Filter advice please ND 's and the like

[sentinel]

Opinion please guys and lasses
ok so have in bag
Cannon EF70-200mm f4L USM 67mm thread
Cannon EF 100mm f2.8 USM MACRO LENS 72mm thread
Cannon EFS-55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS 58 mm thread
Cannon EFS-18-55mm 3.5-5.6 IS 58 mm thread
Sigma 10-22mm f4-5.6 EX DC HSM 77mm thread
would i be better off with buying individually or would something of a kit cover my needs
have to get some but not very up on Filters at present

[rtbaum]

One ND filter with 58 mm thread would likely be the way that I would go. Filter, as I understand, may not work well due to curvature of glass of wide angle. Macro definitely does not need ND filter, you want as much light as you can get. The 70-200 could benefit, but is it really necessary?

[sentinel]

Thanks for advice tbaum much appreciated would you go round ? or sqaure ? i was advised that maybe it would be a good idea to get a filter on each just as a kind of protection by a shop better to clean a filter than Lenses but would this not reduce the image quality?

[Polar01]

Sentinel: a real name would be better, as to your problem, I would suggest using setup rings, you will need 3 rings 1 58mm to 77mm, 1 67mm to 77mm and 1 72mm to 77mm. I would suggest that you get a 77mm, 2 or 3 stop ND filter, this will now fit across all your lens. Like all things glass you get what you pay for, cheap filters are just that, cheap, also I would suggest that you get the setup rings for the same maker of the filter itself ( they all make them for their products). I sometime ago went with Lee Filters as I needed to do more than what a straight ND filter would give me, however that is large expense. I would suggest that you go the way of the setups and once you are happy with what you are getting and want more than look into a different system of controlling light.

Cheers:

Allan

[Polar01]

Sentinel: with regards to you post, about a filter for each lens, usually that is a clear, UV, or haze filter it is more to protect the glass on the lens, better to scratch that glass, than the glass of the lens. Cheaper to replace the filter than the whole lens.

Cheers:

Allan

[sentinel]

Advice taken Allan i am Steve pleased to have conversed with you very informative i must say .

[Colin Southern]

Hi Steve,

Can't say I know anything about Hitech filters & filter holders (I use Singh-Ray filters and Lee holders) - but I did just want to mention that if you fit any kind of filter onto a cannon, the projectile will almost certainly smash the filter into many pieces when the weapon fires.

Perhaps you meant Canon instead of cannon?

[jcuknz]

The trouble with adding filters to a wideangle lens is the possibility of vignetting. This is an oft mentioned problem on threads but as I am not a DSLR user I have not bothered to remember the answers given, sorry.
I question your 'need to get something soon' other than clear protective glass 'filters', not that I would call them a filter but that is debatable.
You must have outlaid quite a bit on those lenses and I hope that is matched with a good editing programme which largely removes the need for other than Polarising and Graduated Neutral Density. Unless you get into using the 'special FXS' filters to add colour and diffusion etc at the time of the photograph.

If you go for rectangular filters you will need a holder for them and the holder sticking out in front of the lens could be a problem with the WA zoom. So I'd suggest a "P" holder to cover the 100mm Macro lens when not used for close-ups.
You can then get the mounting rings to suit the smaller lens threads and the holder slides onto each as you change lenses. The rings may be able to stay on the lens. I've done this from time to time in 'SLR days'.

I have never seen a rectanguilar polariser so if there is no such animal you need a round one with a 72mm mount and step-up rings for the other lens sizes. A point here that the smaller A size holder made by Cokin had a slot to accomodate a round polarising filter with knurled edge for rotation ... but I bought mine years ago and don't know if it currently made.The A size should be just suitable for your 58mm thread lenses, but not anything larger. But the expense is in the filters rather than the holder and mounting rings are not expensive.

As a UK resident I suggest you check out the SRB-Griturn website as they specialise in this.
Some people look sideways at Cokin so probably your answer is an SRB holder and Lee or Hood filters.
Note .. the difference between a linear and circular polariser is the construction not its physical shape and a linear may upset your camera's focusing.

[William W]

Opinion please guys and lasses
ok so have in bag [List of LENSES]
would i be better off with buying individually or would something of a kit cover my needs
have to get some but not very up on Filters at present

First step is for you to answer: Why do you have to get some?
What will be the uses? What are the specific purposes?

***

Commenting specifically about buying one ND Filter and a perhaps one Circular Polarizing Filter: if you want a screw mount filter, then I also suggest you consider buying a 77mm version and set of Step Up Rings:
72 to 77
67 to 77 and
58 to 77.

The 10 to 22 is the widest lens and it has 77mm thread; so therefore buying a slimline filter to suit the 10 to 22 (so it does not vignette), could allow the suitable use of the same filter on the other lenses using the appropriate Step Up Ring: but trying before you buy would benefit, or alternatively sometimes you can ferret out information regarding the thickness of the filters required for each lens such that there will be no vignette and work out if a step down ring will work or not.

Below is an example of the use of a Step UP Ring and an ND Filter. In this case the ND Filter was bought specifically for use with a Zoom Lens which has a Filter Thread = 82mm – BUT that ND Filter is sometimes also used on other lenses with filter thread sizes = 77mm as seen here:


(Note the Filter & Ring are NOT screwed down correctly and this is simply to allow their nomenclature to be seen.)

And the bits and pieces unscrewed are here:


***

Although an ND filter might not necessarily be used for macro work, the Macro Lens is also a 100mm lens and as such is not always necessarily used for Macro work, specifically.

***

Regarding ND Filters: as well as choosing what Filter thread or on what lenses the ND filter might be used, one also has to choose the strength of the ND Filter(s).

This recent thread will assist by providing more information about ND filters and the idea of buying only one or a set of ND Filters and what strength it/they might be.


***

i was advised that maybe it would be a good idea to get a filter on each just as a kind of protection by a shop better to clean a filter than Lenses but would this not reduce the image quality?

This question usually divides answers into two camps - the for and the against ‘protection’ filters.
You have to eventually choose to which camp you will belong.

My opinions:

1. Most people are stretched to actually ‘see’ any difference in the images shot with and without a ‘good to very good quality’ UV or Clear Filter.

2. I do keep UV filters as a matter default on most of my lenses, my main reason is to protect from physical damage. I do carry lenses with lens hoods on but not lens caps, when working. I do carry more than one camera when working.

3. The most important consideration if one chooses to use a UV or Clear Filter for ‘protection’ is to know WHEN TO REMOVE IT – typically: for most night-time shooting and or shooting into the light. Typically Veiling Flare and / or Ghost Images are the most problematic issues with leaving a UV or Clear Filter on a Lens all the time.

It is also worthwhile to note that small scratches or bits of dirt on the front element of the lens are very unlikely to cause any noticeable IQ deterioration for mostly all of the shots that lens will make.

Also Salespeople are there to Sell. Whilst their advice to buy is advice and has some rationale - when it comes to Protection Filters, I am sure that there is some element of upselling, which is involved.

WW

[rpcrowe]

Certainly using step rings so that one size filter will fit all your lenses is an economical idea when using round, screw-in filters.

However the problem is that when you want to switch lenses, and you are using a step ring, you also have to switch the filter. That is time consuming and also can place you in danger of damaging your equipment. It is easy to cross thread a filter when you are in a hurry.

Although it is expensive, I like to have individual filters for each lens. In other words, I have a 67mm filter for my 70-200mm f/4L IS lens and a 77mm filter for my 17-55mm f/2.8 IS lens.

Of course, since I almost always shoot with two cameras using two different focal length lenses, I will need a filter for each lens (if I am going to use filters at all).

As far as using protective filters, there is a tutorial available above on that tpic...