Materials to Maintain Your ZHP IIIII Hand Protection IIIII Tools to Maintain Your ZHP
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 21
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Cleveland/Dayton
    Posts
    2,620

    When should I consider filters?

    Photo Guru's

    When is it necessary or when is it a good idea to start considering filters?

    I just keep on seeing them again and again when I generally browse, and I still just don't know what exactly they are used to achieve. I know there are UV filters and some others, but I don't know why i'd want to consider these options.

    As well, the prices vary alot. I see $10-$50 filters everywhere. Are they all camera lens specific? Or say I get a 52mm filter...will it fit a standard lens?

    I guess I'm just confused as to when I should start to consider these and if they are worth it for someone that just does general photography.


    Project STX: TCKline Racing l APEX l Vorshlag l Eibach l Hawk l Schroth l BMW Performance

  2. #2
    I don't recommend purchasing anything that you do not know what it will accomplish. If I were to recommend a filter it would be a circular polarizing filter as I know you shoot a lot of automotive.

    UV filters are alleged to remove wash out or haze from your photos, most just use them to protect their lenses. The anti argument to that is why take a $25 piece of glass and put it over the top of a $1000 piece of glass. IMO, UV filters are a plot to squeeze you out of another $25 to $70 when you are standing at the counter. Much like Beef Jerky on the 7-11 counter.

    If you remove the cap on your lens and look at the back side of it, you will see a number. Some common ones are 52, 62, 67, 72, and 77. This is the diameter of the mounting ring for filters and caps etc. It is right there on the back of the lens cap so if you are ever in doubt, take a peek.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    The Windy City
    Posts
    9,155
    i use uv filters for protective purposes mostly... my thought is it's cheaper to replace a cracked $50 filter than a $1500 lens.
    I also have a PL for bright sunny outdoor landscape shooting and an ND 6 to get longer exposures in bright light.

    fun stuff.
    Call me Seth
    CURRENT: 2016 Long Beach Blue BMW /// M2
    RETIRED: ‘15 F22 M235i | '08 E90 M3 DCT "GoinHAM3" | '04 E46 M3 6MT "WEGOHAM"
    '04 330i ZHP | '11 E82 135i | '08 E90 328xi | 07 E91 328xi SportWagon

    Quote Originally Posted by danewilson77 View Post
    If I wore panties, I'd be dropping them right now.

  4. #4
    neil1138 Guest
    You can use filters to enhance photos or you can use them to protect lenses. I do a little bit of both.

    Don't buy a UV filter, they are pointless imo (unless you strictly want to protect your front element). Buy something decent. If you buy a cheap, non-multicoated filter, you are going to introduce glare and haze into your photo. But then again, it all depends on which lens you are putting this on. If it's a $100 50 f/1.8, a $200 filter is going to be silly. But if you have expensive glass, don't cheap out on the filter. It's like casey said, a setup is only as good as its weakest component. A $2000 lens w/ a $50 filter isn't using that lens to its fullest potential.

    For example, main lenses: nikkor 35mm f/1.8G, nikkor 85mm f/1.4D, siggy 10-20mm

    On the 35mm I don't use a filter at all. I typically don't use it for automotive stuff so there's no need for a CPL and I don't use it for long exposures so there's no need for a Neutral Density. It performs best right out of the box in my experience.

    On the 85 f/1.4, I use anything I can. There is always a filter on the end of that lens, whether it be a CPL or Clear Glass filter. It lets in so much light that you can't actually shoot wide open (at f/1.4) in daylight. To remedy this, I use a CPL (which cuts about a stop of light) allowing me to shoot wide open. The CPL also caters to what I shoot most: cars. Also, I am paranoid about the front element of that lens. My B+W CPL actually saved the front element when I dropped the lens a while back. The filter hit the ground and absorbed the impact, rather than the actual lens. The threads to the filter got a little bent but again, better the filter than the lens.

    On the 10-20mm, I really make use of that ND filter. For rig photography I like to get those really long exposures so sometimes a Neutral Density is needed. I use a B+W ND106 (6 stop filter). Cuts out quite a bit of light so it's easy to take rig photos in daylight or really long ones at night. I also stack the CPL sometimes to cut reflections on the car paint.

    Get out and shoot, see where your lens could improve and get a filter that helps fill the gap.

  5. #5
    Agreed with Casey and Neil. Don't just buy a filter because you need it. After working a bit with Casey I am the new owner of a ND filter. Going to work really well during Petit. The 70-200 2.8 lets in plenty of light and based on the weather cutting down on that light will be very nice. CPL I use during automotive type stuff as said. Can give some cool effects... fun to play with reflections.

    Lucky for me Canon L lenses in my size stuff(and my UWA) are all 77mm so I can just get 1
    MotorSportMedia
    www.racemsm.com
    1997 M3/4/5 Dakar Yellow - 1987 325iS 24V Swap - 2004 X5 4.4i

  6. #6
    Gheybe Guest
    ND filter for me. Had a 6 and a 4 stop for my old lenses, now getting the same set up for the new ones.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    South Central PA
    Posts
    1,613
    Quote Originally Posted by UdubBadger View Post
    i use uv filters for protective purposes mostly... my thought is it's cheaper to replace a cracked $50 filter than a $1500 lens.
    I also have a PL for bright sunny outdoor landscape shooting and an ND 6 to get longer exposures in bright light.

    fun stuff.

    X2, i use to shoot a lot of outdoor off road events. We would be crawling around on obstacles and rocks a lot, every now and then I would pock the front of the lens(or filter sense it was there).
    MODS: Badassery | Pure Awesomeness | My Blog

  8. #8
    Never use a UV/Haze filter... unless you are using low quality class. If you are crawling on rocks put the lens cap on or get a proper lens hood. The only thing they are doing is degrading image quality. I got caught up in the protection thing when I first started. I NEVER use them anymore. It is not worth sticking a 50 dollar piece of cheap glass in front of your lens that cost 100s or event 1000s.
    MotorSportMedia
    www.racemsm.com
    1997 M3/4/5 Dakar Yellow - 1987 325iS 24V Swap - 2004 X5 4.4i

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Cleveland/Dayton
    Posts
    2,620
    Thanks Guys, much is appreciated.

    From what is seems, I would benefit from a CPL Filter...as I like to do alot of editing to try and make contrast happen...while doing that though I usually wash out other things in the photos.

    With that being said, what brands should I start to look for on CPL filters? This is just a stock 18-55mm f3.5-5 lens. I haven't upgraded to anything yet due to inexperience and college


    Project STX: TCKline Racing l APEX l Vorshlag l Eibach l Hawk l Schroth l BMW Performance

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    South Central PA
    Posts
    1,613
    Quote Originally Posted by dinanm3atl View Post
    Never use a UV/Haze filter... unless you are using low quality class. If you are crawling on rocks put the lens cap on or get a proper lens hood. The only thing they are doing is degrading image quality. I got caught up in the protection thing when I first started. I NEVER use them anymore. It is not worth sticking a 50 dollar piece of cheap glass in front of your lens that cost 100s or event 1000s.
    When you are running around filming/taking photos of a rock crawling race and avoiding roll overs and other things its hard/not safe to take the time to put the lens on and off, but I understand what you are saying and do not disagree. Not really a matter anymore though, I sold the company to my original partner and have moved onto other things.

    Besides I have tons I could learn about photography, im more of a film/editing guy.

    Ill post up some stuff for you guys one day when I have time so you can see what I mean. Carnage, engines exploding in my face, roll overs etc.
    MODS: Badassery | Pure Awesomeness | My Blog

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 56
    Last Post: 04-21-2014, 08:24 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •