In article <19961128071100.CAA15580@ladder01.news.aol.com>, agindes@aol.com says...

> Recently I traded in my Pentaz Pz1-p and my FA 28-105 lens that I
>had used with Pentax cameras for the past four or five years. It's really
>a great lens and I never had any problems with it. The problem is that
>Pentax seems to be abandoning people in 35mm format when it comes to other
>lenses--or pricing their pro lenses--like the 80-200 2.8 at 2x the Nikon.
>So, reluctantly, I gave it up.
> The problem is I used all my Tiffen filters on that lens which is a
>58mm screw in. Now the problem is how I can use my Tiffen filters on Nikon
>and Minolta lenses--neither of which come--at least in my preferences--in
>58mm.
> 1st question- is whether anyone out there has used step up lenses
>and what success they have with them. I'm thinking of taking my Nikon
>35-105 which is a 55-and using a step up to let the Tiffens fit. Has
>anyone tried step ups? Any problems.

No problem (in fact, with the unfortunately thick Tiffen rims, a 52mm
may very well vignette on the Nikkor 35-105 [BTW, if this is the non-D
version you are thinking of, it does need the shallow shade made for
it, which will not fit with the adapted larger filter {though another
shade may fit...}]). Personally, I would take this opportunity to dump
Tiffen filters, which I consider inferior to most others (the rims are
too thick for use with many wide-angles, they are often "sandwich" type
[introducing more surfaces], and they DO spontaneously fog [I realized
this again, as I discovered flare while shooting a recent job, checked
the Tiffen tungsten conversion filters, and found them fogged on both
sides - but since I always put them away clean, and one was kept in a
Nikkor plastic filter case {which has never resulted in a fogged
Nikkor or Hoya filter...}, and I have seen this happen before], I have
a low opinion of Tiffen filters). Nikkors and Hoyas are better.

> 2d question--is the use of step down lenses--has anyone been able
>to use these without vignetting and light fall off--if so--at what
>apps-and what types of lenses. The general philosophy is to never use a
>step down--but is this really valid if you shoot, for instance at F16?

Generally, yes. If you have DOF preview available, stop the lens down
to the smallest stop and stick your finger in front of the lens, resting
it on the lens front edge. See how far you can move it in at a corner of
the frame before it just becomes visible. Pull it back slightly to
compensate for VF coverage innacuracy, and see what you have... With most
lenses, you will not be able to use a step-down ring without vignette,
unless you are shooting close-ups with a close-up lens on the step-down
ring.
[.....]

> Fourth option-I've been reading in the Net about the new Nikon
>24-120--I haven't even seen one advertised yet but some people have got
>their hands on it--what filter does it take? And what experiences has
>anyone had with that lens?__I understand it is pretty slow-4--5.6--come on
>Nikon, can't you just give us a 28-105 like everyone else has? If so- why
>not? Barrel distortion? Flare? Field curvature? Lateral color? I don't
>see, no offense, how any of these could be worse than some of their new
>Thailand lenses.

Uh, maybe Nikon wanted to give us something better... (though the
nit-pickers do seem to be having fun with this rather good lens...;-)
For a review, go to this address:
http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~qtluong/photography/35mm/24-120.html
Hope This Helps