How much weight can you add to the lens through the filter threads?

A

analogs

Well-known member
What is the general consensus regarding the strength of the filter threads of lenses? I am seeing manufacturers make products relying specifically on the filter threads of lenses to support their product, ie. matte boxes, rapid filter systems?

Is there a certain weight that we should not be going over?

Some of these clamp on matte boxes can start to go over 500grams once you add filters, and how secure are they during windy days or sudden movement or unexpected knocks?

Thank you.
 
I have never seen a matte box that attaches to a lens via the filter threads. Four of mine can/do attach by clamping onto the outer lens(but not the threads). Are you sure you're not looking at clamp-on matte boxes? Do you have a link to these "thread-on" MB's?
 
Accessories with metal threads tightly screwed into a good lens' metal threads can hold a lot of weight, but I don't think many are willing to experiment exactly how much.

I think the general consensus is if you see a dip, it's time to get out the rods/rails and a support.
 
Run&Gun said:
I have never seen a matte box that attaches to a lens via the filter threads. Four of mine can/do attach by clamping onto the outer lens(but not the threads). Are you sure you're not looking at clamp-on matte boxes? Do you have a link to these "thread-on" MB's?
Click to expand...

Hi Run&Gun, well technically, the adapter ring they use to attach the matte box, is just an extension to the matte box which allows the matte box to attach to the smaller filter thread size like 82mm, 77mm, 67mm, 72mm. This is what I meant :)

These matte boxes can also attach directly to the cinema lenses if they have the required clamp size and will not require the adapter ring.

I am referring to the new "lightweight" matte boxes out in the market or RFS rapid filter systems.
 
Got some links to these matte boxes?

Most anything with any real weight and I'd want a support under the lens. I have used my 1.33x anamorphic adapter on the front of a few, and it's several hundred grams worth of weight, especially when you get the diopters on there. That said, I then decided that if I was going to really use it, I was going to need a support to hold the weight up.
 
Years back I read that someone ruined their Nikon AIS lens with a clamp-on matte box, but I can't remember what matte box they were using. I wouldn't recommend putting anything other than standard threaded filters and lens hoods on lenses with threaded moving front element, like the Nikon AI, AIS, and D series primes. If you don't needs flags or graduated filters, UURig is a cheap alternative to Xume magnetic filter adapters.
 
I suspect it isn't the weight that causes the damage, but the increase in shock when you bash the thing into doorways, or do a pan and swipe a stand, or trip and do an accidental whip pan - that kind of thing, and those threads are quite weak. Threads themselves are quite strong as said, but only as strong as the weakest component - which is often the adaptor rings that can be made of very weak alloy, with low tensile strength. I think any extension more than 100mm/4" increases the accident risk considerably. Even just adding a larger lens hood does this. You bash them far more.
 
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