DIY 37mm filter adapter for SX260, and others... - Hotwire! Hardware Mods, Accessories and Insights - CHDK Forum

DIY 37mm filter adapter for SX260, and others...

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DIY 37mm filter adapter for SX260, and others...
« on: 21 / April / 2012, 10:56:55 »
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I know there are some companies out there that make such beasts for certain cameras.  For instance www.lensmateonline.com sells an adapter kit for the S95.  Their kit is around $30 for everything you need minus filters... which isn't too bad but I'm cheap...  So I ordered:

- a 34-37mm adapter on ebay - $2
- 6 cheap filters UV, CPL, ND, etc - $10-$15
- snap in lens cap just because... - $2
- double sided tape - $5

I ground down the 34mm threaded part on the adapter so that i was left with a flat base as pictured.  Then attached that to the front of the camera lens housing.  Voila: you have a 37mm threaded piece to screw filters and the like into and it looks like it is going to work really well.

The 34-37mm adapter turned out to be too big for my S95.  When ground down the flat part is not wide enough to attach to the front of the lens housing.  So I ordered another adapter that is like 27mm-ish? to 37mm.  This should give me a wider inner "flange" after I grind down the smaller threaded portion.

I also haven't received the real tape I was going to use yet, so I just used some scotch two-sided to test my idea.  I ordered two different types of tape to try one is 3M and one is supposedly used for taping down LCD screens on a device like an iPhone when they are replaced.  Both of them were pretty thin which is what I am going for so hopefully one of them will work well.  The Scotch two sided like you get at Office Max is too thin and doesn't stay attached very well but worked well enough for my testing purposes.  If you are brave you could just two-part epoxy this down and be done with it.



Cheap way to start playing with filters,  plus protects your camera's lens if you just keep a UV filter on there.  And it adds minimal (IMHO) bulk.

The main thing you have to be careful of is; does your camera's inner most telescoping part retract to a lower height than the others?  On the SX260 it just -barely- retracts in further, so the slightly thicker tape I have ordered should account for this.
« Last Edit: 21 / April / 2012, 11:07:26 by oronocova »

Re: DIY 37mm filter adapter for SX260, and others...
« Reply #1 on: 21 / April / 2012, 11:53:53 »
Your method is similar to what I have used on my S95.

The first ring is attached to the body with VHB tape.
The other rings are M42 extension tubes.
The final item is a M42/52mm filter adapter so that I can use my existing filters and also easily attach to certain other equipment.
No machining or cutting required.

Re: DIY 37mm filter adapter for SX260, and others...
« Reply #2 on: 21 / April / 2012, 12:21:52 »
I really like that on the S95.  It looks beefy and looks like it was meant to be there.  So the S95 lens assy is able to move within you extension tubes?  I might steal your idea when I get around to doing my S95.

I think the VHB tape is the same type as one of the two I have ordered off ebay, or at least it looks like it and claims to be 3M brand.  I just did a search for double sided tape and ordered a couple cheap rolls with free shipping.  Of course they are coming direct from China so it is hard to tell what I will end up with.

Re: DIY 37mm filter adapter for SX260, and others...
« Reply #3 on: 21 / April / 2012, 12:49:01 »
It looks beefy

It is and that is a great advantage, you do not have to be too delicate handling the camera.

Quote
So the S95 lens assy is able to move within you extension tubes?

Yes, plenty of room.
I do not attach to any part of the lens assembly, it is attached to the large control ring.

Quote
Of course they are coming direct from China

Most things do, never had any problems.

I have made a slight modification.
When attaching a heavy, reversed enlarger lens to the 52mm filter, it tends to slip a tiny amount sideways as the tape does not have much 'shear' strength.
As precise alignment is necessary to avoid vignetting, an L-shaped bracket is attached to the camera via its tripod screw and the first ring pokes through it.

The other rings screw-in and clamp the first ring to the bracket, preventing it from moving.


David


Re: DIY 37mm filter adapter for SX260, and others...
« Reply #4 on: 23 / April / 2012, 21:46:01 »
Well I made a critical error.  Doh!  I missed it somehow when I attached it in testing.  Got the tape today and went ahead and did the "permanent" attachment.  Looked good, but the filter is just small enough to cast a shadow at the corners of the image with no zoom.

So that stinks.  I'm not sure what other filters are available that would work with this case...  a quick google search for "37..44 mm filters" turned up results for 37 and 44 but nothing in between.  I still think the 37mm will work for the S95 but I may go your route on that one.

So just to be clear in case someone reads this and tries what I posted in the OP, it doesn't work exactly as planned

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Re: DIY 37mm filter adapter for SX260, and others...
« Reply #5 on: 24 / April / 2012, 04:26:07 »
The 58mm adapter I am using on my s95 (attached via the tripod screw) does not cause any vignetting. See S95 with protector
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