Top Geek
Forum Addict
I just paste-bombed this from here to make it easier to find.
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Different filters do different things. If you're looking for a basic set of filters, the first must-have is a Circular Polarizer for deepening blue skies (increases contrast between clouds and clear sky) and reducing surface reflections. These are rotatable filters; you rotate them until they create the desired effect.
http://pic.armedcats.net/e/ep/epp_b/2009/09/29/2009-09-16_Leaning.jpg
The sky would have been washed out and dull had I not used a polarizer. Do please forgive the lousy cloning job on the bottom-left, I have to redo it
Neutral Density filters are probably the next thing you want. They are used simply to darken the entire frame. The result is that you can use wide apertures in bright light or use slow shutter speeds in bright movement to display movement. These come in varying levels of darkness from slight to very heavy.
http://pic.armedcats.net/e/ep/epp_b/2009/09/29/Burn_out_Truck.jpg
Using an ND filter is the only way I was able to get a shutter speed low enough in mid-day light to be able to smooth out the smoke and show spinning tires. As I recall, I also used a polarizer stacked beneath it to darken the sky and reduce reflections on the truck itself.
I also have a Graduated Neutral Density filter. This is an ND for half (or more, or less) of the frame, while the rest of the frame is clear. They can also differ in the hardness or softness of the transition between dark and light. This is useful mainly for landscapes. I currently have a basic circular one, but it's usefullness is quite limited. If you are getting one (or more) of these, I suggest something like a Cokin rig, which lets you shift filters up and down to change the point of transition. I'm looking into getting one soon.
http://pic.armedcats.net/e/ep/epp_b/2009/09/29/2008-09-03_Old_Shed_in_the_Blistering_Sunset.jpg
My grad ND filter allowed me to show the unique character of the sky within the exposure, while avoiding underexposing everything else (or, conversely, without overexposing the sky)
As far as how much to spend? Eh... I can't bring myself to spend more than $10-$15 on a little piece of glass. Some people claim that it robs sharpness, contrast or colour rendition, and that may be the case, but it's nothing that can't be corrected in post by sacrificing a tiny bit of cleanliness (vs. noise) and I doubt my D40 is capable of even resolving high enough to see any sharpness discrepancy anyway.
EDIT: oh, yes, and "clear", "sky" and "UV" filters. I don't spend more than a few dollars on these either. First all, UV filters are not necessary for digital SLRs. All of their lenses and/or sensors are already protected against UV. But, otherwise, you can still use UV, skylight or clear filters purely as physical protection. Replacing a filter is cheaper than replacing a lens in the event of a drop or scratch.
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Different filters do different things. If you're looking for a basic set of filters, the first must-have is a Circular Polarizer for deepening blue skies (increases contrast between clouds and clear sky) and reducing surface reflections. These are rotatable filters; you rotate them until they create the desired effect.
http://pic.armedcats.net/e/ep/epp_b/2009/09/29/2009-09-16_Leaning.jpg
The sky would have been washed out and dull had I not used a polarizer. Do please forgive the lousy cloning job on the bottom-left, I have to redo it
Neutral Density filters are probably the next thing you want. They are used simply to darken the entire frame. The result is that you can use wide apertures in bright light or use slow shutter speeds in bright movement to display movement. These come in varying levels of darkness from slight to very heavy.
http://pic.armedcats.net/e/ep/epp_b/2009/09/29/Burn_out_Truck.jpg
Using an ND filter is the only way I was able to get a shutter speed low enough in mid-day light to be able to smooth out the smoke and show spinning tires. As I recall, I also used a polarizer stacked beneath it to darken the sky and reduce reflections on the truck itself.
I also have a Graduated Neutral Density filter. This is an ND for half (or more, or less) of the frame, while the rest of the frame is clear. They can also differ in the hardness or softness of the transition between dark and light. This is useful mainly for landscapes. I currently have a basic circular one, but it's usefullness is quite limited. If you are getting one (or more) of these, I suggest something like a Cokin rig, which lets you shift filters up and down to change the point of transition. I'm looking into getting one soon.
http://pic.armedcats.net/e/ep/epp_b/2009/09/29/2008-09-03_Old_Shed_in_the_Blistering_Sunset.jpg
My grad ND filter allowed me to show the unique character of the sky within the exposure, while avoiding underexposing everything else (or, conversely, without overexposing the sky)
As far as how much to spend? Eh... I can't bring myself to spend more than $10-$15 on a little piece of glass. Some people claim that it robs sharpness, contrast or colour rendition, and that may be the case, but it's nothing that can't be corrected in post by sacrificing a tiny bit of cleanliness (vs. noise) and I doubt my D40 is capable of even resolving high enough to see any sharpness discrepancy anyway.
EDIT: oh, yes, and "clear", "sky" and "UV" filters. I don't spend more than a few dollars on these either. First all, UV filters are not necessary for digital SLRs. All of their lenses and/or sensors are already protected against UV. But, otherwise, you can still use UV, skylight or clear filters purely as physical protection. Replacing a filter is cheaper than replacing a lens in the event of a drop or scratch.
