Sorry folks, one more question before my big upgrade...

[paulpippin29]

Filters... do I need them, or should I ignore them? I'm reading alot about them, and seems as if they do have a place. I'm running into one filter in particular, which is the 58 mm UV filter, which can be used on the new XSI I'm getting. Do I need this filter? I love to shoot outdoors, particularly shots of the sun and sky.

I also ran across a "HAZE" filter, and of course, several "colored" filters, such as blue, red, orange, green, etc... Do I need any of these filters at all? In particular, do I need the UV filter that I keep coming across so much?

Thanks as always for everyone's help... you folks are the best, and I'm sorry for the constant barrage of newbie questions

[TPF Sponsor]

[hankejp]

you probably won't need any of the colored filters. Perhaps if you shoot some black and white pictures. I would get a circular polarizer filter.

[jwsciontc]

yes a circular polarizer filter for shooting outdoors and especially blue skies and stuff. I have a UV one that i keep on my lenses at all times for protection

[CAG76]

As a matter of face I have a Canon XSi and have a 58 mm UV filter. So far it does nothing for me, but I haven't taken any landscape or city scape shots in the haze. I hear and read that a UV filter is only for lens protection and haze reduction. I only paid $16.00 for mine at a Cord Camera store. Now those Polarizer lenses is what I am wanting. They do nice things to color saturation and glare. They are not cheap. I need to save up and get one of those.

-Christopher

[Aye-non Oh-non Imus]

First off, the filter has absolutely nothing to do with you having an XSi body. It is ALL about the lens.

Now, my thoughts are to forget the UV / HAZE filters, but there are a couple of circumstances for them.... few and far between IMO. If you are intent on getting a filter for "protection", get a clear glass filter.... not a UV or Haze. I do not use them personally, but given the right scenerio (dirt, mud, bikes, horses.... anything that throws mud) they have a purpose.

The first and foremost filter, again IMO, is a circular polarizer (CP, CPL, CPoL....). Here is where you might want to spend the money. B+W is my first port of call, Hoya and Tiffen make some decent filters also. Look for the multi-coated (MRC).

Lee, Singh-Ray and HiTech are a few other nanes to throw out. I'm sure there are others.