Filters thread into the front of a camera lens.
Photographic filters are sometimes difficult to remove from a lens. Polarizing filters seem to be especially hard to remove, perhaps because they receive frequent twisting because of their adjusting ring. Wrenches and friction tools are available to help get that stubborn filter off the end of a lens.
Instructions
1. Turn a stuck filter counterclockwise with a filter wrench to remove it. These tools are thin pieces of plastic that compress onto the sides of a filter and have handles that allow you to turn the filter free. Most photo stores sell them. Use caution, however, because the plastic is easily broken when too much force is applied.
2. Turn a jar opener counterclockwise to free a stuck filter. You may find these tools in the kitchenware section of a store. They are inexpensive tools similar to the filter wrench, but far more robust. The only problem with using them is their wider jaws may make it difficult to grab just the filter and not the lens barrel. When used with care, however, they perform well.
3. Remove a filter using a piece of rubber sheet to provide extra friction. Simply place it over the filter and turn it counterclockwise. Specialized tools are available, but this is remarkably similar to a jar-lid remover.
4. Free a filter with a specialized gum rubber lens ring tool. This tool looks like nothing more than a rubber stopper for a bottle, but it's made of soft gum rubber that provides more friction. They come in various sizes, so select one that will engage the filter's outer ring, not the glass. Hold it in place firmly and turn counterclockwise. An alternative may be found in the plumbing section of a hardware store.
5. Remove a filter with pliers as a last resort only. You will destroy the filter doing this. Grasp the lens firmly in one hand. With the other, grasp the outer ring of the filter using the pliers. Pay attention to where the pliers may go if they slip suddenly. Keep your elbows in against your body, so if the pliers slip, your hands won't move more than an inch or two.
Tags: filter lens, filter using, filter with, filter wrench, more than, outer ring
