Advice on purchasing Filters please

[rambler4466]

Here is an ebook I found useful:
http://www.borrowlenses.com/educatio...r-photography/

[Polar01]

Here is a link, no cost to read the articles, have some very good points, lots of subject all by the same person, it is a site I have booked marked.
http://darwinwiggett.wordpress.com/a...sub=confirming

Cheers:

Allan

[Manfred M]

Hi Dawn - I saw your post, but was just too busy to write anything.

1. Polarizer - this is a filter I use almost 100% of the time when shooting outdoors. Some people leave UV filters on all the time, I leave on my cPols and will only remove them when the light levels drop. Chief advantage is that I can remove glare and reflections from any non-metallic surfaces. You would be surprised how much reflection one gets off of grass and leaves, even on a dull day.

The main downside of polarizers is that they are not great on wide-angle lenses when shooting the sky. The polarizing effect on the sky is greatest when the sun is at right angles to the lens, and has no effect when it is directly in front of you or behind you. A wide angle captures large portions of the sky and the polarizer can introduce "banding" as you shoot areas that range between these extremes. The results are not attractive.

I also use grads. I have Lee hard grads and soft grads (1 through 3 stops) and use the filter holder. I''ve tried holding them in front of the lens, as Alan has suggested, but find I don't generally like the results. I also shoot with a couple of Heliopan screw in grads. The upside is that they are easier to use, but the downside is that you cant't adjust where the effect falls.

I fiund that grads can result in somewhat "spooky" looking skies when you use them at mid-day.

Others have already mentioned some of the issues of shooting at mid-day, especially when it is bright and sunny out. I do a lot of travel photography, so understand where you are coming from. You are there and the choice is to shot or not come home with any images. I find that you can get good shots in these conditions; but you have to be very selective in how you compose. Keep practicing and looking at what you get and you will figure out what you can and can't get away with.

[Dawn1]

Hi Richard
Thanks very much for your feedback .

As far as polarizing filters go, you cannot go wrong with B+W (made in Germany by Schneider). They are expensive but, cheap filters can adversely impact image quality. The top-line multi-coated filters from Hoya are also quite decent. Hoya also has a new type filter out (new for me at least)

I am looking into the B&W , I found a supplier down the road who supplies to the film industry here. They will try and source some from their London Branch. I will be going over to the UK fairly soon for a time, so it may be better for me to wait and purchase it over there myself

I managed to find the Hoya Filter you mention here, at the store I deal with in CT , if I do purchase it, I will let you know by posting some image sample's how it performs.
Thank you
Dawn

[Dawn1]

many thanks Frank , it looks good and I will look into it

Dawn

[Dawn1]

Hi Manfred

Thanks for all the great info, on using the CPols , and the GND's which I have noted all.

I do a lot of travel photography, so understand where you are coming from. You are there and the choice is to shot or not come home with any images.

Yes that's it exactly!

I find that you can get good shots in these conditions; but you have to be very selective in how you compose. Keep practicing and looking at what you get and you will figure out what you can and can't get away with.


Thanks for this advice, it has been good to visit sites such as these, it is nice to get the negative critique on ones images whilst learning and developing an eye. As sometimes I just don't see the things I am doing wrong or just not seeing certain things period .

Thanks
Dawn

[Dawn1]

thanks Allan thanks that saves me a bit !





Regards Dawn

[Manfred M]

Thanks for this advice, it has been good to visit sites such as these, it is nice to get the negative critique on ones images whilst learning and developing an eye. As sometimes I just don't see the things I am doing wrong or just not seeing certain things period .

One thing I do on all my travels is to take a device to review my shots; over the years, I have used a laptop, netbook and tablet. Every night, after a day of shooting my wife and I (she is my constant travelling companion and does a lot of shooting as well) will upload the day's shots and review what we got. That lets us catch any mistakes we are making and correct those issues going forward. I've been taking pictures long enough to generally figure out what I am doing wrong, but posting on sites like this one and getting advice on specific shooting issues is a great way to supplement your own photographic eye.

If you are in tricky lighting situations, try different approaches. after all the cost of a few extra shots on a digital camera is nothing, and you can always erase the "experiments" that did not work out.

[drjuice]

Hi, Dawn -

Instead of buying buckets full of expensive actual glass filters, you might want to buy a polarizer and one ND filter.

I'm not familiar with your particular camera, but I'll assume that you have the ability to shoot only RAW, only JPG, or both for any given image. I have a Sony alpha700 that uses that particular pattern. I normally shoot both but use the only JPG images for figuring the composition of the images to make sure I have everything I want to capture in the image and to be sure the "stuff" I don't want is excluded to the degree possible.

If you have the ability to shoot RAW, what I do when I get home is apply my filters in a piece of software called DFX made by the Tiffen filters people (who still make physical filters, and pretty good ones, in my view. I use the standalone version, but they also have a plugin for PS (also called DFX for Digital eFfects) and a similiar one that works on 'Droids. Dunno about iPhones since I don't have one, but you can take a look at their website, tiffen.com, for all their products. They also have webinars every Wednesday (late morning Pacific) for which they don't charge (whew) and which they later put on their website.

Why I went this route is that I wanted to have a large number of filters available for me to experiment with and, if I had other than a physical polarizer and the 2 ND filters, I'd be hauling a large red wagon (filled with several bucketsful of --very-- expensive filters) around every time I went out to photograph anything, because I would never master all of the filters. But I've become pretty good with teaching myself how the various filters operate and the effects they have on particular types of photography. And, obviously, the fact that I don't have to make the filter decision in the field reduces the complexity of the decisionmaking that I do have to accomplish.

Hope this helps.

virginia

[Dawn1]

Manfred ....I do take a tablet with me, my laptop is too heavy to travel with, so I take this small little tablet/ notebook not really sure what it is called ?. It is not ideal, as the screen is very small for viewing photographs, but yes, at least I can see whether or not I got at least a half a shot
Yes, my husband of 42 years is my lifelong travel companion too and whilst we have lots of common interests, photography unfortunately is not one of them, he will tell me my image is wonderful whether it is or not . I do try to do the experimenting act... It's at these times I am thankful for Digital, otherwise my Minolta 35 mm would still be in my hand . My next step is to join a local photographic club, I am told this will help me too. Thanks very much

Dawn.

[Dawn1]

Hi Virginia

"Instead of buying buckets full of expensive actual glass filters, you might want to buy a polarizer and one ND filter"


Thank you for all this advice, yes, I decided to do exactly that and buy one Cpol, and one ND.

"If you have the ability to shoot RAW, what I do when I get home is apply my filters in a piece of software called DFX made by the Tiffen filters people (who still make physical filters, and pretty good ones, in my view. I use the standalone version, but they also have a plugin for PS (also called DFX for Digital eFfects) and a similiar one that works on 'Droids. Dunno about iPhones since I don't have one, but you can take a look at their website, tiffen.com, for all their products. They also have webinars every Wednesday (late morning Pacific) for which they don't charge (whew) and which they later put on their website."


Yes I can set my camera to Raw, so I will investigate the site you mention.

Thank you very much Virginia for all that information and your helpful advice.

best wishes
Dawn

[Dawn1]

I would like to thank everyone once more for all the responses I received for advice. I am in awe of the way this site is so forward in response in help toward members/people. I posted this question on a few other sites and while I do realise no one is obliged to respond, at all anywhere, I have never received a reply to date. So I quite honestly expected no response, when I posted....was I wrong !.

I have ordered a Hoya as per link below .
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...rizing_HD.html

as I think this is what I need and also the best available to me at present. I will wait until I am in the UK to look into the Lee Filters and the ND filter.

Once more thank you all
Regards Dawn.

[Polar01]

Dawn: with any CPL filter do not and I repeat DO NOT tighten it much or it will freeze (lock up) on the end of your lens. Once you feel it just snug up stop, one reason is the Hoya has a aluminium ring that can either cut into the plastic lens end threads or be cut into by those same threads if a metal on the lens. If it does happen it can be the devil to remove, this can happen with any screw on filter, with any CPF be careful rotating the filter as they are so thin profiled that depending on the way you rotate the filter you maybe unscrewing it from the front of the lens or by accident tightening it tighter into the front lens threads.
We all have I believe have almost unscrewed it (I have done it at least 3 times and caught it as it came off the lens), or tightened than had the devil getting it off. This happens with all the screw in filters to some degree, it is just the price will have to pay for what we do.

Cheers:

Allan

[Dawn1]

Hi Allan,

Okay I will take special note of that, the store I buy from is usually very good on giving time to a customer after a purchase, so I will ask them to show me how much "force" to use when applying the filter or turning it, thank you for posting and that valuable advice.

Regards Dawn

[Manfred M]

Dawn - you should see if your camera store carries plastic "filter wrenches". I always carry a pair in my camera bag; they are quite inexpensive and make removing a stuck filter quite simple.

I have a set of these: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...rench_Set.html

[Dawn1]

Dawn - you should see if your camera store carries plastic "filter wrenches". I always carry a pair in my camera bag; they are quite inexpensive and make removing a stuck filter quite simple.

I have a set of these: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...rench_Set.html

Hi Manfred

I was at the store today and no they don't have these at all, there was a company here that sold them apparently , but they went under so like many other things not available here in CT. There is Canon Tech shop around the corner who can help with this, if it does get stuck. I will just be a bit stumped if out in the field. I of course am hoping it does not get stuck ever and will remain very careful.

[darekk]

I always use UV filter as mechanical protection of the front lens - against dust, coincidental touching plants or snow etc, against salt by sea or ocean in the past. And sometimes polarizer - mostly to make blue sky darker in comparison to clouds. Perhaps it also clears a little atmosphere from haze, but don't remember. Both from B&W, because very cheap filters can decrease image quality. But at least not very expensive original filters from camera and lens manufacturer.
Very strange coincidence with advices of some of other persons from this thread.
Neutral filter would be useful to shot moving water, but don't have one.

[Polar01]

Dawn try this link to The Filter Connection" they show the filter wrenches that Manfred talked about.
http://www.2filter.com/

Cheers:

Allan

[Dawn1]

I always use UV filter as mechanical protection of the front lens - against dust, coincidental touching plants or snow etc, against salt by sea or ocean in the past. And sometimes polarizer - mostly to make blue sky darker in comparison to clouds. Perhaps it also clears a little atmosphere from haze, but don't remember. Both from B&W, because very cheap filters can decrease image quality. But at least not very expensive original filters from camera and lens manufacturer.
Very strange coincidence with advices of some of other persons from this thread.
Neutral filter would be useful to shot moving water, but don't have one.

Hi darekk

Thank you for that info on using filters, I agree the UV is mostly there for protection for the lens. I have since bought the Hoya CP as my store indicated the quality between Canon and Hoya was kinda similar and the cost was much less so I went for it.
I was interested to hear that the ND filter is useful in shooting moving water, as I live very close to the ocean. I often try and shoot the water falling over the rocks and swirling around in rock pools, so thank you for mentioning that.

Dawn

[Dawn1]

Dawn try this link to The Filter Connection" they show the filter wrenches that Manfred talked about.
http://www.2filter.com/

Cheers:

Allan

Hi Allan

Thank you for the link, it is appreciated very much. With all due respects, I do not like ordering from the States or anywhere actually by internet directly as often the postage is more than the item. Often more than 16 US dollars extra !! So I think I shall wait until my next trip to the UK. I ordered a book once and was charged 16 dollars over and above the item which was very inexpensive. The book was a pamphlet type , extremely light and sent in a small envelope not a parcel like presentation, that is how small it was, I believe most of these companies have a standard postage whether for multiple items or one small thin pamphlet, it is to encourage one to buy maybe? ? I cannot see why otherwise?? but it just got to the goat in me I am afraid. I may be too old school on this subject and generalising too way too much.?? maybe ?? I also do not like buying without seeing what I am getting. I never could get my head around why people do Grocery shopping with delivery over the internet, I like to choose the tomatoes I am going to have to eat . Thank you for posting the link, I do appreciate your post

Dawn