Flamedude707 From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 235 posts, RR: 0 Posted (6 years 2 months 3 weeks 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 1689 times:
Just wondering....
How many of you use filters while shooting? Is it recomended? What certain filters do you use?
Scottieprecord From United States of America, joined Jul 2004, 1363 posts, RR: 12 Reply 1, posted (6 years 2 months 3 weeks 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 1677 times:
From the way I understand it, white balance adjustments in digital cameras eliminate the need for most color filters. However, apparently other filters like polarizers and such are still useful.
I used to use a skylight (clear) filter for protecting my lens, but I opted not to after reading a thread on here a while ago. The general consensus was that most lower-quality filters will negatively affect the quality of the image.
-Mike
P.S. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong about any of this... I don't have much personal experience with filters. My understanding is mainly derived from what I've read.
KFLLCFII From United States of America, joined Sep 2004, 3262 posts, RR: 33 Reply 2, posted (6 years 2 months 3 weeks 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 1664 times:
I have one, but it's rarely used. I normally only use it for shoots which will be in the vicinity of blowing sand, etc., such as the beach, or times when the crowds are tight and lord knows what people are swinging around in-hand.
That said, I always use a lens hood anyway, which in itself provides a huge level of protection against contact. It's probably the best thing you can do for yourself, and it gives you that added piece of mind when shooting with an exposed front element. Not to mention the lack of any quality degredation a filter may produce.
Bryan
"About the only way to look at it, just a pity you are not POTUS KFLLCFII, seems as if we would all be better off."
CalgaryBill From Canada, joined May 2006, 686 posts, RR: 6 Reply 3, posted (6 years 2 months 3 weeks 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 1638 times:
Quoting Scottieprecord (Reply 1):
I used to use a skylight (clear) filter for protecting my lens, but I opted not to after reading a thread on here a while ago.
Skylight is actually considered a warming filter and adds a slight reddish/magenta colour to an image. Take it off the lens and put it on a white piece of paper and you'll see the colour cast. Digital cameras on auto WB will likely nullify the effect of the filter though, but if shooting on a fixed WB setting like daylight, the reddish cast will be applied to the image...
I use a B+W brand UV/Haze filter on all my lenses (and the upgraded MRS version on high end lenses). Since digital sensor filters reduce UV, the additional UV filtration isn't necessary. But I'd much rather damage a $50 filter than the front element of a $2,000 lens. I also use a polarizer to reduce reflections.
The last filter I still carry is a graduated neutral density kit with +1, +2, and +3 stops of added density. Not much use for aviation photography, but I do use it for nature/scenic work. Using a tripod, bracketing and HDR processing PS will yield similar results, but metering, calculating and using fixed neutral density filters makes me think harder about exposure.
Dlednicer From United States of America, joined May 2005, 505 posts, RR: 6 Reply 4, posted (6 years 2 months 3 weeks 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 1634 times:
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I use a polarizing filter extensively. It reduces reflections on glass and glare.
Aero145 From Iceland, joined Jan 2005, 3070 posts, RR: 23 Reply 5, posted (6 years 2 months 3 weeks 3 days ago) and read 1628 times:
Used the UV filters, but decided rather to keep the hood on instead of using them. My 17-85 is much better now than it was... I had a Hoya UV n filter and I'm happy I didn't put it back.
I recommend owning one good B+W UV MRC filter for each filter size you have, to use in extreme conditions, as KFLLCFII recommended;
Quoting KFLLCFII (Reply 2): I normally only use it for shoots which will be in the vicinity of blowing sand, etc., such as the beach, or times when the crowds are tight and lord knows what people are swinging around in-hand.
Fergulmcc From Ireland, joined Oct 2004, 1916 posts, RR: 54 Reply 6, posted (6 years 2 months 3 weeks 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 1628 times:
I used to use them but since about a year ago when I took them off my lenses I found that my photos inproved. I have lens hoods that will protect the front of my lenses. I now use the skylight filters as coasters for my cups of coffee.
One filter I would recomend is the circular polarizing filter, but don't buy the cheap ones. I have the Sigma EX filters.
Other filters I use would be the Lee range but they are mostly for my landscape photography, the ND set are excellent.
Psych From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2004, 2968 posts, RR: 60 Reply 9, posted (6 years 2 months 3 weeks 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 1574 times:
I would agree with the comments made above. In digital photography so much of the effects of a lens filter on the resulting image can now be addressed in editing. But the exception to this is the polarising filter which, I would still argue, can be invaluable in many conditions.
I think you need to weigh up the lens protection argument with potential slight degradation in quality and/or extra cost to get a high quality filter. That said, I do have a UV filter on my 17-40 mm lens, because the front element actually moves within the lens body, and so not having a filter could potentially allow dust etc to get in to the body itself. There the balance falls in favour of having a filter - though no point in having a good quality lens without an equally good quality filter on the front of it.
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