09/02/2026 7:55 am
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I’ve been building out an L-mount setup (Panasonic S5 II + a couple of L-mount primes), and I’m getting a little lost when it comes to filters and adapters that actually play nicely with these lenses.
Most of my shooting is outdoors (landscapes + some travel video), so I’m looking at a good CPL and a variable ND. The catch is my lenses don’t share the same thread size (one is 67mm and another is 77mm), and I’d really like to avoid buying duplicates if step-up rings are a sane option. I’ve also heard that some variable NDs can cause ugly “X-pattern” issues on wider focal lengths, and I’m not sure how much that applies to typical L-mount wide/standard lenses.
On the adapter side, I’m tempted to adapt a couple of older DSLR lenses (EF or F-mount) to L-mount, but I’m worried about random compatibility headaches (stiff aperture control, inconsistent AF, or weird clearance/vignetting once filters are stacked).
So what filters (CPL/ND/variable ND) and what lens adapters have you found pair best with L-mount lenses, especially if you’re trying to standardize with step-up rings and avoid image quality surprises?
4 Answers
11
09/02/2026 9:00 am
TL;DR: consensus is 77mm + a decent 67→77 step-up ring; safety-first, go fixed ND stack over vND on wides (less X risk). If you do vND, Tiffen Variable ND Filter 77mm 2-8 Stop is a safer mid-price pick; for adapters, a dumb/mechanical EF/F-to-L is usually the no-drama move.
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09/02/2026 9:00 am
+1 on standardizing to 77mm w/ a decent 67→77 step-up. And tbh for vND, I’d go NiSi True Color Variable ND 1-5 Stops 77mm since it’s less “X” prone; for adapters, cheap “dumb” EF/F-to-L is least headache.
2
09/02/2026 7:55 am
For your situation, id standardize on 77mm + cheap 67→77 step-up rings, then run a solid CPL + a non-variable ND stack; over the years variable NDs (even nice ones) gave me X-pattern on wide-ish shots. For adapters, I stick to dumb/mechanical (cheap, reliable) unless you buy a proven AF one like Sigma MC-21 Mount Converter (Canon EF-L) used ($120-180) to dodge random weirdness
1
09/02/2026 8:10 am
Ok so, i feel u… mixed thread sizes is annoying. I’d standardize on 77mm and just step-up the 67→77 with decent rings (I’ve had cheap rings bind a filter, unfortunately). For CPL, I’ve had better luck with B+W 77mm XS-Pro Käsemann High Transmission Circular Polarizer MRC Nano (pricey, like $150-200) or the more budget Hoya 77mm HD3 Circular Polarizer. For ND, honestly VNDs are convenient but the X-pattern is real on wider shots… I’d rather carry fixed NDs like Breakthrough Photography X4 77mm 6-Stop ND plus maybe a 3-stop.
Adapters: for EF→L, I’d stick to Sigma MC-21 Mount Converter (Canon EF to L-Mount) if you need AF—random “smart” adapters were NOT consistent for me. F→L, I’d go dumb mechanical and just manual everything, less drama. gl!
