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It is frustrating when you want to remove or replace a filter, and it decides to stay put. No matter how you try, you can't grip it firmly enough to get the thread moving. My first thoughts were of cold chisels and hammers (!) but my eventual solution is to use a nylon cable tie long enough to go close around the circumference of the filter. If you put it on the right way the harder you pull on the tail, the firmer it grips, and it soon starts the rotation. They cost a few cents each and I now have a small bunch of them in my bag.

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Brian,
Canon 5DII, 7D, EF-S 10-22, EF 50 USM 1.4, EF-S 60 macro EF 16-35 L USM, EF 24 -15L IS USM, EF EF 100-400L, Canon SX130

I have a jar opener that works on the same principle. One of the secrets is to keep an even pressure around the filter ring. If you concentrate it anywhere, it just grips harder.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Once my 18-55mm IS lens + UV filter fell down - everything still worked but the filter didn't want to move a bit. Well - I can't really remember how I removed it but as far as I know I used a pair of pliers. Luckily that was the only time I had that problem.

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Canon EOS 500D + Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Canon EF 24-105mm 4L IS USM + EF 100-400mm 4.5-5.6L IS USM + EF 100mm 2.8L Macro IS USM + Sigma 12-24mm 4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM + Canon Speedlite 580 EX II + Nissin Speedlite Di 466

Well, this thread came in handy!

I have a polarizer filter that got stuck. Problem is the front part keeps rotating - as it should - and the back part is too narrow to get any significant grip. Any tips?

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Canon 500D and 10D with grip; 580 ExII

Canon EF 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 USM; Canon EF 75-300 mm f/4.0-5.6 II; Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3; Canon EF-S 18-55 IS (broken); Canon EF 50 f/1.8 II

Too narrow even for the cable tie solution?

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Brian,
Canon 5DII, 7D, EF-S 10-22, EF 50 USM 1.4, EF-S 60 macro EF 16-35 L USM, EF 24 -15L IS USM, EF EF 100-400L, Canon SX130

[smacks himself in the head]

Let me just run downstairs at our warehouse...

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Canon 500D and 10D with grip; 580 ExII

Canon EF 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 USM; Canon EF 75-300 mm f/4.0-5.6 II; Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3; Canon EF-S 18-55 IS (broken); Canon EF 50 f/1.8 II

My friends, I have found a solution. Use a shoe! Really, it works so well. Preferably a flat one. Place it on the lens as if it were a lens cap, and rotate while applying mild pressure. Works like a charm .

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Trevor Harris

Nikon D200
SB-600
YN-560 II
YN RF 603 x 4
Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8
Nikon 50mm f/1.8

For me, I use a rubber band. It grips onto the filter better than my hand alone. There has been a time though that I had to bring it into the shop to get my polarizer filter off with a filter remover contraption they had there.

No charge but I tipped the guy a few bucks because he was really nice about it.

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Nikon D40
18-55mm kit lens
55-200mm VR
50mm f1.8
quatary mono/tripod

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an easy way would be to use a hammer but that might just damage the whole thing xD

but perhaps one of those http://knol.google.com/k/-/-/3se06belyo ... opener.jpg

a flat rubberized jar opener.. it opens anything that gets stuck

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http://www.AnderssonPhoto.com
Cameras: Leica M8, Nikon FE-2, Canon EOS 1D Mark IV, 5D Mark II, 40D
Lenses: Voigtländer Nokton Classic 35mm 1.4, Ultra Wide Heliar 12mm 5.6 ASPH II, Nikkor AI-S 28mm 2.8, Canon 24-70 2.8L, 85mm 1.2L II, 300mm 2.8L IS, TS-E 45mm 2.8, Sigma 105mm 2.8 Macro
Canon 1.4x/2X TC II, Canon 580EX II X2, Gitzo + Manfrotto.
Wishlist: Leica Monochrom, Summilux 50 ASPH, Voigtlander 35mm 1.2 ASPH II

Thanks to the unknown admins who responded so quickly to the spammer!

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Brian,
Canon 5DII, 7D, EF-S 10-22, EF 50 USM 1.4, EF-S 60 macro EF 16-35 L USM, EF 24 -15L IS USM, EF EF 100-400L, Canon SX130

I used to just use the pal of my hand and press firmly over the whole of the front of the filter and turn.... albeit slowly

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1) Olympus OM1 [Zuiko Auto-S 50mm f/1.8]
2) Pentax MZ-60 [Sigma 28-90 & 100-300]
3) Canon 7D [EF-S 15-85 & 70-200mm f/4 IS]

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