XSi & Filters

[raylfreeman]

Word is the XSi is difficult to use with filters because the lenses rotate when focusing. I am hoping someone with knowlege of this camera can share their experience or advise before I purchase one.

I am even open to another camera suggestion comparable to the XSi in terms of quality, features, and price.


Thanks in advance for this advise and the sharing of much valuable information on this forum!!!!!

[Doug Pardee]

The problem is specific to the 18-55 kit lens used with a polarizing filter or gradient ND. The kit lens rotates the front element while focusing, which means you have to focus before you adjust the polarizer or align the gradient.

You'd be surprised how much you can accomplish without any filters at all. I haven't used one in years.

[raylfreeman]

What lense should I use for landscape to avoid having to adjust the filter?

[inkista]

Any lens without a rotating front element.

It's actually not that big of a deal. It's more of an annoyance, than something that stops you from using the filter altogether. It just means you have to fix your focus and zoom before rotating the filter. And, of course, if it's not a grad ND or circular polarizer, it doesn't matter at all.

Here's a shot I got of a frog with a circular polarizer on the front of my EF 75-300 III (which also has a rotating front element).



No real hardship to eliminate the surface reflection of the water. You just have to learn how to work the focus lock and you're in business.

[Doug Pardee]

Originally Posted by raylfreeman

What lense should I use for landscape to avoid having to adjust the filter?

Personally, I don't use polarizers for landscapes any more. If you use them at a wide-angle setting, the sky gets all weird because the polarizing effect changes at different angles from the sun.

I get nice deep blue skies simply by exposing properly. Check your LCD for the preview image, blinkies, and/or histogram and keep the sky from overexposing.

[ncbcymtechie]

Just wanted to reiterate that this is NOT a camera issue.

The issue is when the front element of a lens rotates during focusing, disturbing the correct orientation of an orientation-specific filter. You can solve this problem by, well, buying lenses that don't have a rotating front element, and a tiny bit of reading on sites like The Digital Picture or other similar websites should tell you if the front element rotates or not. The alternative: just Google the name of a lens and type "review" after it and maybe even "rotating front element" and that should give you a quick and easy way of checking.

Hope this helps, and merry Christmas!