Filter question

jen_23

I found a nice deal on a set of filters which I want to buy problem is I don't really know what they're all for.

I know what a UV (basically protection) and a polarizer does - reduce glare/reflection increases vibrancy of colour but I don't not have a clue what the rest of them do or more importanlt what I would use them for!

The others included in the set are
Skylight
Kenko P00 (Yellow)
Prinz 808 blue

Any ideas what these can be used for? Thanks. (sorry for the most likely silly question!!)

AnimalRights

I'm curious about the answers too.

nilhg

Only the UV and Polariser would be of much use on a digital system, the others are to colour correct for difficult lighting conditions using film.

melekalikimaka

A skylight filter improves color saturation and balance, increases visual and photographic contrast, helps to decrease glare in lunar and planetary observing, and penetrates atmospheric haze.

A yellow filter is useful for clear contrast between blue sky with clouds and foreground. Provides a natural tonal rendition.

A blue will correct out the strong yellow-orange cast of the tungsten light. This filter may also be used for a special effect when the strong blue color is desired.

ThOnda

Skylight is basically filter used to change colour temperature. If you shoot RAW it is quite obsolete.
Other colour filters were(are) being used when shooting BW material. They change contrast of the recorded image. Blue filter reduses contrast (pictures are more hazy), orange and red increase contrast and also make look skin cleaner.

I would recommend wiki or google as a source of more information.

jen_23

Thanks All! Sorry Thonda my erm research skills aren't the best ( I tried googling and got lots of ebay results )

Only the UV and Polariser would be of much use on a digital system, the others are to colour correct for difficult lighting conditions using film.

Does this mean that they would be useless on my DSLR?

Also any other filters you guys find paticularly useful? I'm planning my stocking fillers from santy

melekalikimaka

for digital, usable ones would be

UV, Skylight and Haze Filters
Polarizing Filters
Graduated Neutral Density (GND) Filters
Neutral Density (ND) Filters
Didymium Glass Filters

ya can go down the IR road too, but limited results on digital

ThOnda

You've asked for that :-) Here is wiki and here one commercial (both from the first page of google).
It really depends on type of your photography. ND and ND gradual filters could be interesting for landscape photography, for instance.

jen_23

ThOnda wrote: »

(both from the first page of google).
.

Must be having a blonde moment!!

Thanks guys!

ThOnda

I am masked blonde - just using google to look better

melekalikimaka

sure i used google on the question for better definitions and to make sure it wasnt a dreamt up explaination for their uses

jen_23

ye are reallllllllllllllly making me look bad now!! >runs out to buy copy of googling for dummies!<

anyone do any landscape with GND filters with examples? with and without?

melekalikimaka

http://flickr.com/photos/meleniephx/327911187/

Anouilh

A circular polarizer is a must.

Guess where it was used in these photos:

http://flickr.com/photos/tags/photographedublin/?page=13

Also, the UV filter protects the lens glass from getting scratched, so I keep it on most of the time.

It's worth taking the same photo with and without a filter, to see what the differences are.

dinneenp

Jen_23: you say you got a good deal- where?

I just ordered a Fuzzy 28 and want to get some lens filters....
Cheers.

quilmore

An UV filter for each lens, and leave them fix to them
one cir-pol, of the diameter of the largest lens you have, or go safe for a 77mm and then get cheap step ups

melekalikimaka wrote: »

Didymium Glass Filters

what is that? what effect you get?