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06/21/2006 01:32:49 PM · #1 |
I am planning on buying some filters; any suggestions??? |
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06/21/2006 01:38:12 PM · #2 |
I'd start with UV filters for all your lenses. They will protect your glass. Then maybe a polarizer, and a few grad ND filters?
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06/21/2006 01:38:32 PM · #3 |
I just invested in the Hoya HOFIK58 58mm Introductory Filter Kit last week . It has
1. A polarizing filter
2. A UV filter
3. A warming filter (which I will probably never use).
After the 30 second challenge I'm considering going in for a neutral density filter (and I always thought the problem was not enough light..).
Most filter effects can be reproduced in photoshop except for the polarizing and the ND filters ..so I'd go for those. |
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06/21/2006 01:40:20 PM · #4 |
Are the filters expensive?
What kind do I use for portraits? |
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06/21/2006 01:44:16 PM · #5 |
skip the UV filters, adding cheap glass in front of your lens has little benefit and lots that can be detremental.
Yes, the help protect your lens. But, so does taking care of your lens, which is much better policy.
Musst haves... a circular polarizer and Neutral Density (ND) filters.
Buy for the largest lens you have or perhaps larger and use step-down rings for the smaller diameter lenses. This saves on cost and helps eliminate vignetting.
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06/21/2006 01:46:31 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by Dlove:
What kind do I use for portraits? |
Rarely filters are used for portraits in digital photography, but diffusion or soft focus filters add nice effects to portraits.
Don't worry about warming filters, that is way too easy to accomplish in your editting program or by tinkering with White Balance.
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06/22/2006 08:03:10 AM · #7 |
Originally posted by fotomann_forever:
skip the UV filters, adding cheap glass in front of your lens has little benefit and lots that can be detremental.
Yes, the help protect your lens. But, so does taking care of your lens, which is much better policy.
Musst haves... a circular polarizer and Neutral Density (ND) filters.
Buy for the largest lens you have or perhaps larger and use step-down rings for the smaller diameter lenses. This saves on cost and helps eliminate vignetting. |
Sorry to jump in here, but what type of filter is usually the best? A Cokin-style, with square filters and an adapter ring for the lens, or screw-on round filters? |
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06/22/2006 08:23:17 AM · #8 |
Different types of filters for different types of needs.
I recently bought myself a set of filters...
I used Fotomann's suggestion (and the guy at the store who is pretty knowledgeable) to get all my filters outside of the UV filters in the max size... I still use UV filters, but that's because I only have two lenses and my big expensive lens came with a B+W UV filter...
Get a Circular polarizer at 77mm and get step-down rings... I bought a 77mm to ##mm for each lens that I own... I am second guessing that and I will probably do my step-down rings in steps... I will probably also consider getting a lens cap for my polarizer...
When you get a circular polarizer, get a good one...
I was allowed to look through them... I found that some were quite cloudy and I didn't like that... I was surprised that the B+W was both thick, heavy and looked quite hazy... I'm guessing that it doesn't bring down photo quality much, but the difference was very visible...
I opted instead for the one that the guy in the shop recommended... I've spent some time in that shop and he's got his head screwed on right I think...
It was a Marumi (Japanese brand) filter and it was much lighter, much thinner and significantly clearer at any point in the rotation of the filter over the B+W... It was around 100 bucks US.
I would therefore recommend checking them out in store...
That's for the screw on....
as for the others, I decided to go Cokin. I do not use color filters or really any effects filters (star filters etc). Just ND filters and grad ND filters...
Cokin filters are high quality and very cheap... The same deal applies. I got the P series holder and (forgot to buy) the adaptor to 77mm thread. The one thing I don't like is that I will need to buy the whole thing again if I want to stack filters on different angles, but it's no big deal to me to just hand-hold one filter in the event I want to use multiple Gradient filters...
I now own an ND grad 2 and 4 and will probably get a set of normal ND 2, 4 and 8, starting with 2 and 8, depending on how much money I feel like spending that day...
Message edited by author 2006-06-22 12:27:30. |
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06/22/2006 08:31:19 AM · #9 |
| Hi-Tech makes an fairly good ND as well. It really is neutral and it only cost about $40.00. You can use it with the Cokin P System. |
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06/22/2006 09:11:29 AM · #10 |
When you say this TMHalling, you are suggesting to me that Cokin's Neutral Density filters are not really Neutral...
I've not done the research to know anything about this, so this is new to me... could you please elaborate?
40 dollars seems a fair bit more than the Cokin prices...? |
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06/22/2006 09:28:04 AM · #11 |
Originally posted by PSUlion01:
Sorry to jump in here, but what type of filter is usually the best? A Cokin-style, with square filters and an adapter ring for the lens, or screw-on round filters? |
For ND grad filters and any gradiated filter the Cokin style filters are by far the best, because the allow you to move the horizon of the gradation to suit your composition. I don't use gradiated filters, because I mostly do portraits and they would make a mess of things..lol
For the rest of the filters, the screw in type are just more convenient and more often than not made of glass.
I've been a big Tiffen fan most of my carrer, but have started seeing enough negative reports about thier quality as of late that I doubt I would reccomend them now. Look into B&W or Nikon.
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06/22/2006 09:52:51 AM · #12 |
| For grad ND filters, I like my Lee filter system. I understand that they are better quality than Cokin, although more expensive, and with the 4 X 6" filters you have more flexibility with the positioning of the graduation. |
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06/22/2006 12:58:58 PM · #13 |
Originally posted by fotomann_forever:
Originally posted by PSUlion01:
Sorry to jump in here, but what type of filter is usually the best? A Cokin-style, with square filters and an adapter ring for the lens, or screw-on round filters? |
For ND grad filters and any gradiated filter the Cokin style filters are by far the best, because the allow you to move the horizon of the gradation to suit your composition. I don't use gradiated filters, because I mostly do portraits and they would make a mess of things..lol
For the rest of the filters, the screw in type are just more convenient and more often than not made of glass.
I've been a big Tiffen fan most of my carrer, but have started seeing enough negative reports about thier quality as of late that I doubt I would reccomend them now. Look into B&W or Nikon. |
True they are not neutral - grey or green cast in some cases generally a poor quality filter.
Message edited by author 2006-06-22 16:59:21. |
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06/22/2006 01:02:06 PM · #14 |
Cokin Color Cast
Message edited by author 2006-06-22 17:02:53. |
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06/22/2006 07:32:03 PM · #15 |
Thank you TMhalling...
I already have a couple of light graduated filters by Cokin... I don't think that it will be a problem to have a slight cast in them because they will be used for the sky... On the other hand, I will probably look for another brand for the ND filters, especially the heavy ones...
Now the real trick is going to be finding them... |
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06/26/2006 10:38:57 AM · #16 |
does anyone know a price range for abuot how much filters cost and what kind of filters do what to your photos?
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06/26/2006 07:24:39 PM · #17 |
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06/26/2006 07:26:55 PM · #18 |
Originally posted by andrewreiner:
does anyone know a price range for abuot how much filters cost and what kind of filters do what to your photos? |
Filter types and their uses, and results Pretty easy to understand, hope this helps as a starting point on the many purposes of filters. |
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