Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear => Topic started by: RichardGilbert on April 09, 2010, 11:04:50 am

Title: Filters
Post by: RichardGilbert on April 09, 2010, 11:04:50 am
What filters does everybody use and which one is your favorite? How much did they costs?

I recently purchased a polarizer and spent 225 on it. I thought that was kinda high. Anybody know the difference between the 225 dollar filter and the 30 dollar filter?
Title: Filters
Post by: stamper on April 09, 2010, 12:16:37 pm
Quote from: RichardGilbert
What filters does everybody use and which one is your favorite? How much did they costs?

I recently purchased a polarizer and spent 225 on it. I thought that was kinda high. Anybody know the difference between the 225 dollar filter and the 30 dollar filter?

195 dollar?
Title: Filters
Post by: Paul Sumi on April 09, 2010, 12:50:08 pm
Quote from: RichardGilbert
I recently purchased a polarizer and spent 225 on it. I thought that was kinda high. Anybody know the difference between the 225 dollar filter and the 30 dollar filter?

It would help if you mentioned the brand and model of the $225 filter you bought.  For example, some high-end polo filters give you nearly a stop more light transmission than lesser filters.  Some advantages are a brighter viewfinder, making it easier to see and compose, as well as faster shutter speeds.  Better optics, materials and construction are generally other differences.

Paul
Title: Filters
Post by: RichardGilbert on April 09, 2010, 01:25:14 pm
Quote from: Paul Sumi
It would help if you mentioned the brand and model of the $225 filter you bought.  For example, some high-end polo filters give you nearly a stop more light transmission than lesser filters.  Some advantages are a brighter viewfinder, making it easier to see and compose, as well as faster shutter speeds.  Better optics, materials and construction are generally other differences.

Paul


Thanks! I understand the difference in quality glass. You can buy a cheap pair of bino's and a good pair of bino's (binoculars) and there is a significant difference but I was wondering if there is a significant difference in picture quality. I'll try to look up that brand though.
Title: Filters
Post by: fredjeang on April 09, 2010, 03:17:52 pm
Are you talking about filter to protect the lens or to acheive a particular task?
In the first case, I used to buy the most expensives because I wanted no hassle between the light and the lens, but then I just get rid of them now and use only a lens hood. I'm more happy with that.
Title: Filters
Post by: Rob C on April 09, 2010, 03:55:10 pm
Quote from: fredjeang
Are you talking about filter to protect the lens or to acheive a particular task?
In the first case, I used to buy the most expensives because I wanted no hassle between the light and the lens, but then I just get rid of them now and use only a lens hood. I'm more happy with that.


That's because you live in Madrid, far away from the delicate, salt-laden sea breezes of the Mediterranean. I bet your cars last longer there too and you don't have to varnish the shutters every single year either!

;-) or : - ( depending on whether you love the smell of varnish in the morning or not.

Rob C
Title: Filters
Post by: fredjeang on April 09, 2010, 05:37:44 pm
Correct Rob,
Madrid was one of the dryest if not the most dry european capital...until, this year!
I've never seen so much rain since I left Paris.
But still, I have not yet put my filters back on.

Title: Filters
Post by: EricV on April 09, 2010, 05:39:55 pm
Quote from: RichardGilbert
What filters does everybody use and which one is your favorite? How much did they cost?
I recently purchased a polarizer and spent 225 on it. I thought that was kinda high. Anybody know the difference between the 225 dollar filter and the 30 dollar filter?
I would guess every serious photographer owns and uses a polarizing filter.
In the days of black/white film, a yellow/orange/red filter was very useful to darken skies.
For the specific purpose of using a long exposure to blur moving water, a ND filter is useful.

Cameras with reflex mirrors generally need circular polarizers, in order not to interfere with the autofocus and metering systems.  Cameras without mirrors only need linear polarizers.  A circular polarizer contains a linear polarized plus another optical element and is considerably more expensive.
Title: Filters
Post by: PeterAit on April 09, 2010, 05:43:14 pm
Quote from: RichardGilbert
What filters does everybody use and which one is your favorite? How much did they costs?

I recently purchased a polarizer and spent 225 on it. I thought that was kinda high. Anybody know the difference between the 225 dollar filter and the 30 dollar filter?

My favorite is a polarizer, and it's worth getting a really good (expensive) one. Given the small fortune I have spent on my lenses, saving a few bucks on a cheap filter does not make sense to me.
Title: Filters
Post by: fredjeang on April 09, 2010, 06:18:21 pm
Quote from: EricV
I would guess every serious photographer owns and uses a polarizing filter.
In the days of black/white film, a yellow/orange/red filter was very useful to darken skies.
For the specific purpose of using a long exposure to blur moving water, a ND filter is useful.

Cameras with reflex mirrors generally need circular polarizers, in order not to interfere with the autofocus and metering systems.  Cameras without mirrors only need linear polarizers.  A circular polarizer contains a linear polarized plus another optical element and is considerably more expensive.
It depends really. It is cheap and protect the lens. I've been working with many class of what you call serious photographers ( I do not include myself of course in that list ), and I've seen different configurations: some use them permanently, others in some cases and I know many that never use them and prefer the hood as a protection. The last is my current choice because of what Rob pointed, in the conditions that I'm generally working it is not necessary and it works very well with the hood. It is fair to say that the pros that I know who do not use them are wealthy enough to face a problem and replace a lens.
But when you do not have this margen, better using them, and better expensive ones IMHO.
Title: Filters
Post by: Dick Roadnight on April 10, 2010, 02:00:58 am
Quote from: RichardGilbert
What filters does everybody use and which one is your favorite? How much did they costs?

I recently purchased a polarizer and spent 225 on it. I thought that was kinda high. Anybody know the difference between the 225 dollar filter and the 30 dollar filter?
The bayonet filters for Hasselblads used to be expensive, but now, for the 50-110 the polarizing filter is "0nly" about £900. I thought about getting a polar filter for my aerial 600 f6, or the 900, but 6" polarizing filters would be expensive!

I am thinking about getting a graduated pink (mired/haze) filter for the distant hills in landscapes... but if you do not get clipping, you can do it in Photoshop, and you would not want to kill the aerial perspective altogether.