Filter?

[g2k556]

Well, I couldn't really decide on what type of filter I would like to get, but I think i've decided I'd go with a polarizer filter. So I was wondering if you could recommend one or two for me too look into. I'm in the 50 to 60 dollar range. It's not going to get me an awesome one, but I would like to have one when I go down to the Smokey's in a few weeks. Thanks in advance, Gavin.

 

[potownrob]

I really like my Hoya 52mm circular polarizer I have on my Nikon kit lens. It's definitely not a highend polarizer but it works pretty well for outdoor shots. I just got a new Tiffen circular polarizer (67mm) for my new Tamron 17-50 and look forward to trying it out. From what I've heard the Hoya pro line and I think HD line are good, along with B+W filters. For digital circular is said to be better than linear polarizers. I like how you can keep it on even when you don't have much of a use for the polarizer.

 

[g2k556]

okay, sounds good. i was looking at a b+w on b&h.

 

[Garbz]

Hoya HMC filters are very good for the price. I'd stay clear of the cheaper Hoyas. Their cheap polarises tend to bleed colours somewhat.

 

[Josh66]

okay, sounds good. i was looking at a b+w on b&h.

I like B+W (all of my filters are B+W). They might be just outside of your price range though, depending on what size filter you need. If you upped the budget to $80 you should be able to find one easily.

Depending on what size you need some are in your price range.

 

[g2k556]

what's the difference between the regular glass filter and the slim glass

 

[Josh66]

The slim filters are thinner, they're supposed to reduce or eliminate vignetting on wide angle lenses. To help make them thinner the filter threads on the front of the filter (where you could attach another filter) are omitted.

On a CPL thin filters can be more annoying (if you don't actually need it to be thin), because they're thinner they're harder to get off. Since the front of a CPL spins you have very little gripping area when you're trying to remove the filter (probably about 1/16" on my B+W slim CPL).

 

[g2k556]

so a regular glass would probably be the better choice, since a small amount of vignetting isn't a big deal, since photoshop can get rid of that easily

 

[Josh66]

Yeah, I would get the regular one unless you really need the slim filter. Plus, you'll save a little bit of money by getting the regular ones.

You'll probably only need the slim filters if you're stacking filters on a wide angle lens.

If you do wind up with a little vignetting it's not too hard to get rid of (not sure how to do it in photoshop, but it's very easy to do in lightroom), a small crop would get rid of it too. A little vignetting doesn't bother me that much but if it bothers you, you can deal with it pretty easily.

 

[g2k556]

I have lightroom too, mostly just for viewing my photos and importing them from my camera. The Camera RAW plugin for PS does all the same things as Lightroom, I just think its more smooth and easier to work with in Camera Raw