Advice on Filters

Zascar

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

First, how do I know what size I need?

What are the essential filers? Poloriser, UV, Diffusion, 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 about this kit - 11 filters for £25. is this any good or am I better off buying seperately...

Advice appreciated.
Thanks

conzy

I bought an ND Grad and its really useful especially on bright sunny days..

My polarizer is still in the post but i cant wait to take some shots with it..

According to Chris Marquardt ND Grad and Polarizer are the most useful filters.. and UV is almost completely useless as the Sensor has a UV filter itself

ThOnda

In front of your lense, there should be two- or three- digit number folowed by "mm" sign, like 52mm on mine lense. That is size of the thread you have on the lense.
Basicaly, it is more than wise to have UV filter on your lense, because it works like mechanical protection of your lense. Rain, dust, mechanical damage... the price of filter is really lower than price of new lenses.
Don't forget that all filters should be at least the same quality like your lenses. Because they can cause more optical problems than you can expect. I don't recommend you to buy that set of filters.

If I were in your shoes, I would buy UV filter for protection and after that, I would start shooting lots of pictures, reading and studying and finding, what filters would suit my kind of photography. Some people prefere effect filters (stars, unsharpen masks...), some landcape photgraphers prefere gradual and colour filters, some pople use only few of them (orange, blue and red for BW photography).

Whatever filter you buy, buy good one and not just a cheap piece of glass or plastic to ruin your pictures.

Just two samples after quick search...



It is easy to imagine how would look lenses without those filters. Well worth few yo-yos, me think.

Thirdfox

That second photo seems a bit exaggerated...surely anything that took a chunk out of the front filter would have at least scratched the lens?

There are plenty of people who do not use UV filters to "protect" their lens. They believe that adding another layer of glass in front of the lens will still lead to image degradation, no matter how many coatings that filter has.

I take the middle road - only use an UV filter if I am in hazardous conditions (beach, sea, waterfall, rain, racetrack etc.) Otherwise I leave it off.

ThOnda

... rain? Do you live in Ireland? :-D Sounds 100% coverage :-P

Roen

Filter snob here. Won't use anything.

If you want to then Polariser is a must. UV, never for me, but some folk swear by them. ND grad is also well useful.

As for that filter pack. Why would you spend money on the 400D and the 17-70 lens and then stick a total pile of crap in front of them? That defies logic.

The three filters you need will cost you as much as the camera you bought. You should only buy them if (or rather when) you have a genuine creative need for them.

henryp

If you have the Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC Macro, it uses 72mm accessories. Most folks find a pol filter very useful. You'd want a "circular" pol filter, not a linear (a/k/a top) filter. Circular refers to how the filter polarizes light, not to the shape.

Regarding UVs for protection. I always used one when I was a full-time pro, but I got exposed to a lot of environments you may not encounter, so it may not be as necessary an insurance for you. The lens should have come with a hood and I urge you to use that ALL THE TIME.

If you want a grad-ND I recommend a rectangular filter like the Cokin P system. Round grad-ND filters all have the grad line dead center and you're then obliged to change your image composition to accommodate this limitation. With a rectangular filter, you can position the demarcation where it will best complement the composition you determine.

DaireQuinlan

Hey, cool, a representative from B&H on boards. May I ask, Henryp, if you are here in an official capacity ? As a representative ?

Zascar

Hi Henry - welcome to boards.ie Thanks for the advice!

What type of polarising filter should I get? There is such a difference in price, how much should I be spending?

Can you get an ND Grad filter that is round and just clips straight on?

henryp

DaireQuinlan wrote: »

Hey, cool, a representative from B&H on boards. May I ask, Henryp, if you are here in an official capacity ? As a representative ?

I am here officially. Part of my job these days is visiting sites like this one and contributing where I can either from a B&H perspective or from my 20+ years as a full-time professional photographer.

Zascar wrote: »

Hi Henry - welcome to boards.ie Thanks for the advice!

Happy to help.

What type of polarising filter should I get? There is such a difference in price, how much should I be spending?

You need a circular pol filter and I prefer multi-coated filters which transmit more and reflect less light. I'm not manically brand loyal and am comfortable mentioning B+W, Hoya, Heliopan or Tiffen.

Can you get an ND Grad filter that is round and just clips straight on?

You can, but reread what I said earlier: If you want a grad-ND I recommend a rectangular filter like the Cokin P system. Round grad-ND filters all have the grad line dead center and you're then obliged to change your image composition to accommodate this limitation. With a rectangular filter, you can position the demarcation where it will best complement the composition you determine.

Round grad filters (any grad, not just ND) hamper composition by forcing you to accept that the demarcation line is on the filter's equator, which is rarely where you'd want it for optimum composition, particularly if you're familiar with the "rule of thirds."

Thirdfox

Do you find that Kenko make good filters too? Are they just Hoya by another name?

henryp

Thirdfox wrote: »

Do you find that Kenko make good filters too? Are they just Hoya by another name?

I have no personal experience with Kenko filters, but I don't recall seeing or hearing any negative feedback from customers who've purchased them.

MREGAN

I get my filters through these guys. Very cheap and you dont have to pay tax for imports as they mark gift on the box. http://hvstar.net/

thefizz

Roen wrote: »

As for that filter pack. Why would you spend money on the 400D and the 17-70 lens and then stick a total pile of crap in front of them? That defies logic.

The three filters you need will cost you as much as the camera you bought. You should only buy them if (or rather when) you have a genuine creative need for them.

Couldn't agree more.

I'd second the recommendation for B&W or Heliopen filters. Great quality.

Peter

robertdempsey

Good afternoon all,
I have been doing a bit of research for my next camera accessory purchase.
I want to get a filter kit (one of the cokin series). I think I need the series ‘P’ or ‘Z pro’, below are the lenses I currently own, I know I will need to the ‘adapter ring’ to fit the different mm size lens I have but which cokin series holder kit would I need??

Canon stock lens (18-55) – 58mm I think
Sigma (17-300) - 58mm
Sigma (18-200) – 72mm
Canon wide angle lens (10-22) – 78mm

Would the ‘P’ series do the job? Or would I need the ‘Z pro’ one??
If someone knows the answer I would really appreciate your advice.

Thanks again
Robert
Robertd<at>gmail.<com>

oshead

robertdempsey wrote: »

Good afternoon all,
I have been doing a bit of research for my next camera accessory purchase.
I want to get a filter kit (one of the cokin series). I think I need the series ‘P’ or ‘Z pro’, below are the lenses I currently own, I know I will need to the ‘adapter ring’ to fit the different mm size lens I have but which cokin series holder kit would I need??

Canon stock lens (18-55) – 58mm I think
Sigma (17-300) - 58mm
Sigma (18-200) – 72mm
Canon wide angle lens (10-22) – 78mm

Would the ‘P’ series do the job? Or would I need the ‘Z pro’ one??
If someone knows the answer I would really appreciate your advice.

Thanks again
Robert
Robertd<at>gmail.<com>

The filter size on the P series is 85mm. That should cover all your lenses. Though you should note the EF-S 10-22mm at the widest end will be vignetted by the the P filter holder. The rest of your lenses should be OK.

I've no experience with the Z series.

Hope this helps

Dave OS

robertdempsey

thanks for the advice Dave, much appreciated.
Rob

quilmore

another lens (a €700+ nikon af-s 18-200 vr) saved by a relatively inexpensive filter



Just for just that reason every lens I own has a filter on it from day one (and to be able to clean dirt and finger marks without taking as much care as if I have to do it to the lens itself)

in my case I use "hoya pro1 Digital", they are coated on both sides to prevent internal reflections (http://www.hoyafilter.com/products/hoya/pro1d-01.html)
a bit costly, but just about 10% of the cost of the lens is protecting in most cases

Thirdfox

To be fair I refuse to believe that any impact that would destroy the filter like that wouldn't penetrate through to the lens... UV filter for sea spray protection is what I use it for.

quilmore

Hi Henryp,
Is BH thinking about getting an european sales point?
I know you've done it in Brazil, any chance you can do it on this side of teh atlantic and save us some custom tax when buying online from your NY shop?

sorry to use this post for that, but I couldn't send PM to Henryp

Zillah

oshead wrote: »

The filter size on the P series is 85mm. That should cover all your lenses. Though you should note the EF-S 10-22mm at the widest end will be vignetted by the the P filter holder. The rest of your lenses should be OK.

Actually I find I start to get vingetting on the wider end of my Sigma 17-70 with a Cokin P.

stcstc

they do two different holders

normal and a wide angle holder

for a 17mm you need the wide angle one

oshead

Heres a linky for more info.

henryp

Thirdfox wrote: »

To be fair I refuse to believe that any impact that would destroy the filter like that wouldn't penetrate through to the lens...

Hard to argue with the posted photo though, isn't it?

henryp

quilmore wrote: »

Hi Henryp,
Is BH thinking about getting an european sales point?
I know you've done it in Brazil, any chance you can do it on this side of teh atlantic and save us some custom tax when buying online from your NY shop?

Thanks for the suggestion. I don't believe we have plans in that direction right now, but I can certainly share this with "the powers that be."

sorry to use this post for that, but I couldn't send PM to Henryp

My e-mail address is in my signature.