Lens Filters

[Jxay]

How imperative is it to have a lens filter? I've been looking to purchase one and I've come to want the CP filter from hoya for the saturation factor when shooting outside. My other question is can I leave the CP filter on all time and take pictures in darker time and how that will affect my photos?

 

[tirediron]

Filters all have different purposes; the most common is usually a UV filter, which on digital cameras really only serves to protect the front element of the lens and to keep it clean. A CPOL is great for outdoors, and landscape work, but doesn't serve any purpose indoors. You can leave it on all the time, but I wouldn't recommend it; it will become very annoying, very quickly indoors. If you want to protect your lens, than I would suggest a good quality clear glass "filter" and just attach the CPOL when required.

 

[Jxay]

Filters all have different purposes; the most common is usually a UV filter, which on digital cameras really only serves to protect the front element of the lens and to keep it clean. A CPOL is great for outdoors, and landscape work, but doesn't serve any purpose indoors. You can leave it on all the time, but I wouldn't recommend it; it will become very annoying, very quickly indoors. If you want to protect your lens, than I would suggest a good quality clear glass "filter" and just attach the CPOL when required.

I'm not sure I'm understanding why it would get annoying? Since you said that it can be left on all the time. The main reason why i got a CPOL filter is because I'm going to sanfrancisco and will be taking a lot of outdoor photos and landscapes and would like for my skies to pop and have a deeper blue.

 

[prodigy2k7]

I'm not sure I'm understanding why it would get annoying? Since you said that it can be left on all the time. The main reason why i got a CPOL filter is because I'm going to sanfrancisco and will be taking a lot of outdoor photos and landscapes and would like for my skies to pop and have a deeper blue.

It would get annoying because it sort of makes things darker, you normally need as much light as possible indoors, you dont want to darker what your sensor sees.

 

[dhilberg]

I would get either a UV or clear glass filter to protect the front element of your lens. That is something you would leave on all the time. Make sure it has an anti-glare coating, multi-coated preferably. This will help reduce lens flare and ghosting.

Polarizers are a lot of fun. You could leave it on all the time. However, because they are dark they increase exposure times. My Hoya adds about 1.3 stops. This is not all that important, unless you shoot action or low-light photos (especially handheld). This could mean the difference between freezing action or not, or crisp vs. blurry images in low-light settings.

Dennis

 

[Jxay]

I would get either a UV or clear glass filter to protect the front element of your lens. That is something you would leave on all the time. Make sure it has an anti-glare coating, multi-coated preferably. This will help reduce lens flare and ghosting.

Polarizers are a lot of fun. You could leave it on all the time. However, because they are dark they increase exposure times. My Hoya adds about 1.3 stops. This is not all that important, unless you shoot action or low-light photos (especially handheld). This could mean the difference between freezing action or not, or crisp vs. blurry images in low-light settings.

Dennis

Thanks for the information. I'm thinking I'll go buy the Hoya Pro1 DMC UV filter. Any comments on this brand or if there is another one i should consider.