filter threading for older vario-switar lens

[Shawn Gallagher]

Hi All,

 

I have an older vario-switar lens on my Bolex, the Vario-Switar 18-86mm EE lens. I've been trying to get a filter retaining ring that will fit on the threads on the front of the lens. The lens manual says that "series viii" filters will work and I CAN fit the non-threaded "series viii" filters in behind the lens hood (which acts as a filter retainer), but I need to add another filter on top of that (which the lens hood does not allow).

 

I can't seem to find a "series viii" retaining ring that will fit on the threads and which would allow me to stack another filter instead of the lens hood.

 

Is the pitch of the threads on the front of this lens diffrent from a standard pitch? I can't seem to get any threaded "series viii" holders to take on the lens threads

 

Do anyone have any suggestions for attaching 2 "series viii" filters in front of the 18-86mm EE lens?

 

And if anyone has any hardware that would allow me to stack 2 filters on top of the V-S 18-86 EE and is willing to part with it, I would be happy to buy it from you.

 

Also another question: what size filters fit on top of the vario-switar 12-100mm POE?

 

As always, thanks for your help and expertise!! I'd be lost without all the help I get from this forum.

[Guest Ian Marks]

I experienced the same problem with that lens. The pitch of the lens threads seems to be slightly different from the standard. As you noted, you can fit one filter behind the standard shade, using the shade as a filter retaining ring, but if you want more than one, you've got a problem. I was able to find a clamp-on Tiffen filter adapter which takes Series IX (9) filters, which are plentiful and can often be purchased at bargain prices. The adapter is actually slightly too big for the Vario-Switar, so I wrapped a bit of gaffer's tape around the barrel to make for a better fit (which also helps prevent the adapter from marring the barrel of the lens). It's not a perfect solution - something that threads or bayonets to the lens would be more secure - but it does work, and I can stack those Series IX filters till the cows come home.

[Shawn Gallagher]

I was able to find a clamp-on Tiffen filter adapter which takes Series IX (9) filters, which are plentiful and can often be purchased at bargain prices. The adapter is actually slightly too big for the Vario-Switar, so I wrapped a bit of gaffer's tape around the barrel to make for a better fit (which also helps prevent the adapter from marring the barrel of the lens).

 

Hi Ian,

 

Awesome. Thanks for the advice. One question though: Does the Series IX adapter hold a Series VIII filter in front of the lens as well. (I have a sweet Series VIII tiffen diopter that needs to be close to the lens to work (I think.) and which I'll never have to take out)

 

Thanks again! -Shawn

[Guest Ian Marks]

I don't think it would work. I wonder if Bolex ever provided a double-threaded ring that would fit between the shade and the lens... I know I've never seen one, but you would think they'd have had one.

[Shawn Gallagher]

I don't think it would work. I wonder if Bolex ever provided a double-threaded ring that would fit between the shade and the lens... I know I've never seen one, but you would think they'd have had one.

 

 

You'd think Bolex would have, seeing that they used some strange thread pitch and all. I've never seen one either. I have seen a Bolex close-up attachment for the EE lens that fits on the threading. Couldn't get a good look at it though, someone was selling it with an EE lens on ebay. I asked if they would sell the attachment seperately. No reply. I wonder if that close-up attachment had female threads as well. The whole thing's a mystery.

[David T. Nethery]

I realize this is an old post I'm bumping up , but because we're dealing with old cameras and lenses here,  any of this information is already frozen in time and when it is shared it is "new" and relevant info for anyone trying to get good use out of these fine old Bolex cameras.

Does the type of clamp-on Tiffen filter adapter mentioned above look like the one shown below (which says for Series VIII , not for Series IX , but I’m thinking this might be a good match for the Kern Vario-Switar 18-86 EE because it does specify that it takes SeriesVIII filters) . If this ring is clamped on to the front of the Vario-Switar 18-86 EE , I should be able to use more than one Series VIII size filters and then the lens hood screws into the adapter ring to hold them in place or are there actually screw-in (threaded) Series VIII size filters that screw in to this adapter ring?

Also, has anyone ever found the exact thread pitch size for the lens hood that screws on to the Vario-Switar 18-86 EE ? Or is it simply not a standard thread , but specific to this lens only ?  I can't find anything about it in any of the Paillard Bolex literature.  Only a brief mention that the Vario-Switar 18-86 EE takes Series VIII size filters that are intended to be held in place (only one at a time) by the Lens Hood.  The Paillard Bolex literature has no mention of using screw on threaded Series VIII filters (if there are such things?) or adapter rings to hold more than one Series VIII filter at a time.   

[Simon Wyss]

ISO-Feingewinde II (DIN 13-3) M 66 × 0,5

[David T. Nethery]

On 7/24/2026 at 3:26 PM, Simon Wyss said:

ISO-Feingewinde II (DIN 13-3) M 66 × 0,5

Thank you for that information, Simon.

So it seems Paillard Kern chose to use a non-standard diameter and thread pitch on the Vario-Switar 18-86 EE lens.

As far as I can tell, there are no screw-in filters that fit the M66 × 0,5  configuration of the lens (only the drop-in Series VIII filters held in place by the lens hood ... but in that case you are limited to single filter). Despairing of finding any filters or adapter rings that are M66 × 0,5 pitch, I did find this company, SK Grimes, who will custom machine a slip-on filter adapter ring that slips around the outside barrel of the lens.

 https://skgrimes.com/slip-on-filter-adapter/

 

Edited July 26 by David T. Nethery