Do you use FILTERS? - What does each filter do?

ATVrider43 · Feb 17, 2013

So, I myself and I'm sure a ton of others would like to know OR learn more about filters and what each filter's purpose is.

Here are just some of the filters I've come to know some things about.... PLEASE ADD TO THIS LIST AND DESCRIPTIONS AND/OR EXAMPLES

UV - Ultra Violet
CPL - Circular Polarizing
GND - Graduated Neutral Density
ND - Neutral Density

480sparky · Feb 17, 2013

I routinely carry a CPL and VND. I have no GNDs. I also have some UVs for when I know I'll need to protect the lens from excessive dust or moisture.

ATVrider43 · Feb 17, 2013

480sparky said:
I routinely carry a CPL and VND. I have no GNDs. I also have some UVs for when I know I'll need to protect the lens from excessive dust or moisture.

What is the difference between VND and GND? Is it the lighting the filter allows in or?

480sparky · Feb 17, 2013

ATVrider43 said:
What is the difference between VND and GND? Is it the lighting the filter allows in or?

VND is a Variable Neutral Density. Reduces the same amount of light all across the filter, just that it's adjustable.

GND is Graduated Neutral Density. Part of it is clear, part of is is gray.

ATVrider43 · Feb 17, 2013

Oh oh I see, now is CPL the best filter when shooting a sky?

480sparky · Feb 17, 2013

ATVrider43 said:
Oh oh I see, now is CPL the best filter when shooting a sky?

Not always.

If you shoot really wide-angle lenses, you can create dark bands in the sky.

No filter:

W/ CPL filter:

Alex_B · Feb 17, 2013

ATVrider43 said:
Oh oh I see, now is CPL the best filter when shooting a sky?

Depends on where the sun is on the sky actually. Can be used to enhance the blue/white contrast in the sky/clouds, but can also be used to filter out unwanted reflections (e.g. on wet leaves, when photographing through reflecting windows, or when photographing through a water surface).

Alex_B · Feb 17, 2013

CPL - Circular Polarizing - for the reasons given above.
GND - Graduated Neutral Density - to reduce contrast between bright and dark regions of the image (e.g. sky/foreground)
ND - Neutral Density - usually to be able to shoot longer exposures without having to go for an extremely high aperture.

Various red/orange/yellow filters for various effects in black and white photography.

ATVrider43 · Feb 17, 2013

Okay thanks guys

I will be posting a SKY C&C so input is welcome

snowbear · Feb 17, 2013

CPL, ND, GND.

I still shoot a little film, so I occasionally use UV (ultraviolet) and color filters for contrast (red, orange, yellow, green),

BrianV · Feb 17, 2013

X0, X1, Y48, O56, R60. Light green, green separation, yellow, orange, red. Picked up yesterday at a Photorama show.

bc_steve · Feb 18, 2013

CPL and a ND (9 stop I believe?)

The ND is very dark, I use it mostly for daytime pictures of waterfalls, etc. I don't use it very often but I really like it when I do.

I bought good quality 77mm filters and I use adapters ($1 on ebay) to step them down to 67mm and 52mm. I have a CPL in 52mm as well but it is a cheaper one and I only use it when I am being lazy.

Awiserbud · Feb 18, 2013

I used to use Cokin filters years ago when i shot film, I still have lots of them, but most were plastic and haven't stood the test of time, Most of the effects i used filters for are all done in photoshop thesedays (special effect filters)
This site explains what they all do:

Filters for Photographic Lenses - Creative FIlters - www.cokin.co,.k

skieur · Feb 18, 2013

There are screw-on lens filters, in-camera menu filters, and postprocessing software filters. My favorite postprocessing filter is the sunshine filter which can quickly change a cloudy day into a pleasant sunshine day towards late afternoon. The colour pop filter is a great in-camera filter which brings out the bright colours in a shot. The GND and circular polarizing filter are the absolutely necessary screw-on filters.

skieur

480sparky · Feb 18, 2013

skieur said:
There are screw-on lens filters, in-camera menu filters, and postprocessing software filters. My favorite postprocessing filter is the sunshine filter which can quickly change a cloudy day into a pleasant sunshine day towards late afternoon. The colour pop filter is a great in-camera filter which brings out the bright colours in a shot. The GND and circular polarizing filter are the absolutely necessary screw-on filters.

skieur

I'd say a screw-on GND is totally useless. Far better to go with a square slide-in style.