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Nikkor 14-24/2.8 might be the best wide-angle zoom lens available today. It outperforms all wide angle prime Nikkors, and only 21mm Zeiss is known to be sharper. The optical performance has its toll: This beauty doesn’t accept any filters in front of it, and it doesn’t have gelatin filter holder either. This is an obvious problem for landscape shooter and could really keep one from buying it. Nikon doesn’t offer any solution to this, neither any third party by this far. However, some enthusiasts have build a workaround of their own from available 3rd party parts. This “solution” works on DX-body with one filter without any vignetting, on FX be prepared to zoom in a bit (appr. 17mm ->).

This article does not provide any final solution, only a workaround, as said earlier. -Still, this is good enough for me as it holds my polarizer and ND-grads on place! Any on these ideas aren’t originally mine, I just gathered the information & parts and put it all together. I really hope that this is of some help to someone!

Preparations and the parts needed:

1. This is a bit on a pricey side, prepare to put 400€ into this project if you start from the scratch.
2. Order Lee Push-on Filter Holder 100mm. I ordered mine from B&H Photo, USA.
3. Order Lee 98mm-100mm Donut Adaptor Ring. Many thanks to mr. Graham Merrit from Lee Filters, he was of great help in this project!
4. Order the 4×4″ (100mm) filters you need or use the ones you possibly already have. Lee and Hitech filters are good, I have no experience with others.
5. Order 1″ (25mm) long screws from your Lee dealer (you might wanna use some hacksaw on the screw ends later, I did).
6. Get about 80pcs of thin washers, quantity may differ regarding the thickness. Too much is a great amount to start with!

The most important part of this project is the Lee Filter Holder. It is supplied in component form and it has slots for two 4×4″ filters. Due the unfortunate fact, the 14-24/2.8’s construction and its limits, we have to remove the outer slot and raise the one that remains. Original screws supplied with the Push-on Filter Holder are way too short, so I replaced them with 1″ Lee spare part screws. As you can see from the picture, they are a bit too long. -That is easily fixed with hacksaw and file. I filled the space with 20 thin washers, but your number could be different. The idea is to raise the filter slots so much, that the filter doesn’t touch the hood’s pedals.

Donut adaptor is placed in between the holder and the hood. Adaptor has tiny notches in outer and inner sides. Place the donut adaptor so, that the inner notches are agaist the hood’s pedals. You want to be careful when tightening the holder! Turn the screw too far and the hood will hinder the lens from zooming. Try it out to find the best tension. Holder keeps its place quite nicely, but remember that this is a workaround and be careful -common sense suggested.

Lee 4×4″ Circular Polarizer is expensive but very useful and of high quality.

Now, here we have the workaround up and running! I’m still working with the protection for the side light and flares and hoping to find a decent solution in the near future. This works perfectly well with DX-bodies and I’m quite happy with it. Thanks to all persons that shared their inventions and findings! Some hints were found from nikonians.org, dpreview.com and flickr.com. Thans to all of you!

Lee Filters are not involved in this project and do not recommed using this workaround because this is not a secure way to attach the filters onto this particular lens. They are not responsible for the damage you might cause to your equipment – and neither am I! Push-on Filter Holder is not meant to be used this way, any usage is against any suggestions and instructions from the manufacturer and all this is on one’s own responsibility.

Update 20081022:

Local Nikon dealer Rajala Pro Shop let me test this combo with FX Nikon, D700. Results are a bit disappointing :( You have turn the zoom ring into 21mm to get rid of vignetting. With DX this works like a charm and I use it all the time.

If you need ND Grads or CPL, and are using FX-body, skip this lens and buy 17-35/2.8 instead.