Filters

[LuvMyRedHead]

Me again..

thinking about filters. i have a 28-90mm lens. i have no idea how to pick a filter.

can you all give some filter examples of what you like to use and the pro's about them?

how do i know if the filter is made for my lens?

i'm shooting 98% B&W for my class if that makes a different (tho I did just get a few rolls of color for this weekend :thumbsup: )

many thanks,
ilene

[Xia_Ke]

The outside rim of your lenses are threaded. These are known as filter threads for screwing on filters. It should be noted right on the front of the lens what the diameter of the lens is. This would be what size filter that lens uses. As you start to build a camera outfit, chances are you will wind up with lenses that use several different filter sizes. Now one thing to keep in mind when buying filters is that your lens in some ways is only as good as the filter you put in front of it. You could have the best lens in the world but, it can be rendered crap by a filter that causes flairs and/or loss of sharpness. The school of thought I would recommend is to get the best filters you can afford to fit the biggest lens you have. There are attachments called step-up rings so that you can make smaller lenses work with larger filters. So with that out of the way, lets talk filter usage...

For B&W:
B&W is all about tones and contrasts. These are what make up the image and what conveys the mood you want to convey. When looking at a scene with "color" eyes, you will see orange and blue and you will see contrast. Well in B&W, depending on the tone of the color, these could be rendered the same in B&W. Filter use in B&W is all about creating separation. A few common filters are red, orange, yellow, green, etc. Now in addition to adding additional separation between highlights and shadows, these filters add separation between complimentary colors. For example, if you have a bright blue sky, this will be rendered as a highlight on film. Using a red or orange filter will darken up the blue sky.

For Color:
You may not notice it because your brain adjusts to keep colors constant but, light, whether it be the sun or a fluorescent lightbulb, has a varying range of colors of light that they put off (unfortunately film doesn't automatically adjust these colors like out brain does). This is known as color temperature and is measured in kelvins (for a full explanation of this, CLICK HERE) Have you ever noticed an indoor photograph that has an orange cast to it? This is because incandescent bulbs throw off a different color light than daylight which is what most film is color balanced for. In addition to "Daylight Film", you will see "Tungsten Film" which is color balanced for indoor lighting, specifically photofloods. Most filters you see for use with color film are color correction filters so that for example you can shoot daylight film indoors. Other filters you will see are UV, Skylight, and Haze filters. To save myself some typing, CLICK HERE for a comparison of these.

Polarizers:
These will be probably the most expensive filter you will end up buying and one of the most important. These are very effective for both color and B&W photography. For starters they help cut down reflected light (which comes in handy for snow or beach scenes) and they also increase color saturation. There are 2 types of polarizers, Linear and Circular. Again, to save myself on typing, CLICK HERE for an explanation of these 2 types and how they work.

Neutral Density:
These filters are varying shades of gray and are used to darken a scene to allow for a longer exposure without affecting colors and shadows/highlights. Say you are shooting running water during the daytime but, you want the water movement to be blurred. However due to the bright sun, you are forced to shoot fast shutter speeds. You can use a ND filter to say darken the scene say 2 stops so instead of shooting at 1/30s, you can now shoot at 1/8s.

Gradual Filter:
These work much like ND filters but instead of the whole filter being gray, just one half is. This way you can darken the sky but, leave the ground unchanged or vice versa for example. These can also be colored for B&W photography.

Protection Filters:
You will usually see this term applied to UV, Haze, or Skylight filters. Some people worry about their lenses getting scratched or damaged so they keep one of these filters on them to protect it in case of being dropped. Like I mentioned earlier though, anytime you put a filter in front of your lens, you are taking the chance of decreasing the image quality. Whether or not to use these is just as much of a debate as say Canon vs. Nikon. Personally the only time I use them is if I'm shooting at the beach where there is heavy ocean spray because I worry about salt water ruining the lens coating or of scratching the lens cleaning it off (as to whether or not this fear is warranted, who know). IMO, a lens hood is much better protection, plus it will cut down on lens flare.

One final thing to keep in mind with filters is what's know as "Filter Factor". Most filters may darken a scene so you will need to compensate your exposure. When you purchase a filter, it should state what the filter factor is. For a breakdown of filter factors CLICK HERE.

Good lord that was a lot of typing...LOL I'm sure I missed a thing or two but, it' midnight and the ol' brain is running out of steam so please forgive me. Hope this helps some though

[walterick]

I think Aaron got it all ;) Nice post, Aaron!

I recommend a basic "protection" filter for that lens, as Aaron mentioned. Cheaper to replace a $10 filter than a $100 lens if you crack it against something. Beyond that, I recommend a circular polarizer as it will come in handy for both color and black and white. And the third is a red filter for black and white shooting, it makes skies dark and adds contrast. Ritz used to run a deal where you buy 2 filters you get 1 free, not sure if they're still doing that or not. Good luck!

Rick

[LuvMyRedHead]

WOW WOW Aaron that's an amazing amount of information! Thank you so much. I might venture out this week to try and find a few filters. I learned the hard way today about contrast as I was trying to print a photo where I believe a red filter would have helped tremendously. After 4 attempts I sadly gave up :-( Not a good feeling..

Anyway I really can't say enough about how much I appreciated all the guidance you have given me. I'm sorry to be such a pest and have so many questions - I just want to be a good photographer/developer so badly.

Have a great week
Ilene

[Xia_Ke]

...I learned the hard way today about contrast as I was trying to print a photo where I believe a red filter would have helped tremendously. After 4 attempts I sadly gave up :-( Not a good feeling.....

Funny you mention this. I was having the exact opposite problem today...LOL I was trying to print a shot where I should have left off my usual yellow filter. It took me a while to get used to using filters but, have gotten so used to it I forget it's not always needed. One of the problems with the print I was working on was the horizon line was really, really faint and kept winding up a little crooked. Just couldn't seem to get it right. Ended up trying it 9 times and got so frustrated between the horizon and getting the dodging burning right, I decided to move on to another negative. Tried a few of that negative and just wasn't getting quite what I wanted and decided to call it a day Tossed all but one print which was okay but, the horizon was a tad crooked. Decided to wash and tone it anyway. I'll post it later to see whether or not it's worth pursuing