What are light filters?

[Chode]

Can someone explain to me what are the filters (58mm lens filters), and what kinds of filters there are, and what exactly are they used for?

Tnx!

 

[Alex_B]

huh, we could make this a long thread, i am sure though that we ahve all the answers in some older thread, not sure where though.

- polarizer (circular) filters out one out of two of light's polarisations ... with the right set up this can help to get more contrast in clouds or to get rid of reflections on water or similar surfaces .... or actually to strengthen reflections, depending on what you desire.

- neutral density (ND) or grey filter ... just takes a ways some light in order to get longer exposures if there is a lot of light, or to allow for larger apertures (and hence shallower depth of field).

- split ND or graduated ND take away light only in part of the image... this is useful if you have a bright sky and a dark foreground, then you have a chance to expose both correctly in one shot

- UV filters, filter UV light (as most glass does anyway) ... today's sensors with their filter glass in front of them are not UV sensitive anyway. But many people (me included) use thenm to protect the front glass of their lenses.

- Colour filters ... well they just filter selected colours ... very useful on film as a sort of white balance, but with digital cameras this can be easily done in post processing.

-Effect filters ... would stay away from them, and it can be all done in postprocessing anyway.

- Skylight filters, similar to UV filters but with a slight colour cast.


- I certainly forgot some

 

[Chode]

Tnx!

ND filters looks like more useful to me! How about prices? I want 58mm filter.

Polarising filters are not bad too, but ND is something that can be of use to me!


And are there different types of ND filters? Darker-lighter... ?

 

[Alex_B]

ND filters looks like more useful to me! How about prices? I want 58mm filter.

you get what you pay for ... but with 58mm you are lucky since they are much cheaper than the larger ones. at 82mm it gets painful

You should get useable NDs around 50 EUR or even below I suppose.

Polarising filters are not bad too, but ND is something that can be of use to me!

If you shoot outdoors a lot, a polariser could be worth it. But for myself I do not consider it essential.

And are there different types of ND filters? Darker-lighter... ?

yes, it depends on how much light they filter. there are different ways to label them ... where was this link which explains it all? *thinks*

 

[Chode]

thanks!