For those of you who know about filters.

[Antithesis]

I have a couple questions about filters that are kind of random and probably only come from experience. I need to purchase a UV filter, a Polarizer and possibly an 81a warming filter.

First question: I'm looking at the B+W filters, and they have normal old UV 010 Filters for about $50 and then they have the bells and whistles, multi-coated crazy version for $112. I noticed that some of them say 'Haze', but I wasn't aware that they actually did anything like that. What exactly is the difference between the $50 B+W and the $112 B+W?

Second question: I read an article a couple months back about fine-tuning white balance and the author mentioned that he always kept an 81a warming filter on every lens he used and it gave him more accurate color rendition. The article is here:

http://www.nikondigital.org/articles/white_balance.htm

It basically just says to use one all the time, but he is using a d1x and I think most modern nikons have a little better color rendition. Anyways, is this suggested at all? Or will newer cameras correct for the filter?

Thanks in advance for any answers, I tried to research this stuff but I think most of it comes from experience.

 

[Sideburns]

I have a couple questions about filters that are kind of random and probably only come from experience. I need to purchase a UV filter, a Polarizer and possibly an 81a warming filter.

First question: I'm looking at the B+W filters, and they have normal old UV 010 Filters for about $50 and then they have the bells and whistles, multi-coated crazy version for $112. I noticed that some of them say 'Haze', but I wasn't aware that they actually did anything like that. What exactly is the difference between the $50 B+W and the $112 B+W?

Second question: I read an article a couple months back about fine-tuning white balance and the author mentioned that he always kept an 81a warming filter on every lens he used and it gave him more accurate color rendition. The article is here:

http://www.nikondigital.org/articles/white_balance.htm

It basically just says to use one all the time, but he is using a d1x and I think most modern nikons have a little better color rendition. Anyways, is this suggested at all? Or will newer cameras correct for the filter?

Thanks in advance for any answers, I tried to research this stuff but I think most of it comes from experience.

Newer cameras should cancel out an 81a when they do their white balancing.

Anyway...

I got a B+W MRC polarizer, and the coating on it looks pretty tough...maybe not as tough as the brass rings, but that's a non-issue. These filters are tanks.

The multicoated ones just mean less flare or glare, and better quality.

 

[kundalini]

My guess is those prices are for a 77mm lens and further assuming that it is a rather decent piece of glass. How am I doing? My next order at B&H will include 4x of the MRC's.

Be mindful that the slim filters are intended for use on a wide angle lens and do not have front threads.

 

[Antithesis]

My guess is those prices are for a 77mm lens and further assuming that it is a rather decent piece of glass. How am I doing? My next order at B&H will include 4x of the MRC's.

Be mindful that the slim filters are intended for use on a wide angle lens and do not have front threads.

It'll be going on a 12-24, how do they attach to the front of the lens if they don't have threads?

 

[kundalini]

The slims have the threads to attach to the lens but do not have the front threads so that you can stack filters. So if you get a CPL for the lens, you would need to remove the slim UV first.

I got a slim B+W CPL for my 12-24mm.

 

[Garbz]

Nikons I find tend to be a bit on the cold/purple side so the warming filter does make sense. At least he would if it weren't digital. I mean that's just stupid. Manual white balance is there for a reason. If you're in daylight set the camera to daylight, in the shade set it to shade, and if you want 100% accuracy shoot in raw and pick you white balance when you load the photos onto the computer. Heck even Auto has a push function on most Nikons, set the white balance to Auto +2 and you get the same effect as a warming filter.

 

[Iron Flatline]

Equipment question, this is in the wrong forum.

There's three forums - Beginners, Beyond Basics, and Equiment... it would be cool if the Mods could be more active in keeping this singular forum about Creativity free of these kinds of discussions...

 

[dipstick]

Why do you need an UV filter?

No need for that if you are shooting digital.

 

[Antithesis]

Equipment question, this is in the wrong forum.

There's three forums - Beginners, Beyond Basics, and Equiment... it would be cool if the Mods could be more active in keeping this singular forum about Creativity free of these kinds of discussions...

Whoops, sorry about that. I must've accidentally posted in the wrong forum.

Garbz: That's what I thought, I just read that article and wanted to see what people thought. I've just started shooting exclusively in RAW and white balance is obviously never a problem.

dipstick: I want a UV filter for protection of my front lens element (from debris, not the sun). I know it doesn't do much, if anything, in terms of image quality. I've just always been told to use a UV filter.

 

[Garbz]

Why do you need an UV filter?

No need for that if you are shooting digital.

This is a joke isn't it? a) UV filters aren't entirely neutral they actually have benefits even on digital cameras, and b) do a forum search for "filter" every second thread is about UVs and why we use them to protect our lenses.

 

[Iron Flatline]

Thanks Mods for moving this.

Yup, IR/UV filters are highly relevant for digital. The sensors are actually more sensitive to "invisible" light than film is. Most sensors have IR filters built into the piece of glass right on top of the sensor.

Most... just not my %"#&amn Leica....

 

[Chris of Arabia]

Thanks Mods for moving this.

 

[dipstick]

This is a joke isn't it? a) UV filters aren't entirely neutral they actually have benefits even on digital cameras, and b) do a forum search for "filter" every second thread is about UVs and why we use them to protect our lenses.

No it's not a joke. If I need to protect a lens I put on a NC filter instead. But most of the time I use my lenses without filters.

What are the benefit of a UV filter over a NC filter on a digital camera if the purpose is lens protection?

Iron Flatline: Isn't UV filters built-in in front of the sensors as well?

 

[Payt]

No it's not a joke. If I need to protect a lens I put on a NC filter instead. But most of the time I use my lenses without filters.

What are the benefit of a UV filter over a NC filter on a digital camera if the purpose is lens protection?

Iron Flatline: Isn't UV filters built-in in front of the sensors as well?

Aren't*

Well, I'm not sure about the rest of the world, but I believe it to be common sense to have some sort of filter on every lens I shoot with. What if harmful debris flies up in front of your camera and nicks the front of your lens? If there is not a filter to stop it, the whole damned thing is ruined.

Hey, I'm the kind of guy who will cut corners to save some cash, but what's worse? Spending 30 bucks on a filter for your 600 dollar glass, or taking the risk of buggering the frontal element up and ruining your lens?

 

[Garbz]

What are the benefit of a UV filter over a NC filter on a digital camera if the purpose is lens protection?

Iron Flatline: Isn't UV filters built-in in front of the sensors as well?

Cheaper, made by every manufacturer, comes in various qualities and more sizes, are sold everywhere, and have nearly the same effect. Oh and they block UV which is great if you photograph snow on a sunny day. This also depends on the camera. Some cameras have a bandpass filter on their CCD blocking IR and UV, some block only IR, Iron Flatline's doesn't at all.

That's it. The UV(0) are so common and do nearly identical work as the NC filter that on ebay you can get very good black market Hoyas (I have a Hoya SHMC on 2 of my lenses) for the same price as even a basic type of filter in any store. And in this case they aren't even fake :thumbsup:

Mind you if your NC filters are all top of the line B+W I may as well go argue with the wall :lmao: