Reddit mentions: The best camera flash adapter rings

• You aren't going to be able to buy all of this gear with $2000-3000.
  
  
• Watch this video. This is the mother of all travel videos.
  
  • This video was shot with a Lumix GH3, a 12-35 f/2.8, a cheap telephoto zoom (14-140 I think?) and a Nocticron 42.5mm. No Ronin, no drone, no IBIS, etc.
    
    
• A Ronin is a hassle to set up, really cumbersome, and not suitable for the run and gun type of style that Kolder and Alveraz make. The closest thing that I can think of which would be run and gun-ish (but you still don't need) is the Zhiyun Crane which goes for around $600.
  
  
• Personally: I see that you have $3000 available, so my first inclination is to say get the GH5 with a 12-35 f/2.8 I (the $600 version). The dual-IS doesn't make a huge difference, the GH5's IBIS is good enough. Then buy a nice Tiffen variable ND filter, step-up ring, maybe one of those Tascam audio recorders for nat sound, and save up for the 35-100 f/2.8.
  
  Broken down:
  
  
• GH5 - $1997.99
  
  
• Lumix 12-35 f/2.8 I - $699
  
  
• Tiffen ND filter - $129.99
  
  
• Step up ring - $9.95
  
  
• Tascam portable audio recorder - $99
  
  
• Total: $2935.93
  
  I will end on this note: You like these videos because they are well shot, well composed, and well edited. I could hand you the best camera system in the world and you're going to make a shitty video if you don't know how to use it. Whereas I could hand a great cinematographer a crappy camera and he'd make something awesome. It's more about what you shoot than what you shoot with. With that in mind, the GH5 is fucking awesome (I just got mine) and it's a great tool to learn on and grow with.

>How often do you guys use telephoto lenses?

This depends on things you'd like to shoot, if you like landscape, almost never. We have a 70-200 that never leaves the house, longest I usually bring with me is a 85

>If I do end up getting one, do you think I would find scenarios where I wish I would have one?

Usually you need it for the reach, in a concert, a wedding, a zoo, trying to grab subjects you cannot otherwise get closers

>Is the SEL55210 a decent lens?

it's a good lens, personally, much like my 70-200 I never used it much.

>I'm really confused with telephoto lenses because even high-end lenses have pretty slow f stops.

the platform you bought into prefers size over lens performance, it has nothing to do if it's high end or not

>And about aperture, how do you know what aperture you should shoot at?

It depends on the look you are going for, the light that's available and the amount of things you want to be in focus (depth of field).

>I've read that most lenses lose quality beyond around f8 or f11. Is that true?

not necessarily loss of quality, but the focus of light start to break down call diffraction. It typically starts to appear in smaller apertures and only become noticeable in extremely small apertures

>Does that mean that you should never really go above that number?

A small aperture is needed if you want a larger amount of subjects in focus, or you need to reduce the amount of light entering the camera. You can also use a small aperture to give certain looks to the bokeh balls or lights. This photo here shot with the 14mm 2.8 at f22, you can see it forced everything to be in focus and gave the lights a 6 point star look

>I also noticed from my moon pictures that the most in focus one was actually at ~f5 and focus wasn't set to infinity. How does aperture and focus combine to make the moon more in focus at those settings than others? Or maybe it's user error since it was the first time I tried to use it.

On Sony E lenses, infinity is actually a few hairs below infinity focus, it's best to manually focus yourself by zooming in

>And filters.

Different folks will have different opinions on filter brands and the type of filters you should get (I only use CPL and ND, I feel that UV is a sham). But if you want to save money, buy a larger filter, like a 77mm and then purchase step down rings to use them with all your lenses

>And final question, how do you bring all of your equipment with you?

keep your camera out and with you, have the Sigma 19 on it, carry the other lenses in camera lens pouches

The one that is linked is not a ring flash it is a led light. I have one, and their best use is for macro shots, and I use them for some smaller product shots at work. It is not really ideal for portraits because the light is not very even or effective over 4ft I would say. If you want a great ring flash for work look at a sb900 (or canon equivelent) and a ray flash

Are you looking at the square filters with a holder and set of adapter rings, such as these? Or singular, circle filters like these?

If you're looking at square filter systems, you'll just need a holder, filters (all of which are a standard 100mm size), and the adapter rings which connect your lens to the filter holder. You can then transfer the holder with the same filters to each of your lenses.

If you're looking at single, circle filters, they come in a variety of sizes and this is when you should buy the one that fits your largest lens a set of step-up/adapter rings. Having said that, I don't think I've ever seen a filter that's sold with the rings included like you mentioned?

If you're new to ND filters, spend a good amount of time considering which method you'd prefer and which brand to go with. It's always worth spending more on a good set of filters "for life" than buying cheaper ones, as you'll often find they colour-cast and can ruin your images. Well known and respected brands include Tiffen, Lee, Cokin Z Series, Hoya, B+W etc.

When I started using anamorphic scopes, I bought this 'complete set' of step-up/step-down rings. Admittedly, they are cheap. But having a whole set is SO useful when getting started.

For my setup (which includes a Sankor 16C, Olympus taking lens, and a 77mm diopter set) I ended up needing three different types of step-up and step-down rings.

I'd suggest getting the full set of cheap ones to find out EXACTLY the ones you need. Then, when you realize you need a 52 to 77 as well as a 48 to a 67, then you can buy higher quality specific ones to meet your exact build.

I've used Hoya filters for over a decade and they've always been great. I specifically have Hoya Pro 1 Digital. You could buy one for each lens, 58mm for the 18-55 and 43mm for the 23/2. Alternatively you could buy one at the largest diameter of the lenses you currently have or plan to have, and buy a step-up ring set to convert it to the diameter of the rest of your lenses.

That is exactly what I use. I have the reveres ring as mentioned by treerex, but to get ridiculous magnification I use a 52mm to 52mm thread coupler to reverse mount my 50mm on my 105 macro. Pics of some plant matter then it burnt here then the set up here. It is fun but at the same time quite difficult to use considering how small the focus plane is. My best results come from pressing anything I wanted to photograph between the pages of a book in order to make it as flat as possible. Even then I stop the 105 way down and use a flash to get a manageable DOF.

/u/saeched - before DSLRs, when opening the aperture and zooming in didn't deliver shallow enough depth-of-field, camcorder shooters used 35mm lens adapters such as the [Letus Mini] (http://www.amazon.com/Letus-Mini/dp/B003M65ZX6/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) [Referral Link] to get "cinematic" shallow DoF from small sensor camcorders, as seen here: https://vimeo.com/36143741

Sadly, these adapters cost almost as much as an inexpensive DSLR.

If you decide to go this route, you'll also need a [$3.55 49mm to 43mm step down filter ring adapter] (http://www.amazon.com/uxcell-49mm-43mm-Black-Adapter-Camera/dp/B008IET2RM/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) and something like this [classic Nikon 50mm f1.8 lens] (http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-50mm-1-8-AIS-lens/dp/B004LVEAPK/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) [Referral Links].

Good luck on your shoot!

Looks like the only way to use that with the 77mm is with a step down adapter like this one https://www.amazon.com/XCSOURCE-20pcs-82mm-Filter-DC162/dp/B009ZCDD58

If you own a 24-105L lens from canon, the adaptor ring size you want is 77mm. You also want the foundation holder and whatever filter from lee you want to use that will fit into the holder.

I recently picked up a Fenix LD12 (single AA battery) which has four brightness modes(3-200 lumens) as well as strobe and SOS. The clip is removable. It is a very high quality little light.
I also got this red filter which fits on snugly.

To add on to this, get an ND filter that fits your biggest lens. For example, if your biggest lens has a 77mm thread mount, then get a 77mm ND filter. What you can then do is get the appropriate step-up adapter rings to adapt them to your smaller diameter lenses.

This will save you from buying multiple ND filters for each lens.

this lens http://www.amazon.com/Sigma-19mm-f2-8-Lens-Sony/dp/B00BPZD0M4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458568448&sr=8-1&keywords=sigma+19mm+lens,

and ok so just buy the biggest size ND filter? then get some adapter rings? (like this?)

i got my ring as part of a system, i think. you can get a FilterDude equivalent for $20

You actually need a 67mm ND filter. The sizing is based on the filter thread size, not the focal length of the lens.

Also if you have other lenses with a bigger filter thread, you would choose the largest filter ring size, then use step up rings to adapter to different lenses.

Buy a 62mm -> 58mm step-down ring like this. Problem solved.

Sorry, one more quick question. Would I need the Step Up or the Step Down?

Rule of thumb for ND filters is to buy the largest size of ND filter that corresponds to the size of the largest lens you intend to buy for your camera system.

No step up ring system is going to include the thread size for your kit lens or the 25mm since they're non-standard. As such I suggest buying a regular step-up ring kit alongside a specific step-up ring that adapts your current lenses to the kit.

Step up ring kit: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016I7RW9A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Specialized non-standard step up ring:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0048IFQCC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm looking into my first ND filter set. I'm squared away on which ND filter to get, but I'm having a little more trouble with the kit itself. I think this ring holder, and this ring adaptor for my Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 lens should work. Does that look about right for what I'll need to use the 10-stop ND filter?

Also, does it make sense to buy a kit for my other lenses - a 70-200mm f/2.8 and a 14mm f/2.8? I was contemplating both, but the 14mm, with its curved lens, might not be a good fit for using an ND filter?