Discussion
Can anyone explain what the main types of filter are, and whether there are any which will be suitable for ALL shots.
I dont know much about filters. Id like to fit one to my 24-70, to help protect the lens.
I find the colours and appearance of foliage in a forrest just "looks better" with sunglasses on. What are my sunglasses doing to tone down the harsh light, and what is the equivalent filter called.
Will shooting with a filter reduce image quality, or cause any chromatic abberation?
In summary I like the idea of having a filter which will help protect the lens and keep dust out, preferably one which I can keep on at all times.
I dont know much about filters. Id like to fit one to my 24-70, to help protect the lens.
I find the colours and appearance of foliage in a forrest just "looks better" with sunglasses on. What are my sunglasses doing to tone down the harsh light, and what is the equivalent filter called.
Will shooting with a filter reduce image quality, or cause any chromatic abberation?
In summary I like the idea of having a filter which will help protect the lens and keep dust out, preferably one which I can keep on at all times.
Edited by UKBob on Monday 24th July 16:03
As far as your sunglasses go, if they are polarising ones then to emulate this you need a polarising filter. However since you are already struggling to get fast enough shutter speeds as it is, then a polarising filter will make this much worse, and because you wont go over ISO200 you will find it pretty much useless in anything other than bright sunlight.
Quite a few people here will tell you that why would you buy an expensive lens then whack a cheap bit of glass in front of it at all times? I'd tend to agree with that - a hood offers just as good protection, and if it breaks? That's what insurance is for.
Only filters I would use now are a polariser and graduated filters of the lee/cokin type which go in a holder. I don't bother with skylight/uv filters any more.
Quite a few people here will tell you that why would you buy an expensive lens then whack a cheap bit of glass in front of it at all times? I'd tend to agree with that - a hood offers just as good protection, and if it breaks? That's what insurance is for.
Only filters I would use now are a polariser and graduated filters of the lee/cokin type which go in a holder. I don't bother with skylight/uv filters any more.
Edited by _dobbo_ on Monday 24th July 16:17
Bob...I'm not clever enough to spout off about filters, but as soon as I'm back in the UK I'm going shopping here...
www.leefilters.com/home.asp
Martin.
PS - To get a filter thet works like your sungalsses you need a "circular polarising" lens...it cuts out a lot of glare (and, usually, about 2 stops of light) but saturates colours and gives, generally, the most pleasing effect of all the filters.
www.leefilters.com/home.asp
Martin.
PS - To get a filter thet works like your sungalsses you need a "circular polarising" lens...it cuts out a lot of glare (and, usually, about 2 stops of light) but saturates colours and gives, generally, the most pleasing effect of all the filters.
Emulating a polariser in PS is basically a nonstarter, because of the way it acts upon light hitting the sensor, you can't really fake it.
Things like ND Grads or coloured filters can be emulated providing the detail is in the original. The purpose of graduated filters is to preserve detail in the sky when taking landscape photgraphy. Otherwise when you expose for the land, the sky will invariably be over-exposed.
Things like ND Grads or coloured filters can be emulated providing the detail is in the original. The purpose of graduated filters is to preserve detail in the sky when taking landscape photgraphy. Otherwise when you expose for the land, the sky will invariably be over-exposed.
_dobbo_ said:
Emulating a polariser in PS is basically a nonstarter, because of the way it acts upon light hitting the sensor, you can't really fake it.
Things like ND Grads or coloured filters can be emulated providing the detail is in the original. The purpose of graduated filters is to preserve detail in the sky when taking landscape photgraphy. Otherwise when you expose for the land, the sky will invariably be over-exposed.
I remember reading about coloured filters (cant see the point with PS) and graduated filters - Im sure those come in handy from time to time.Things like ND Grads or coloured filters can be emulated providing the detail is in the original. The purpose of graduated filters is to preserve detail in the sky when taking landscape photgraphy. Otherwise when you expose for the land, the sky will invariably be over-exposed.
GetCarter said:
Although, having seen your latest photos, I think your money would be better spent on professional psychiatric help.
Then when you feel better, a Lee filter or two would be good.
Then when you feel better, a Lee filter or two would be good.
At last, Steve...something we agree on
Although I must say, after chatting for ages on the phone with Bob, he sounded very normal and very nice. Just can't tell sometimes huh? 
Martin.
V6GTO said:
GetCarter said:
Although, having seen your latest photos, I think your money would be better spent on professional psychiatric help.
Then when you feel better, a Lee filter or two would be good.
Then when you feel better, a Lee filter or two would be good.
At last, Steve...something we agree on
Although I must say, after chatting for ages on the phone with Bob, he sounded very normal and very nice. Just can't tell sometimes huh? Martin.
Ive binned the filter idea. Filters equate to more darkness, are therefore evil, and thus should be burned.
_dobbo_ said:
Quite a few people here will tell you that why would you buy an expensive lens then whack a cheap bit of glass in front of it at all times?
Good question, but you could instead get a decent quality filter and put that in front of it.
If you keep a filter over the lens it not only gives you an extra line of defence against damage, it also means that you end up cleaning the front element of the lens far less. Instead you clean the filter - and if you scratch the filter you can (relatively) easily and cheaply replace it.
Going back to the 'accidental damage' theory, FWIW I've only ever managed to write off two lenses, both were wearing filters and in neither case did the filter make any difference. One of those lenses snapped clean in two...
Andrew Noakes said:
_dobbo_ said:
Quite a few people here will tell you that why would you buy an expensive lens then whack a cheap bit of glass in front of it at all times?
Good question, but you could instead get a decent quality filter and put that in front of it.
If you keep a filter over the lens it not only gives you an extra line of defence against damage, it also means that you end up cleaning the front element of the lens far less. Instead you clean the filter - and if you scratch the filter you can (relatively) easily and cheaply replace it.
Going back to the 'accidental damage' theory, FWIW I've only ever managed to write off two lenses, both were wearing filters and in neither case did the filter make any difference. One of those lenses snapped clean in two...
You've argued for and against my comment in the same post!
Decent quality filters cost lots of cash - and you are still sticking a bit of glass there that isn't supposed to be there.
Furthermore I'd be astonished if even the most rigourous cleaning technique would damage the front element of a modern lens.
So - do you spend up to 20% of the cost of your lens on a filter to "protect" it? And can you even be sure that your expensive filter is up to the same quality of the rest of the glass in the lens? Personally I'll take a chance on having to make an insurance claim.
_dobbo_ said:
Andrew Noakes said:
_dobbo_ said:
Quite a few people here will tell you that why would you buy an expensive lens then whack a cheap bit of glass in front of it at all times?
Good question, but you could instead get a decent quality filter and put that in front of it.
If you keep a filter over the lens it not only gives you an extra line of defence against damage, it also means that you end up cleaning the front element of the lens far less. Instead you clean the filter - and if you scratch the filter you can (relatively) easily and cheaply replace it.
Going back to the 'accidental damage' theory, FWIW I've only ever managed to write off two lenses, both were wearing filters and in neither case did the filter make any difference. One of those lenses snapped clean in two...
You've argued for and against my comment in the same post!
Decent quality filters cost lots of cash - and you are still sticking a bit of glass there that isn't supposed to be there.
Furthermore I'd be astonished if even the most rigourous cleaning technique would damage the front element of a modern lens.
So - do you spend up to 20% of the cost of your lens on a filter to "protect" it? And can you even be sure that your expensive filter is up to the same quality of the rest of the glass in the lens? Personally I'll take a chance on having to make an insurance claim.
And have decided for now not to get one. Dobbo, what do you know about modern lenses, and their resilient nature as regards cleaning? Sounds reassuring.
UKBob said:
Dobbo, what do you know about modern lenses, and their resilient nature as regards cleaning? Sounds reassuring.
I'm glad I sound like an expert! I'm not. It's basically received wisdom, I read an article a while back (I think on Luminous Landscape) which basically said modern lenses with their coatings are fairly resilient, and even a fairly large scratch on the front element wont show on an image.
If I remember, they suggested sticking a small blob of vaseline on your lens, then trying to pick it out in an image.
_dobbo_ said:
I read an article a while back ... which basically said ... even a fairly large scratch on the front element wont show on an image.
So how much difference is a bit of flat glass going to make?
poah said:
nikon? 
Sigma. It selfishly gave itself up to protect the D100 body it was connected to.
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