Filters

[Nicole]

I've seen a lot of threads about filters, mostly polarizing filters, but there are lots of other filters out there. I'm just curious, for those who use other filters, what is the one filter that you love to use, or the one that you can't live without? Why do you like using it so much?

Post pictures with your favourite shot using the filter if you can :)

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I'll go first. I don't have many filters, but there are definitely ones out there I would like to try out. The main filter that I wind up using is my polarizing filter (d'oh, we've seen this one a lot) because I shoot a lot outdoors. I've only just figured out how to use the filter properly, but I really love how it can make the bright blue sky really pop out.

http://static.flickr.com/108/312676984_c44a82819f.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicolesphotos/312676984/)

[Learner]

Great thread. I have just ordered a neutralizing filter. But honestly not sure what or how to use it. I have a polarizing filter on my wish list. The picture you posted is a beauty. The effect of the filter is very evident.

[Nicole]

Great thread. I have just ordered a neutralizing filter. But honestly not sure what or how to use it. I have a polarizing filter on my wish list. The picture you posted is a beauty. The effect of the filter is very evident.

Thanks, I really like this one myself. :)

I look forward to seeing what difference the neutralizing filter makes when you get it.

[Bail]

I am into catching motion with my camera. Weather it would be traffic, water, people. Also going to try out "Panning" as discussed in the DPS Blog.

Sooooooo... I Got Neutral Density Filters (AKA ND or Gray Filters). I have a ND2 and a ND8 filter.

Here is a result of the ND2 Filter at dusk near my house.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bail/312148066/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/120/312148066_88f266d167.jpg" width="500" height="337" alt="Rt. 91 at night." /></a>

I left the shutter open for 30 seconds. If I had a remote shutter release cable, the exposure would have been more then 30 seconds.

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I also carry a Circular polarizer and a skylight 1A (Just to protect the lens) filter.

[Learner]

Thank you for your demonstrative shot of use of neutralizing filter, focus, metering and shutter speed. Great teaching tool and great shot.

[NaturesPixel]

because in the past i didn't have any ND filters but had a Cir Pol filter i used it to help knock out the light in order to shoot a water fall at a slower shutter

[henryscat]

I own a Cokin filter system with the following:
89D Infrared filter (I love this one)
Neutral grad filter (for bringing the sky back from overexposure)
Polarising filter

All my lenses have UV filters on them to protect the glass.

[Nicole]

I own a Cokin filter system with the following:
89D Infrared filter (I love this one)

I'd love to see some shots taken with this filter on and hear how you use it. I've seen some really interesting IR shots, and heard about the filters, but don't know much about them beyond the fact that they exist ;)

[NaturesPixel]

I'm like you Nicole.. but can they be used on our d50's?? something to do with the sensors??? maybe i read wrong ...lol

[Nicole]

I'm like you Nicole.. but can they be used on our d50's?? something to do with the sensors??? maybe i read wrong ...lol

Leisa, I found an interesting link about using the d50 with IR filters :) Looks like it *is* possible, as long as you have a tripod and a lot of patience ;) Is it bad that I took being told it wasn't possible as a challenge to find info to say that it is? :p

Infrared Photography (http://www.dapa-group.com/infra-red/about.htm) using a D50 and a Hoya R72 filter

[ron.richardson]

i've always wanted to get an infrared filter, because the results look so unreal. when i first bought my dslr, i also got a wide circular polarizer and a nd filter. i think i've used the nd filter once, to take a waterfall shot during the day, but i wasn't pleased with the results.. i LOVE my circular polarizer however.

i had never heard of a starburst filter until awhile back when i posted a shot i took at a very small aperture and it apparently created the same effect:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ron_richardson/63381334/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/26/63381334_30c4dc4dcd_m.jpg" width="240" height="173" alt="tower at night" /></a>

i love the effect and do it quite frequently... without a filter.

[Nicole]

i had never heard of a starburst filter until awhile back when i posted a shot i took at a very small aperture and it apparently created the same effect:

i love the effect and do it quite frequently... without a filter.

I also think that the starburst filters look pretty neat, and would like to try one, though like you said, you can get it without the filter too :)

[Bail]

I got the same effect in one of my photos. It happened because I was shooting from the inside of my truck. People were giving me looks when I had the tripod mounted in the middle

http://static.flickr.com/143/327777899_68e0688550.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bail/327777899/)

[NaturesPixel]

Leisa, I found an interesting link about using the d50 with IR filters :) Looks like it *is* possible, as long as you have a tripod and a lot of patience ;) Is it bad that I took being told it wasn't possible as a challenge to find info to say that it is? :p

Infrared Photography (http://www.dapa-group.com/infra-red/about.htm) using a D50 and a Hoya R72 filter
ohh nice one and he/she has some great images.. wonderful Thanks for sharing mate :)

[Learner]

Question: Just received an early Christmas present!! I'll try to keep this short.! I noticed that the box has a label over another label, top-PL,under-UV. So I called the store and was told it's a UVfilter and a polarizing filter? This makes little sense to me. As I planned on leaving the UV on to protect the lense. The way I understand polarizing is that it effects the color tones of the photo. Seems to me the two should not be in one? But I am totally unlearned. Please help. :confused:

[Nicole]

I noticed that the box has a label over another label, top-PL,under-UV. So I called the store and was told it's a UVfilter and a polarizing filter? This makes little sense to me. As I planned on leaving the UV on to protect the lense. The way I understand polarizing is that it effects the color tones of the photo. Seems to me the two should not be in one? But I am totally unlearned. Please help. :confused:

Basically, it sounds like you got something like Polarizer UV Hybrid (http://www.adorama.com/HY58CPLUV.html?searchinfo=uv-pl&item_no=4) filter (please correct if I'm wrong and this doesn't sound anything like what you got).

What that basically means is that the filter filters both UV rays (eliminates haze) and polarizes the light (letting less light in and eliminating reflections). So the combination of 2 in one is possible.

The polarizing filter lets less light in, and changes how polarized light gets to the lens, so this is why it can appear as if the colours are changed. A polarizing filter reduces the amount of light entering the lens by about 1-2 stops. It's not necessarily a filter that you want to leave on 100% of the time.

It's up to you whether you want to put a filter on to protect your lens, or just work with the polarizer now and get a UV or protection filter down the line.

[mdwsta4]

i have a UV, warming, and CP filter although i really only use the polorizing filter on any of my lenses. i'd like to order a neutral density filter come spring when the days become longer.
most filters now i think are pointless because you can acheive the same effect, if not better, with photoshop. UV filters are nice for people to protect their lenses, but until i ruin a nice lens i'll save a couple of bux and go without one.

[Nicole]

...most filters now i think are pointless because you can acheive the same effect, if not better, with photoshop....

While I'm sure that it's true that you can achieve the same effect with Photoshop, I enjoy learning how to use the filters to create the various effects. Maybe it's also related to the fact that I'd like to learn how to do all the darkroom stuff as well (but then again this is about *digital* photography here, so by all means, use Photoshop for filter effects :)).

[Learner]

Thank You Nicole. This is just the info. I needed. A 1-2 stop effect is not what I want. Being new at all this, learning AP, shutter speed, ISO, the last thing I need at this point is to have something like a filter affect any of these until I learn their use. So thank you. Since I posted this question I've decided not even to use a UV filter. My H5 came with a 'hood' which so far I have left on. I'll see if it affects negatively, but I don't think it will and it will protect the lense. Again thank You for all your responses.

[Nicole]

...my H5 came with a 'hood' which so far I have left on. I'll see if it affects negatively, but I don't think it will and it will protect the lense...

Always good to have a lens hood, at the very least, it will help prevent lens flare in sunny shots :-) And much better to have a lens hood break than your lens.

[NaturesPixel]

Thank You Nicole. This is just the info. I needed. A 1-2 stop effect is not what I want. Being new at all this, learning AP, shutter speed, ISO, the last thing I need at this point is to have something like a filter affect any of these until I learn their use. So thank you. Since I posted this question I've decided not even to use a UV filter. My H5 came with a 'hood' which so far I have left on. I'll see if it affects negatively, but I don't think it will and it will protect the lense. Again thank You for all your responses.
I always leave my hood on my 50mm and my 18-70mm it helps me specially when im getting up close and personal with something.. so it doesn't touch my lens :) my 70300mm is another stoy its just way to big to leave on .. and i only use it when i need to :)

[Learner]

Thank You Leisa and Nicole for your responses. Let's me know I'm going in the 'right' direction. I'll leave it on and for now save money not buying those lenses. For now anyway. Have a wonderful holiday!