Thoughts on a few items...

CW Jones · Jul 1, 2009

Ok i am just trying to get a general sense of what people think of some of these items and would you or would you not waste money on them.

Camera armor.... worth it or not? does it make the camera body feel to grippy (if that makes sense haha) does it actually do anything if you dropped the camera or you fell with it?

Grips... worth it to just have a spare battery? does it really make vertical pictures easier to shoot?

Filters.... which brand? I was thinking ND and maybe a PL. cheap filters downgrade image quality?

Lens Hoods... should I have a hood for all of my lenses if I shoot outdoors? they dont effect image quality or have any adverse effects correct?

I know I am just full of questions tho!

AtlPikMan · Jul 1, 2009

I will adress only the things i have or believe in..

#1 Yes for camera grips, on some cameras they give you a boost in fps. I also think they are a big help in shooting in portrait mode, though they also add weight.

#2Filters, I do use Circular Polarizers, i dont have one for all my lensesm i wish i did. As for brands, they get pretty expensive..Look at Hoya, Nikon, Canon

#3 Yes to lens hoods, I would say they do help with lens flare...

Dylan-Fishman · Jul 1, 2009

Armor- Worth it if your clumsy, yes it will protect your camera.
Grip- I like them. They feel nice and yes an easier vertical IMO.
Filters-Any brand that has multiple layers. Make sure to read reviews. Anything Nikon or canon you can trust.
Lens hood- never shot with a lens hood... Doesn't change my quality :\. WILL help with flare though.

Phranquey · Jul 1, 2009

CW Jones said:
Ok i am just trying to get a general sense of what people think of some of these items and would you or would you not waste money on them.

Camera armor.... worth it or not? does it make the camera body feel to grippy (if that makes sense haha) does it actually do anything if you dropped the camera or you fell with it?

Grips... worth it to just have a spare battery? does it really make vertical pictures easier to shoot?

Filters.... which brand? I was thinking ND and maybe a PL. cheap filters downgrade image quality?

Lens Hoods... should I have a hood for all of my lenses if I shoot outdoors? they dont effect image quality or have any adverse effects correct?

I know I am just full of questions tho!

1) Never used it...my camera is armor.

2) I used one of the aftermarket grips when I had a D70s. While it didn't do anything for the frame rate, the extra battery capacity was well worth it....and the extra heft was nice for my big hands.

3) I use Hoya Pro1 Digital filters. IMO, cheap filters = cheap glass...why put that in front of an expensive lens?? The ones I won't be without are CP and Neutral Densities. If I am banging around outdoors, or anyplace where the front element is likely to take a hit, I will keep a UV on it. If I am in the studio, or someplace where I really want the cleanest possible shots..all filters are off.

4) All of my lenses came with hoods, and I usually have them on outdoors. Think of it this way...if you are outside, look at what you are shooting....then either put on a baseball cap, or shield your eyes with your hands (salute), and if it makes a difference to your eyes, then it will likely make a difference to the camera.

kundalini · Jul 1, 2009

CW Jones said:
Camera armor....
Never given it a thought. I like my Nikons in all black.

Grips...
Definitely an advantage. Having shutter, apeture and focus point selection in portrait orientation without wrapping your hand over ackwardly is a bonus. Gives a nice wide foundation to rest on the balls of your hand, right at the wrist, in landscape orientation. Helps with weight balance with longer lenses. Nikon D300 & D700 use same grip and increase fps from 6 to 8. Chicks dig 'em, dudes have penis envy and your nuts will swell.

Filters....
Popular brands are B+W, Hoya, Tiffen, Singh-Ray, .... two more slip past me right now. Spend the money for good filters or stay on the porch. Spending 0.1% of the cost of an $1800 lens wasn't that difficult of a decision for me. Certainly multi-coated filters. As a price guide, I would think the $60-200 range is where you should be looking.

Lens Hoods...
I only have two lenses without a hood, the kit lens that came with my D80 and the nifty-fifty. The kit lens is a paperweight and the 50mm can share the same hood as the 35mm. I don't use UV filters (for protection), but you won't catch me without a hood on my lens.

I use B+W and Hoya filters. I got an ND8 because I like shooting waterfalls and wanted the extra stops.

Just my 2¢.

CW Jones · Jul 1, 2009

alright cool lots of good information and answers here! anyone know if the grip will ad fps to a 30D? I would figure no... it wouldnt be a deciding factor anyways I am just curious. 5fps it pretty sweet as it is!

dxqcanada · Jul 1, 2009

Any light that is hitting the lens will reflect and refract off their surfaces. This will induce flare and reduce contrast.
It is always best to use a Lens Hood to reduce any additional light from being introduced ... and it can be extremely subtle.

icassell · Jul 1, 2009

I bought camera armor and used it for a few months on my 30D. It seemed like a good idea at the time. I got rid of it. I don't think it was particularly protective and would slip and obstruct rapid change of my lens. It also seemed to collect dust.

Lens hoods really help keep the flare under control, but they make it a pain if you use a circular polarizer (especially the long hoods like on my Sigma 100-300mm f4). Although I have them for all of my lenses, I frequently skip the hood and use my hand instead.

kundalini · Jul 1, 2009

icassell said:
Lens hoods really help keep the flare under control, but they make it a pain if you use a circular polarizer (especially the long hoods like on my Sigma 100-300mm f4). Although I have them for all of my lenses, I frequently skip the hood and use my hand instead.

manaheim · Jul 1, 2009

I tend to leave my hoods off a lot because of the filter issue. Somtimes I'll just use my hand to block obvious sun glare issues. It makes me look funny when taking a picture though... almost like I'm doing some kind of crane position.

On the armor... I've never used armor for cameras, but I've used it on various other electronic devices, and invariably stopped using it because it made them to big, too heavy, too funny looking, or all of the above. Just something to consider.

EhJsNe · Jul 1, 2009

I dont like the idea of camera armor...I have no personal experiance with it tho....

Verticle grips are VERY nice to have...they DO make verticle shots easier (more comfortable if nothing else) But the added weight may not be worth it to some people.

Filters? I have a Nikon NC and a Hoya CPL Low end filters dont REALLY lower image quality alone...its what they do that can. (a cheap UV filter can increase ghosting...some have really some unevenness causing distortion...etc) Just stay away from low end filters....if nothing else, get the Nikon/Canon filters.

Kundalini....if you have a screw-in lens hood....what you can do (its what I do on my nifty fifty) is put the CPL Filter on girst THEN the lens hood....so to adjust the CPL all you do is turn the lens hood! Just a suggestion...t works for me with no problem....