Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear => Topic started by: KristinaD on June 12, 2006, 10:19:59 pm

Title: UV or polarizing filter?
Post by: KristinaD on June 12, 2006, 10:19:59 pm

First off, newbie here.  
I've tried with some difficulty to answer my own question, but it would be helpful to get some experienced answers.  I was recently in Europe and I've noticed that many of my pictures have a haze in the background.  Sometimes it appears slightly bluish, which I understand may be due to UV light...but I'm not sure if that's really the problem.  I was never at very high altitude, and the problem seems to be greatest in pictures I shot around noontime, which leads me to think a polarizing filter might help.
If it's relevant, I have a Nikon D70, Nikkor 28-100 mm 1:3.5-5.6 G lens.
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Title: UV or polarizing filter?
Post by: DarkPenguin on June 12, 2006, 11:07:18 pm

It could just be haze.  Try looking up "local contrast" on this site.  That might help.

Also, were you using a lens hood?

Title: UV or polarizing filter?
Post by: boku on June 13, 2006, 07:08:10 am

Polarizers are less effective at mid-day. Noon would not be an ideal time to use one and get much result. I never experienced much satisfaction with UV filters in my film days, but don't base anything on my empirical experience with UVs.

I have found that distant deep blue softness is generally haze. If it is distractive, I can use Photoshop to either reduce or accent it for a more pleasing rendition.

The local contrast suggestion will "cut the haze" as well, but the blue tint remains to be dealt with.

Title: UV or polarizing filter?
Post by: DarkPenguin on June 13, 2006, 10:25:01 am

One of the photo.net guys (Bob Atkins?) did a test of UV filters.  I think the only one that did much was the tiffen.