Filters

jpfahy

I'm looking for some filters for my Eos, 77mm thread, namely a clear UV and a circular polariser. Wheres the best place to buy in Dublin and does anyone know an eBay shop where I can buy ones that aren't fake. How important is brand - is Hoya much better than Hama ?

Kali

First of all why do you want them? In what situations or scenes are you looking to benefit from their use?
Bear in mind two things:
A UV filter is next to useless on any modern digital camera or film, apart from protecting the glass.
Cheap filters are adding an extra layer of diffusion to your (perhaps very) expensive lens... don't use them unless necessary for the effect you desire (i.e. polariser or ND filters).

And to answer your question, yes brand is very important... cheap filters = cheap result... effectively a waste of money, again if you're looking for a particular effect, and one you want to use more than once, then spend the extra €10-50 and get something that won't negatively disrupt your images and will actually do what it says on the tin.

thefizz

www.foto-mueller.at and www.retrophotographic.com stock the excellent Heliopan filters.

ThOnda

Using lens without UV filter (like mechanical protection) is like having sex with local prostitute in Zambezi without wearing a condom.
The price of very good UV filter is less than 5% of your lens price. And I think it's worth spending such little to protect so much.

stcstc

using a lens WITH the uv filter is like wearing your glasses with Thonda's condoms on them


actually, if you own a 1K euro lens, why woul you want to put a bit of glass or more likely plastic in front of it that cost like 50 euros or so

with modern lens, if you were to scratch the surface of the lens on purpose with you car key, only in limited circumstances would it actually show up in the images you shoot.

You are actually better to use a good quality lens hood on your camera to give mechanical protection than use a UV, the reduction in lens performance isnt worth it.

ThOnda

Using my camera outdoor in Ireland where it rains two times a day and having to clean my lens (using lens hood) every few minutes, I am not afraid of any mechanical damage, that's very true.
My 50 Euro piece of glass SMC coated from Pentax has no effect on my photographs. Tested and proved.
That doesn't mean that I wouldn't be happy not having UV filter on my lens. Shooting indoor details from tripod, I have already removed the filter from the lens.
That's all, I don't want to argue, I just wanted to post my opinion.

stcstc

No one is arguing

everyone has their own opinion.

and my opinion is that they do make a difference.

as for cleaning the lens if you are using the right equipment to clean it, as I said before with the quality of coatings on the lenses cleaning isnt a problem

sasar

I have a UV filter on everly lens as I'd rather have a scrath on that than on the lens itself. As I am a landscape photographer, CPL filter is essential!

I buy all my stuff on ebay and so far haven't had any problems with it, and price is a lot better than in shops here.

Chunky Monkey

I took a shot of the window display in Brown Thomas. I used the UV filter thinking that would prevent glare. It didn't but I read a while ago that a polarizer filter is what you're supposed to use for that. I'm going to take the same photo again tonight with my polarizer filter and if there's a positive difference I'll post the two pics up here I didn't buy the filters, they were my dad's- Hakuba, he bought them in Holland more than twenty years ago. I've only come across one second hand Hakuba filter on E-Bay so I'm not sure if they make them anymore. Anyhoo, I'll see if the filter is any good tonight