.

 

[Derrel]

Screw in filters are usable on any camera, regardless of brand. A 58 mm filter Will fit any brand of lens. The pitch of the threads has been standardized for decades now.

For many years Nikon used 52 mm filters on all lenses in its consumer line between 24 mm and 200 mm in length, and its professional and high-grade lenses were 72 mm for the most part. Nikon's high-end and most desirable consumer zoom lenses used 62 mm filters in the 1980s and 1990s. Today

Nikon has now enlarged filter diameters, As have most other manufacturers. Currently 77 mm filters are considered the standard. For professionally oriented zoom lenses, and Nikon has recently released a series of high-performance consumer oriented zoom lenses that use 67 mm diameter filters in preference to the old 62 mm diameter.

One bit of advice about using step rings to adapt large filters such as 77 mm models to smaller lenses: I tried this, and found it to be more of a hassle than it's worth. Lens shades no longer fit, and you need different lens caps, and it makes a small diameter lens into a 77 mm fronted lens. I would much prefer to use the correct size filter, although I do understand this idea as a measure of achieving economy.

If a lens needs a 58 mm front thread filter, then I would recommend buying a 58 mm set of filters for that lens, and for any other same diameter lenses that you may have. However if you must buy a very expensive filter that you would like to share duty with several lenses, then the step ring solution is a decent one.

 

[Soocom1]

FYI:
The use of a name brand in the advert. is for query purposes..
you type in "Nikon" and it will grab anything with the word "Nikon"on it.

 

[petrochemist115 140]

A 58mm filter will fit any lens that uses 58mm threads. They're all standard pitch.

Not ALL but very nearly, the exceptions often being enlarger lenses (which often have odd diameters too)
There are standard pitches used for the regular sizes, while some smaller sizes can be found in two alternative pitches, such as M39 filters which I believe are mainly 0.5 pitch but the Schneider MAKRO-SYMMAR HM 180mm f/5.6 at least uses a 0.75 pitch.
IIRC there's one size that has a fairly even split between two different pitches.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Well, ebay... sellers can list/describe items how they want, doesn't mean their info. is reliable.

I've usually bought lenses (to use on film cameras) in a couple of different sizes so filters for shooting B&W would work on more than one lens.

 

[480sparky39 38]

A 58mm filter will fit any lens that uses 58mm threads. They're all standard pitch.

Not ALL but very nearly, the exceptions often being enlarger lenses (which often have odd diameters too)
There are standard pitches used for the regular sizes, while some smaller sizes can be found in two alternative pitches, such as M39 filters which I believe are mainly 0.5 pitch but the Schneider MAKRO-SYMMAR HM 180mm f/5.6 at least uses a 0.75 pitch.
IIRC there's one size that has a fairly even split between two different pitches.

Well, enlarger lenses aren't exactly camera lenses either.

 

[petrochemist115 140]

Well, enlarger lenses aren't exactly camera lenses either.

When on my camera they are definitely camera lenses, and they're more commonly used than some of the lenses I use
Somewhere or other I came across a list of standard filter sizes from one of the big filter manufacturers. I'm pretty sure there where 2 of the smaller sizes (now not so common) where 2 threads were listed.
Older camera lenses often won't have filter threads at all - using push on 'series' filters. Quite a few ancillary lenses use series 7 mounts, which are part of this old system.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Yeah, I have vintage cameras that use Series filters (7 being larger in size I think and made later than smaller Series). I didn't think anyone would be using those anymore unless using vintage lenses.

For most 'modern' era lenses I think there's a range of sizes, from smaller to medium 52mm or 58mm to larger 67mm etc.