When should I consider filters?

[M0nk3y]

Photo Guru's

When is it necessary or when is it a good idea to start considering filters?

I just keep on seeing them again and again when I generally browse, and I still just don't know what exactly they are used to achieve. I know there are UV filters and some others, but I don't know why i'd want to consider these options.

As well, the prices vary alot. I see $10-$50 filters everywhere. Are they all camera lens specific? Or say I get a 52mm filter...will it fit a standard lens?

I guess I'm just confused as to when I should start to consider these and if they are worth it for someone that just does general photography.

[C Withers Media]

I don't recommend purchasing anything that you do not know what it will accomplish. If I were to recommend a filter it would be a circular polarizing filter as I know you shoot a lot of automotive.

UV filters are alleged to remove wash out or haze from your photos, most just use them to protect their lenses. The anti argument to that is why take a $25 piece of glass and put it over the top of a $1000 piece of glass. IMO, UV filters are a plot to squeeze you out of another $25 to $70 when you are standing at the counter. Much like Beef Jerky on the 7-11 counter.

If you remove the cap on your lens and look at the back side of it, you will see a number. Some common ones are 52, 62, 67, 72, and 77. This is the diameter of the mounting ring for filters and caps etc. It is right there on the back of the lens cap so if you are ever in doubt, take a peek.

[UdubBadger]

i use uv filters for protective purposes mostly... my thought is it's cheaper to replace a cracked $50 filter than a $1500 lens.
I also have a PL for bright sunny outdoor landscape shooting and an ND 6 to get longer exposures in bright light.

fun stuff.

[neil1138]

You can use filters to enhance photos or you can use them to protect lenses. I do a little bit of both.

Don't buy a UV filter, they are pointless imo (unless you strictly want to protect your front element). Buy something decent. If you buy a cheap, non-multicoated filter, you are going to introduce glare and haze into your photo. But then again, it all depends on which lens you are putting this on. If it's a $100 50 f/1.8, a $200 filter is going to be silly. But if you have expensive glass, don't cheap out on the filter. It's like casey said, a setup is only as good as its weakest component. A $2000 lens w/ a $50 filter isn't using that lens to its fullest potential.

For example, main lenses: nikkor 35mm f/1.8G, nikkor 85mm f/1.4D, siggy 10-20mm

On the 35mm I don't use a filter at all. I typically don't use it for automotive stuff so there's no need for a CPL and I don't use it for long exposures so there's no need for a Neutral Density. It performs best right out of the box in my experience.

On the 85 f/1.4, I use anything I can. There is always a filter on the end of that lens, whether it be a CPL or Clear Glass filter. It lets in so much light that you can't actually shoot wide open (at f/1.4) in daylight. To remedy this, I use a CPL (which cuts about a stop of light) allowing me to shoot wide open. The CPL also caters to what I shoot most: cars. Also, I am paranoid about the front element of that lens. My B+W CPL actually saved the front element when I dropped the lens a while back. The filter hit the ground and absorbed the impact, rather than the actual lens. The threads to the filter got a little bent but again, better the filter than the lens.

On the 10-20mm, I really make use of that ND filter. For rig photography I like to get those really long exposures so sometimes a Neutral Density is needed. I use a B+W ND106 (6 stop filter). Cuts out quite a bit of light so it's easy to take rig photos in daylight or really long ones at night. I also stack the CPL sometimes to cut reflections on the car paint.

Get out and shoot, see where your lens could improve and get a filter that helps fill the gap.

[dinanm3atl]

Agreed with Casey and Neil. Don't just buy a filter because you need it. After working a bit with Casey I am the new owner of a ND filter. Going to work really well during Petit. The 70-200 2.8 lets in plenty of light and based on the weather cutting down on that light will be very nice. CPL I use during automotive type stuff as said. Can give some cool effects... fun to play with reflections.

Lucky for me Canon L lenses in my size stuff(and my UWA) are all 77mm so I can just get 1 :)

[Gheybe]

ND filter for me. Had a 6 and a 4 stop for my old lenses, now getting the same set up for the new ones.

[M3TA5IN]

i use uv filters for protective purposes mostly... my thought is it's cheaper to replace a cracked $50 filter than a $1500 lens.
I also have a PL for bright sunny outdoor landscape shooting and an ND 6 to get longer exposures in bright light.

fun stuff.


X2, i use to shoot a lot of outdoor off road events. We would be crawling around on obstacles and rocks a lot, every now and then I would pock the front of the lens(or filter sense it was there).

[dinanm3atl]

Never use a UV/Haze filter... unless you are using low quality class. If you are crawling on rocks put the lens cap on or get a proper lens hood. The only thing they are doing is degrading image quality. I got caught up in the protection thing when I first started. I NEVER use them anymore. It is not worth sticking a 50 dollar piece of cheap glass in front of your lens that cost 100s or event 1000s.

[M0nk3y]

Thanks Guys, much is appreciated.

From what is seems, I would benefit from a CPL Filter...as I like to do alot of editing to try and make contrast happen...while doing that though I usually wash out other things in the photos.

With that being said, what brands should I start to look for on CPL filters? This is just a stock 18-55mm f3.5-5 lens. I haven't upgraded to anything yet due to inexperience and college

[M3TA5IN]

Never use a UV/Haze filter... unless you are using low quality class. If you are crawling on rocks put the lens cap on or get a proper lens hood. The only thing they are doing is degrading image quality. I got caught up in the protection thing when I first started. I NEVER use them anymore. It is not worth sticking a 50 dollar piece of cheap glass in front of your lens that cost 100s or event 1000s.

When you are running around filming/taking photos of a rock crawling race and avoiding roll overs and other things its hard/not safe to take the time to put the lens on and off, but I understand what you are saying and do not disagree. Not really a matter anymore though, I sold the company to my original partner and have moved onto other things.

Besides I have tons I could learn about photography, im more of a film/editing guy.

Ill post up some stuff for you guys one day when I have time so you can see what I mean. Carnage, engines exploding in my face, roll overs etc.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Carnage, engines exploding in my face, roll overs etc.

Sounds like fun. :biggrin

[M3TA5IN]

Sounds like fun. :biggrin

I enjoyed it, it was like extreme filming/photog. Unfortunately me and my partner had different visions of business, he was happy in his 1 area comfort zone. I was all about expansion. They are still doing very well though and I am happy for them.

You can check them out at www.heavymetalconcepts.com and see the media are from a different prospective.

[dinanm3atl]

I have shot off road stuff and I am mainly in the pits or on the side of a race track... still wouldn't use a UV Haze. Just my 2 cents and it's probably only worth that :)

[M3TA5IN]

I have shot off road stuff and I am mainly in the pits or on the side of a race track... still wouldn't use a UV Haze. Just my 2 cents and it's probably only worth that :)

I wasn't doubting you or disagreeing. You probably have 17.64 billion times the experience I have. Ill post up some stuff in another thread.

[M0nk3y]

Bumping this up again, What Brand filters should I look at?

Planning on getting a 52mm CPL Filter

[UdubBadger]

I like Hoya, tiffen or B+W

[johnrando]

I like Hoya, tiffen or B+W

+1.

[C Withers Media]

If you are in the knock off filter market, I have had great results with Promaster as well.

[Meric]

Off-topic for a second I though you were talking about oil filters. Sorry.

:) My friend has a good camera I will ask him what kinda lens he got. Is there any budget limit?

[johnrando]

BTW, I also noticed the question was also "when" to use them, so I'll take a stab. Some people have UV filters (or clear) on just to protect the expensive lens. Better to scratch/break the filter than the lens. Other common ones are polarizing (bluer skies, etc), softening (softer skin tones), but you can do both of those effects with editing s/w now. Another one might be a star filter that makes lights have the "star" effect like on a Monday night football game or something. And of course, there are colored filters for various effect, but again, that's s/w now. So, while I'm still just now really entering into the digital photography age, I'd say maybe a clear or UV type for lens protection, maybe a polarizer for me since I'm at the beach so much, but that's about it. Maybe someone with more digital photography experience could add info or correct me.

Finally, if you have a high-quality lens/glass, go big on the brand/quality of the filter as to not diminish the lens. If you have a basic lens, you can go less on the filter, again my .02.

[UdubBadger]

don't forget the very useful but many times underrated ND filter for taking bright scenes and letting you shoot them in longer exposures (or lower aperture).

I will have to say its MUCH easier to buy these filters when you have a bunch of L lenses cuz the large majority of them are all the same size.