UV filter and buying lens

[indyfan]

I just recently purchased a Nikon D3000 (my first dslr)

Its a stock model with 18-55mm Nikkor lens, I want a uv filter for my camera, but Im seeing all these sizes and options, is there a certain model or size that will specifically fit my lens?

Also, can my Nikon accept all dslr lenses? or just Nikon brand lenses?

Sorry Im new to this camera thing and I joined these forums to learn as much as I could

[CaraRose]

All filters basically just screw on to the front of the lens. Lenses all have specific filter sizes that fit them... think of it like a nut and a bolt. If the sizes don't match, you can't screw them together.

A little googling and it looks like your lens takes 52mm filters.

Different brands of cameras have different lens mounts. Canon has a specific mount, Minolta/Sony (Sony bought Minolta and uses the Minolta AF mount) has a specific mount. Most camera makes have a specific mount that means their lenses are not compatable with competitors cameras. The exception to this is the 4/3 system, which has several brands that use a universal lens mount... notably Olympus and Panasonic.

It's not that only Nikon lenses will work (in fact, just because it's Nikon doesn't mean it will work), but that only lenses for your mount will work. Tamron and Sigma often have multiple variations of the same lens for different mounts (Nikon, Canon, Sony, ect).

[Frog]

Why do you want a uv filter? Do you think it will add quality to your pictures. The opposite is more likely to be true. UV or clear filters were often used on hazy days or something with film cameras OR as lens protection. They may protect your lens in windy sandy or similar conditions. I became convinced they were not what they were claimed to be after reading several posts here and elsewhere. If the uv has optical glass that is equal to or better than your lenses optics, you may never notice. But most people end up getting a $20 or less filter and they can do nothing except degrade the image quality.
As for protection, your lens hood is the best protection and if anything gets past that, it is unlikely that a thin uv filter will hold up. Not that they've never saved a lens, but it is very, very rare.
Anything a uv filter does do for the image can be done in photoshop without degrading the image.

You can google about circular polarizers or just put some polarized sunglasses on to look at clouds on a sunny day and you'll see what they do. Get more detail in clouds and bluer skies and also cuts glare in other situations.
ND filters are good when you are doing something like shooting a landscape with a bright overcast sky. They even out the exposure. Otherwise you usually end up with a properly exposed sky with a really dark landscape under it or a properly exposed landscape with a really bright or blown out sky.
There are two filters you may need. Circular polarizer and neutral density. Don't buy cheap ones. Go with B+H, the better models of Hoya, or if you can afford it, Hazzelpan. Probably other good ones out there that I can't remember.
Now what is the biggest lens you think you will ever get...thinking diameter. Get that circular polarizer and with adapter rings you can use it on any of your other smaller diameter lenses too. Or you can go with the Cokin system(google it). They make a lens holder that snaps onto the end of lenses and then you can slide filters in and out and even stack them to get the effect you want.
Good filters are not cheap. Plan on spending $100 or more or with luck a bit less.
But why put a cheap filter in front of a good lens?

[LisaD]

Frog thank you for this post (and to the OP for asking the question). I've been wondering about filters and the little research I've done had left me undecided.

[Canuck935]

Whether to filter or not really comes down to personal choice. If you decide to use a UV or other clear type filter for lens protection, buy a quality filter. Like Frog said, using a cheapo filter will degrade image quality. Cheap filters can and will cause things like ghosting, flare, and weird bokeh patterns.

Also, don't stack screw-on filters. Stacking can amplify negative side affects of the extra layers of glass, and also cause vignetting.

[freygr]

I just recently purchased a Nikon D3000 (my first dslr)

Its a stock model with 18-55mm Nikkor lens, I want a uv filter for my camera, but Im seeing all these sizes and options, is there a certain model or size that will specifically fit my lens?

Also, can my Nikon accept all dslr lenses? or just Nikon brand lenses?

Sorry Im new to this camera thing and I joined these forums to learn as much as I could

Look on the inside of your lens cap. The filter size will be there. Filter sizes now days are metric. Rule of thumb is you can use a step up ring to use over size filters but you can't use a step down ring with filters.

[indyfan]

thanks for the replies guys, I'll definitely get a quality filer, I was actually looking at some cheap ones, but now I know thats not a good idea