Newbie post on owning filters.


Status
Not open for further replies.

curly87

New Member
Sep 9, 2008
115
0
0
36
hi,

i'm sorry this is a newbie post and i am asking because i do not want to waste $$ buying redundant stuff. Is having or owning or using a CPL / GND filter important? if lets say want to take scenery like sunrise/sunset/sea....?

What is an affordable brand and what to look out for if getting one?
Also, Is there a 1 for all type or do i have to get 1 set for every different diameter of lens i have?

OR is there a way to shoot such that i do not have to own any of this at all?

thankyou and once again sorry for the newbie question.:embrass:
 

i hv a cpl.. i didnt really get to use it at all unless u intend to take like rivers or some reflective glass surface.. it does reduce some of the reflection but not all... its not that expensive to own one actually... i got mine for $30 tokina

dun think there is one size fit all... probably the gnd... still u need to noe ur filter thread diameter to mount the ring. i think its good to have especially for the gnd if u wanna take landscape.
 

do you shoot a lot of sunrise/sunset/sea....?
if yes, just buy the filters.

if you don't, can borrow from some one when you needed.

anyway, just borrow a filter from some one to try it out yourself, shoot with and without the filter, only you yourself can justify whether is good to have or not.
 

a CPL helps get beautiful deep blue skies.

PI_07_008.JPG
 

I think dan_1337 has demostrated the uses of a CPL very effectively.

The same goes for a GND as well. If you have a scene with varying contrast (such as a sunset), the you can use the GND to darken the brighter side of the scene to get a more balanced image.

Common brands for CPL include Tokina, Tamron and Hoya.
 

One of the reason for using the CPL would be the deeper blue and the contrast with clouds

Here with a 50mm

2438732290_4985246d9e.jpg


Any wider you will end up with abit of uneveness in polarisation

Here at 12mm end of the 12-24mm

2438728852_cac7ca2903.jpg


Ryan
 

borrowing TS's thread..
jus a question, most people got these filters for blue sky or better water pictures.
but as the moment, I'm jus starting and probably jus a kit len + a 50mm.
the shops I went all gave me a common shopping list to get filter for the lense as to protect the lens front.

but was thinking, was it really necessary?
is a filter expandable item or reusable
is it able to be deattach from 1 len to attach to another, I'm aware of lens diff diameter sizes
 

borrowing TS's thread..
jus a question, most people got these filters for blue sky or better water pictures.
but as the moment, I'm jus starting and probably jus a kit len + a 50mm.
the shops I went all gave me a common shopping list to get filter for the lense as to protect the lens front.

but was thinking, was it really necessary?
is a filter expandable item or reusable
is it able to be deattach from 1 len to attach to another, I'm aware of lens diff diameter sizes
usually the UV filter are the most low cost filter, so attach a UV filter for front element protecting purposes, will not remove it till you want to attach another type of filter for effects.

anyway, you rather scratch a UV filter than scratch the lens, so just leave it there.
 

It is common practice amongst several photographers to attach a clear filter, usually a UV, skylight, "protector" or netural color filter, to protect the front element of the lens.

A filter like that may range from a low S$10 to almost S$100, depending on the size and quality of the filter. Yet, it is commonly acknowledged that the price of a filter is considerably less than the lens. Hence, should something happen to the front element, the filter will get the hit first, providing protection for your lens.

Just think about it. A scratched filter or a scratched lens?

The other school of thought is that a filter is unnecessary, unless the photographer is exceptionally prone to accidents. Moreover, adding a filter, just like adding any optics, will in some sense, large or small, ruin the image quality. You may experience more flare, ghosting, color tints etc.

Personally, I subscribe to the former. I attach a mid-range quality filter to my lenses to protect them. I'm not terribly picky with IQ, and I find most of my pictures to be very satisfactory, technically speaking.
 

For the lens diameter problem, put it this way, no way u can run from the $10 UV / skylight filter that acts as the front element protector. So if you're like me having 6 lens, u'd need 6 UV filters ($60).

I have a commonly used short and long zoom, both at 67mm, so I got a CPL 67mm. That's like $60 from Hoya.

For the GND / ND2 / ND4 / ND8 etc.... I went with Cokin P type and also Tianya. This way, I only need to buy rings at $8- $12 a piece to adapt to other diameters.... The Cokin GND was like $31 and then the holder + adapter ring for 67mm ($26). Bot a whole set of 10 Tianya filters (Various NDs + Grad colours) for $120 on ebay.

Total out about $300. Be selective and get the ones you need if you're into scenery..... otherwise, just UV and perhaps a CPL. No need for the rest.....

Just my 2 cents.
 

Pardon me for interrupting.
CPL=polariser?
GND=?

Cheers,
Ben
 

sorry guys, i've been busy in camp and no time to reply.

thank you so much for all the great replies and help...!!

emmm.... just wondering,

are those $300 super thin variants of filters necessary?
 

sorry guys, i've been busy in camp and no time to reply.

thank you so much for all the great replies and help...!!

emmm.... just wondering,

are those $300 super thin variants of filters necessary?
have you researched what is the difference between the thick and thin variety?
 

Status
Not open for further replies.