Filters - Advice Please
 

I've just bought a Canon 400D with a Sigma 17-70mm lens and a Canon
50mm lens. I have read a little about how useful lens filters can be,
and would appreciate some advice.

What are the essential filers? Polariser, UV, Fluorescent? I saw a
gallery of beautiful landscape shots the other day and the
photographer used an "ND Grad" filter on all his shots. I think there
are many different types.

What filters are essential, and which ones are a nice extra?

I've found some on ebay that are very cheap, are cheap filters a false
economy?

Advice appreciated.
Thanks

Filters - Advice Please
 

On Sun, 14 Oct 2007 10:37:46 -0000, colly wrote:

I've found some on ebay that are very cheap, are cheap filters a false
economy?

Some expensive filters are also "false economy". I've tested some of the most
expensive polarizers for uniformity of the polarizing substrate as well as
polarizing strength from various companies. Some of the most expensive ones over
$80 and up were worse than $12 generic specials of the same diameter. Failing in
uniformity, strength, or both. Typically both. They must feel they can get away
with that because few people know of a simple way to test them.

Use a known good polarizer and cross it at 90-degrees to the unknown. The
unknown will usually show defects clearly in the form of banding, spots and
gashes of lesser strength, and brighter lights showing through easily overall.
It should appear nearly black (slight tinge of blue or purple) and uniform when
crossed with another good one. I use a lab-grade polarizer for this simple test.
Two of those crossed at 90 degrees to each other extinguishes nearly all visible
light and show zero defects.

About the only time where I have found that cost really matters is when buying
close-up filter sets (typically sold in +1, +2, and +4 diopter sets). They need
to be multi-coated or else that many glass/air surfaces when used in a
stacked-fashion rob too much light and contrast from your image. Multi-coated
close-up filters cost a bit more and are well worth the expense. (Not speaking
of special achromat close-up lens add-ons, usually at +8 diopters strength and
up in a single configuration.) Otherwise all other filters are a crap-shot on if
they are worth the extra money or not. The adage of "you get what you pay for"
has never held less truth than when buying filters.

Filters - Advice Please
 

On Sun, 14 Oct 2007 10:37:46 -0000, colly
wrote:

What filters are essential, and which ones are a nice extra?

No filter is essential. A polariser is sometimes useful.

I've found some on ebay that are very cheap, are cheap filters a false
economy?

Yes. Buy only those you *need* and buy the best you can
afford.

--
John Bean

Filters - Advice Please
 

a uv filter can be useful to have on the lens all the time - not
photographically but more to protect the front element of the lenses -so
that when your camera falls against a wall the filter gets damaged but not
the expensive lens. I know - it has worked for me when out in the
countryside one day trying to clamber over a drystone wall ;-((


"colly" wrote in message
oups.com...
I've just bought a Canon 400D with a Sigma 17-70mm lens and a Canon
50mm lens. I have read a little about how useful lens filters can be,
and would appreciate some advice.

What are the essential filers? Polariser, UV, Fluorescent? I saw a
gallery of beautiful landscape shots the other day and the
photographer used an "ND Grad" filter on all his shots. I think there
are many different types.

What filters are essential, and which ones are a nice extra?

I've found some on ebay that are very cheap, are cheap filters a false
economy?

Advice appreciated.
Thanks

Filters - Advice Please
 

"colly" wrote in message
oups.com...
I've just bought a Canon 400D with a Sigma 17-70mm lens and a Canon
50mm lens. I have read a little about how useful lens filters can be,
and would appreciate some advice.

What are the essential filers? Polariser, UV, Fluorescent? I saw a
gallery of beautiful landscape shots the other day and the
photographer used an "ND Grad" filter on all his shots. I think there
are many different types.

You can simulate the effects of an ND grad filter using digital tools, so
those are nice, but not essential. The most essential filter is the
polarizer, which cannot be simulated digitally in any way. Get a good brand,
as well. I've tried cheaper brands, and they usually fall apart in about a
year. My B&W filters last years.


What filters are essential, and which ones are a nice extra?

I've found some on ebay that are very cheap, are cheap filters a false
economy?

Advice appreciated.
Thanks

Filters - Advice Please
 

"colly" wrote in message
oups.com...
I've just bought a Canon 400D with a Sigma 17-70mm lens and a Canon
50mm lens. I have read a little about how useful lens filters can be,
and would appreciate some advice.

What are the essential filers? Polariser, UV, Fluorescent? I saw a
gallery of beautiful landscape shots the other day and the
photographer used an "ND Grad" filter on all his shots. I think there
are many different types.

Almost forgot; a good multicoated UV filter to keep on the lens at all
times, except when using the polarizer.


What filters are essential, and which ones are a nice extra?

I've found some on ebay that are very cheap, are cheap filters a false
economy?

Advice appreciated.
Thanks

Filters - Advice Please
 

"Kinon O'Cann" wrote in message
news:fmpQi.1506$pl2.1128@trndny09...

"colly" wrote in message
oups.com...
I've just bought a Canon 400D with a Sigma 17-70mm lens and a Canon
50mm lens. I have read a little about how useful lens filters can be,
and would appreciate some advice.

What are the essential filers? Polariser, UV, Fluorescent? I saw a
gallery of beautiful landscape shots the other day and the
photographer used an "ND Grad" filter on all his shots. I think there
are many different types.

Almost forgot; a good multicoated UV filter to keep on the lens at all
times, except when using the polarizer.


What filters are essential, and which ones are a nice extra?

I've found some on ebay that are very cheap, are cheap filters a false
economy?

Advice appreciated.
Thanks


Regarding a UV filter; I have nearly always used one but I've heard the
arguement, "Why pay a lot of money for a Zeiss (for instance) lens and then
crap it up with a dime store UV filter?" Any comments?

Filters - Advice Please
 

In article , Ed Mullikin
wrote:

Regarding a UV filter; I have nearly always used one but I've heard the
arguement, "Why pay a lot of money for a Zeiss (for instance) lens and then
crap it up with a dime store UV filter?" Any comments?

don't put a cheapo filter on an expensive lens. get a hoya or b+w
multicoated filter, not a no-name uncoated questionable quality filter.

Filters - Advice Please
 

On Sun, 14 Oct 2007 13:06:35 -0400, Bob S wrote:

colly wrote:
I've just bought a Canon 400D with a Sigma 17-70mm lens and a Canon
50mm lens. I have read a little about how useful lens filters can be,
and would appreciate some advice.

What are the essential filers? Polariser, UV, Fluorescent? I saw a
gallery of beautiful landscape shots the other day and the
photographer used an "ND Grad" filter on all his shots. I think there
are many different types.

What filters are essential, and which ones are a nice extra?

I've found some on ebay that are very cheap, are cheap filters a false
economy?

Advice appreciated.
Thanks


Here are my $0.02

None are really essential but here are my choices......

A UV filter. A Circular Polarizer. An 81, 81B. or 81C Warming filter.

UV reduces haze in the air that the human eye can't always see and
protects the front of the lens.

Polarizers reduce reflection and help bring out detail and color on many
subjects.

Warming filters do just that, warm the image getting rid of blue tones.
You don't want to go too warm for most shots so an 81A or 81B at
the most are most useful.

My Dad always said there is a difference between cheap and inexpensive.
Cheap, to him and me, means inferior quality while inexpensive means
equal quality at a lower cost.

Stick with filters by Tiffen, Hoya, and if you can afford B+W or
Heliopan to name a few good filter brands. The last two are expensive......

One last point, since you have a lens that starts at 17mm I would
suggest getting "wide angel" filters which are thinner than standard
filters. With the thin filters you avoid vignetting.

Bob S

Interesting that you should mention Tiffen, as their $80+ polarizer filters are
the ones that were worse than $12 generics when I tested various brands.

You get what you pay for! Right? Think again.

Filters - Advice Please
 

On Sun, 14 Oct 2007 13:06:35 -0400, Bob S
wrote:
UV reduces haze in the air that the human eye can't always see [...]

Nor can ordinary digital cameras for all practical purposes.

Polarizers reduce reflection and help bring out detail and color on many
subjects.

Yes.

Warming filters do just that, warm the image getting rid of blue tones.

As can setting a correct WB, making a warming filter totally
redundant.

Your choices seem more film-centric than I expect in aq
digital group ;-)



--
John Bean