Quality Filters?

[yogibear]

Looking to get a nice line up of filters for my camera. Any suggestions on good brands to use? Im not looking to spend a fortune but a good quality set of UV,ND,GND, and some polarizing filters would be nice.

Thanks

 

[A4Effort]

Tiffen and Hoya are two good brands. Quality filters are important and no brand names most of the time lack in quality. They definitly are not cheap sometimes either.

 

[Big Mike]

B+W is a good name in filters.

 

[yogibear]

Thank you both. Well if it ends up forcing me to wait on a few filters in order to get a few quality ones, so be it. Thanks again.

 

[stsinner]

How about Bower?

 

[LiveWave]

I use only Heliopan and B+W, they are Schott glass, the special optical glass from germany and the filters run from 70-80 dollars a piece.

 

[Kerri27]

I use hoya

 

[Tolyk]

Kenko is the brand I tend to recommend. It's Hoya's more pro line. Harder glass, and brass fittings. Makes for a better quality than the basic Hoya ones.

As far as ND filters go, are you wanting solid ND or graduated?

 

[EW1066]

I would say don't wait to get a filter. Go and buy a cheap skylite filter and protect your lens. Then save your money for the "quality" specialized filter you want.

Vince

 

[kundalini]

Go and buy a cheap skylite filter and protect your lens.

Oooohhhhh. That is just sooo wrong on several layers.

 

[TamiyaGuy]

In terms of "cheap but good", I'd recommend standard Hoya filters. Their most expensive ones don't cost more than £50, and their cheapest cost about a tenner. The circular polarizer I have is very handy, it gives the photo a nice saturation boost without softening the image much, if at all.

For the more expensive ones, I'd have to jump on the bandwagon and say B+W. they're expensive, but they are as good as they get.

 

[Tolyk]

Oooohhhhh. That is just sooo wrong on several layers.

Especially since Skylight's are only for use in the shade eh


As to B+W being the best.. Rodenstock is made in the same factory, every bit as good and tend to be cheaper. Also, Singh-ray make some damn fine filters. But these are all rather pricey for filters. Kenko is a good alternative, price wise and quality wise.

 

[iriairi]

Love my Hoyas

 

[pm63]

For professional landscapers, Lee Filters are the way to go. I think they only manufacture the square filter systems. Cost an arm and a leg mind you, but if you want the best...

If you're looking for cheap and cheerful, I've had good luck with the Cokin P system of square filters. An adapter ring + holder will set you back about £15-20, and filters are also £15 each. Here are examples of two shots I used them for:

http://flickr.com/photos/ozga/2889951741/

http://flickr.com/photos/ozga/2760313333/

Good luck.

 

[Steph]

For professional landscapers, Lee Filters are the way to go. I think they only manufacture the square filter systems. Cost an arm and a leg mind you, but if you want the best...

If you're looking for cheap and cheerful, I've had good luck with the Cokin P system of square filters. An adapter ring + holder will set you back about £15-20, and filters are also £15 each.

Lee filters are definitely amongst the best but they are expensive. I found that Cokin filters are cheap for a reason: the quality is not very good, particularly the ND and ND grads, which are not truly neutral and can introduce some nasty colour casts in grey skies. I found Hitech/Formatt filters to be good value for money. They are cheaper than Lee filters and I cannot tell the difference between the 2 (I use both).