Are filters really necessary?

[MrsLittle]

I was thinking of getting a filter for my camera and just wondering how necessary they really are. Do I really need a UV filter if I am using the lens hood? How much a difference does the polarizer make for pictures? The one I was thinking of getting is a Polarizer/UV filter- two in one.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003448Q46/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&m=A3IBSQEE1HVAF4

 

[dots]

Filters at High Altitude? - Photography QnA at BetterPhoto.com

 

[dots]

"High Altitude" but discusses CPL/UV/Skylight

 

[swordfish1945]

For years I have put a UV filter on all my lenses not for effects but to protect the glass of my lenses.

 

[analog.universe]

UV filters are nice for protecting an expensive lens against airborne debris. I like that I can be a little more careless cleaning them than I would be with the lens itself. They're certainly not necessary though.

CPL on the other hand is a really nice effect in certain situations. You lose a bunch of light to it, so it's not something for all the time, but it has a lot of great uses, especially out in the sun.

 

[Big Mike]

Most filters are obsolete in the digital era, IMO. The effects can be very easily replicated in post production, without the limitations of physical filters.

That being said, you can't replicated all the things that a polarizing filter can do, in post production. So a polarizer is still a very useful filter to have.
Another group of filters that can still be useful, are graduated (grad) filters. They are dark on one side and clear on the other. There are various types; soft edge, hard edge, more or less darkening etc. There are color versions as well, but color effects can be done in post. They also come in round or square shapes. The round one don't interest me at all, as they will force your composition. The square ones are more adjustable, and thus more flexible.
So, you may be thinking that you can easily darken part of your photo in post, so why do we use these filters? They help to compress the dynamic range of the scene (as seen by the camera) so that the camera can capture detail in parts of the scene that may otherwise be too dark or too bright to capture detail....do to the limited dynamic range of our cameras.

Another useful filter is the Neutral Density (ND) filter. It just darkens the whole scene, which allows you to adjust your exposure settings. Usually to get longer shutter speeds.

And yet, some people use UV filters. The UV part isn't necessary, as digital cameras aren't really sensitive to UV light...but because the filters are basically clear, they are used for physical protection. Better to damage the filter than the lens. I personally don't use them, but many do.

A key point when talking about using filters or not, is how much they will affect your image quality. Technically, anything you put in front of your lens will potentially affect your image quality. You want to avoid the cheap filters because they will certainly hurt your image quality, and increase the chances of thing like lens flare. Better filters have coatings, some of them are MC (multi coated) to help reduce flare etc.

 

[MLeeK]

For those that believe in using a UV filter all of the time that won't work. A UV is most often used to protect the front element of your lens from accidental damage, dust, debris and cleaning a filter over and over and over is better than cleaning a lens over and over and over... Eventually the coating gets degraded.
A UV filter also is to "cut the haze" in those hazy days when you look out throgh the atmosphere and you see that almost blue-ish hazy look. Heavy days of summer kind of thing. I find people rarely using them for that, but it was their original intent.

Polarizer filters are to reduce reflective glare such as on water or glasses, etc. It reduces the amount of light coming through your lens as well. You have the right of it in choosing a circular polarizer.

Skylight filters are handy to have in the fall colors or if you are shooting the sky and clouds etc. They have a pink tint to them and it does amazing things to the fall colors, clouds and sky.

Other filters are all designed with a reason just like those above. I rarely use anything other than the Skylight, CPL and a neutral density filter on my camera. If I am shooting on vacation or something where I may not be as careful as I am professionally I do use a UV filter for an added caution. I keep UV filters on all of my kids' lenses for fear that they aren't going to care for them as I would.

 

[Hickeydog]

I keep UV filters on all my lenses to protect the front element.

 

[MrsLittle]

If I am going to be picking up a filter, then I think I should pick up something that will enhance my photos in certain situations- so I'm thinking the CPL would be a good bet for me. I just don't want to spend too much for use on a "cheaper" lens, like the 50mm 1.8. Should I just hold off and worry about protecting my more valuable lenses I will soon obtain? Thanks everyone!

 

[MLeeK]

A CPL is always useful. You can't go wrong with one for every lens if that's what you are thinking.
As for protection on the 50mm? it is so set into it's housing (at least the canon is) that I have never worried so much about it.

 

[KmH]

Filter glass is much thinner than the front lens element. Modern front lens coatings are pretty tough. Using a natural bristle brush, and a blower won't wear the coatings away in your lifetime. Only use lens cleaner solution and lens tissue when necessary. Keep your fingers off the glass.

I have seen front lens elements severely damaged by 'protective' filters.

In each instance the the thin filters broke and the shards were pushed back against the front lens glass. The sharp shards gouged the lens glass.

Then, the sharp shards scratced nice round circles as the filters were unscrewed from the lenses.

CPL, ND, and GND filters are useful but only for specific uses.

CPL filters are effective for saturating the sky and green foliage when the Sun is 90° to the lens axis, and less than 30° above the horizon. A CPL filter is also effective at reducung glare from things like water and glass, but a CPL is less effective at reducing glare from reflective metal because that light doesn't get polarized..

 

[MTVision]

Filter glass is much thinner than the front lens element. Modern front lens coatings are pretty tough. Using a natural bristle brush, and a blower won't wear the coatings away in your lifetime. Only use lens cleaner solution and lens tissue when necessary. Keep your fingers off the glass.

I have seen front lens elements severely damaged by 'protective' filters.

In each instance the the thin filters broke and the shards were pushed back against the front lens glass. The sharp shards gouged the lens glass.

Then, the sharp shards scratced nice round circles as the filters were unscrewed from the lenses.

CPL, ND, and GND filters are useful but only for specific uses.

CPL filters are effective for saturating the sky and green foliage when the Sun is 90° to the lens axis, and less than 30° above the horizon. A CPL filter is also effective at reducung glare from things like water and glass, but a CPL is less effective at reducing glare from reflective metal because that light doesn't get polarized..

Some lady at the camera store near me told me that you needed a filter because the sun will basically bake the coating off within a year!

Is a lens pen good to use?

 

[manaheim]

lol wow. That camera store woman sold you a bill o goods.

The Nikon lens pens are pretty amazing, but in all cases you really should clean your lens VERY rarely. I probably clean any given lens of mine that gets any real use about once a year. Twice if i do something stupid like reach for the lens cap on the lens when it's not actually on it and wind up touching the glass. *head->desk*

 

[Overread]

Lens Pens are a good option, but you've got to make sure that (like any contact based lens cleaning method) you use a brush and blower to first remove all debris from the front of the lens glass. Otherwise you'll end up grinding that debris into your glass. Otherwise its a carbon cleaning pad and works well to quickly clean a lens without the use of chemicals (if I recall right the Lens Rentals company also likes using lenspens - they also use disposable Pec Pads for cleaning with chemicals instead of microfibre clothes - essentially so that they never clean with something that has built up dirt over time).

Also the mini lenspen (whilst having a rather shoddy cap that does not clip on) is great for cleaning out the viewfinder!

 

[MLeeK]

Lens Pens are a good option, but you've got to make sure that (like any contact based lens cleaning method) you use a brush and blower to first remove all debris from the front of the lens glass. Otherwise you'll end up grinding that debris into your glass. Otherwise its a carbon cleaning pad and works well to quickly clean a lens without the use of chemicals (if I recall right the Lens Rentals company also likes using lenspens - they also use disposable Pec Pads for cleaning with chemicals instead of microfibre clothes - essentially so that they never clean with something that has built up dirt over time).

Also the mini lenspen (whilst having a rather shoddy cap that does not clip on) is great for cleaning out the viewfinder!

AND make sure the pen is kept capped and there is no debris on the polishing end of it. Otherwise? I LOVE THOSE THINGS! They are awesome!