I would suggest contacting Nikon USA directly and see if they can help. They treat these as spare parts and do not sell them as accessories. Hopefully they still have some. It is incredibly hard to find real info on these holders.
GroovyGeek wrote:
My 500/4E FL arrived from MPB today, looks to be in great shape, especially for the $2700 I paid. However it came with the C-PL405 drop in polarizer filter. Will contact MPB tomorrow since I am pretty sure they listed the lens as coming with the NC filter.
I don't want the 1+stop loss from the filter. However, I am having trouble locating a 40.5mm drop-in filter holder with threads for the screw-in filter.
I see some 40.5mm gel filter holders on eBay for not a lot of money. The Z8 will compensate for the focus plane shift but I am reading that the flat NC filter is essential for harsher conditions - backlit scenes, high contrast wildlife, subject and infinity focus, etc. Are these noticeable?
Final option is to attempt to hack the C-PL405 and remove the CPL filter and replace it with a 40.5mm NC filter 3624. Anyone done that?...Show more →
From what I know, the 400, 500 and 600mm E FL and G versions of the lenses all require the filter to be there.
jpelt78 wrote:
I would suggest contacting Nikon USA directly and see if they can help. They treat these as spare parts and do not sell them as accessories. Hopefully they still have some. It is incredibly hard to find real info on these holders.
The part number for the holder is 10P4G. Talked to Nikon, they don't have it, nor does anyone else in the US that I can find. I found it in Finland but they don't ship to the US
It is strange, because the CPL version is all over the internet. I ordered a 40.5mm gel filter holder that arrives tomorrow and will do some tests over the weekend, to see how things look with no filter in place, particularly in contrasty situations and at infinity, and will send back to MPB if I see any detectable issues.
Goovey.
Possibly contact member Ronny Olsson in Sweden and see if he can help with the item from Finland. Find Ronny on page 23 nature and wildlife forum.
Kingfishphoto wrote:
Goovey.
Possibly contact member Ronny Olsson in Sweden and see if he can help with the item from Finland. Find Ronny on page 23 nature and wildlief forum.
Thanks for the suggestion. My brother lives in Europe and travels to the US regularly, I may ask him to buy it for me.
Did some quick tests today with and without the CPL drop-in, did not see any difference. Will repeat more carefully over the weekend on a tripod before deciding whether to return. MPB has already sent a return label. I know several people on the forum have had less than stellar experience with them but for me they have been solid.
That drop in polarizer is an expensive item - kind of a nice unexpected bonus I would think! I do understand wanting to have the regular filter as well though.
Also, I can't recommend Zemlin caps and lens hoods highly enough. If you are needing either he is a great source. I have his caps for all my larger telephotos, and hoods for several of them, all are excellent additions.
aisnikkor wrote:
That drop in polarizer is an expensive item - kind of a nice unexpected bonus I would think! I do understand wanting to have the regular filter as well though.
Also, I can't recommend Zemlin caps and lens hoods highly enough. If you are needing either he is a great source. I have his caps for all my larger telephotos, and hoods for several of them, all are excellent additions.
I got the bioluminous cap - half the price, better grip especially in a deep hood with mittens. Spring is a bit stiff but works well. https://www.bioluminous.com/store/p/lenscapsnikon
The FL lens takes 121mm, the G 125mm.
I agree that the CPL is an expensive item but I will never use it, and it costs one stop of shutter speed.
Heard back today from Nikon customer service, and it is a doozy. They have the part but they don't want to sell it to me. Instead they are asking me to send the lens "for service". I have many choice words for the person who made the decision, but they would not be appropriate for the decorum of this forum.
Talk about ridiculous company policies. I knew they treated it as a repair part but thought they would still sell it outright. That is why they are not available out in the wild.
It’s not like you need to disassemble the lens to fit it. Come on Nikon.
I’m eyeing a 400 FL myself. Will have to make sure they have the correct filter in it before pulling the trigger.
GroovyGeek wrote:
Heard back today from Nikon customer service, and it is a doozy. They have the part but they don't want to sell it to me. Instead they are asking me to send the lens "for service". I have many choice words for the person who made the decision, but they would not be appropriate for the decorum of this forum.
I have emailed multiply Indy repair shops to see if someone will sell it to me. If anyone has suggestions for an Indy shop to reach out to please post here or DM me. For the moment I have emailed 3 shops in San Diego and 3 in LA.
jpelt78 wrote:
Talk about ridiculous company policies. I knew they treated it as a repair part but thought they would still sell it outright. That is why they are not available out in the wild.
It’s not like you need to disassemble the lens to fit it. Come on Nikon.
I’m eyeing a 400 FL myself. Will have to make sure they have the correct filter in it before pulling the trigger.
Maybe try Authorized Photo Service in Morton Grove, IL. They are probably party to the not selling parts agreement with Nikon. Maybe they would bend a bit for this type part if they have/can get it.
Nikon's response is very frustrating. If MPB incorrectly advertised the lens, I would push back harder on them and get them to swap your CPL drop-in filter with a clear drop-in filter. Maybe you've already done that and the only remedy they offered is for you to return the entire lens? Seems like they could swap out the CPL they gave you with an NC filter from another E FL lens.
Wezre wrote:
Nikon's response is very frustrating. If MPB incorrectly advertised the lens, I would push back harder on them and get them to swap your CPL drop-in filter with a clear drop-in filter. Maybe you've already done that and the only remedy they offered is for you to return the entire lens? Seems like they could swap out the CPL they gave you with an NC filter from another E FL lens.
They have declined to swap the CPL for an NC from another unit. They are talking to their warehouse to see if they can locate a slip-in holder. The only remedy they have offered so far is to send the lens back on their dime. I may choose to do so, depending on tests that I run this weekend without the NC in place. My sense is that the differences will be so minute as to be unnoticeable to someone like me.
GroovyGeek wrote:
Heard back today from Nikon customer service, and it is a doozy. They have the part but they don't want to sell it to me. Instead they are asking me to send the lens "for service". I have many choice words for the person who made the decision, but they would not be appropriate for the decorum of this forum.
It doesn't look like it will help in this case, as they only have mirrorless items listed there at the moment, but Nikon has a 'self service repair' section on their website that has been useful for me in the past. At one point I was able to order a replacement card door and gasket for my Z9 after it suffered damage from an impact. It was an easy fix that got me up and running again. The card door was less than $30 as well.
I looked up the filter holder for the current 600mm f/4 TC, and it was pricey at around $225. Just an FYI, I realize its not compatible with the 500E.
Kind of a bummer that they don't have the F mount stuff available on this same website.
Shot the lens for the first time this afternoon. Man, this thing makes the 180-600 look cheap Can't believe it sells for under $3k with some regularity. Probably the first and last exotic I will ever own, don't see myself shelling out for one of the Z exotics.
GroovyGeek wrote:
Shot the lens for the first time this afternoon. Man, this thing makes the 180-600 look cheap Can't believe it sells for under $3k with some regularity. Probably the first and last exotic I will ever own, don't see myself shelling out for one of the Z exotics.
All images are f/4 with FTZII on a Z8.
Bokeh and fall off on this lens is gorgeous - I really like the first pelican photo.
Can't believe it sells for under $3k with some regularity. Probably the first and last exotic I will ever own, don't see myself shelling out for one of the Z exotics. 
