Filtering Lens

[Holly]

I was looking for lenses for my camera (panasonic Lumix DMC FZ30) and came across filtering lens.. I have never had a camera this SMART *so to speak* So Im not sure what it is for? IT is pretty much CLEAR and Im not sure how it will filter anything if its clear. WHere as the other set I seen had 3 different lenses the color on them went from a tanish to a greyish color.

Please help understand these lenses..


Thanks!~

 

[Rob]

It sounds like you are talking about a skylight/UV/haze filter. They are all the same thing.

These filters are designed to remove some UV from the light entering the camera. The effect they have is very difficult to detect under normal shooting, which is why many people fit them to their cameras to protect them from being scratched. Better to lose a cheap filter than your front element.

Filters of colour generally are used to enhance or change an image. A red filter for example can help with black and white photography to boost contrast. A graduated filter can help even out the difference between the sky and the ground. A polarising filter is very effective on glare and reflections. A diffusing filter softens an image. A tobacco coloured could be used to warm up the tones in a landscape scene.

All filters have a specific job or use and they can be handy, but there's a temptation to overdo things. They are pretty easy to recreate in photoshop in most cases, so most people don't bother with them as much these days. A circular polariser is all I use, and all my lenses have a UV filter to protect them.

Rob

 

[j_mcquillen]

Skylight / UV / Haze filters are supposed to cut out some of the blue or smokey haze you can see when shooting under certain conditions (eg strong sunlight, around mid-day), but generally, the visible effect they have is minimum.

A lot of the time, they are simply used as a 'lens guards', protecting the delicate surface of your lens from dust and scratches... much better to scratch a cheap filter than several hundred pounds worth of lens

 

[Holly]

Thanks you both!!!

Rob that is the lens (A circular polariser) I figured Id get... Because I do use PS for a lot of my things and If I can use just one lens and purchase a few just in case Ill have one on hand in case something happens...

 

[crawdaddio]

I used to use the UV to protect my lenses, but found more and more often they would produce lens flare in my photos (especially night shots). So I scrapped 'em and pay attention to being careful with my camera.

2 pennies FWIW

~DC

 

[Peanuts]

I have a UV filter on each lens, mostly just because I am accident prone, and would much rather be spending the $50 to replace the filter as opposed to the hundreds of dollars on a lens. I have heard of the lens flare before, so that is something to note.
Another point which I have noticed, is some macro flashes will not attach to a lens if a filter is being used.