What filters are essential for a photographer?

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

05/13/2007 03:34:20 PM · #1

I have only used a circular polarizer before. Oh and a UV obviously. What other filters should I get? I was thinking an ND filter. This would help with longer exposures during daylight right? Thanks.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

05/13/2007 03:45:17 PM · #2

Either that or a graduated ND filter, to help even out the exposure when you have a bright sky and dark foreground.

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR

05/13/2007 04:37:42 PM · #3

What filter is good to use to take waterfall shots? I need to darken the shot so I can use a longer exposure during the day.

RainMotorsports

Nikon D60

05/13/2007 04:40:08 PM · #4

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Either that or a graduated ND filter, to help even out the exposure when you have a bright sky and dark foreground.

Originally posted by A4wheelin:

What filter is good to use to take waterfall shots? I need to darken the shot so I can use a longer exposure during the day.

Neutral Density Filter, You can stack them.

Message edited by author 2007-05-13 16:40:32.

macleodn

Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC Macro for Canon

05/13/2007 08:26:22 PM · #5

I think a Fluorescent filter is good to have if you will be taking any pictures for indoor sports or anything held in a trade center or under Fluorescent lights. I have one that I use all the time.

Nicholas

jprhea25

Nikon D80

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5- 5.6G ED DX

05/13/2007 08:29:34 PM · #6

Originally posted by macleodn:

You prefer the Fluorescent filter over the Fluorescent white balance setting on your digital camera?
-JP

macleodn

Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC Macro for Canon

05/13/2007 08:39:20 PM · #7

Originally posted by jprhea25:

Originally posted by macleodn:
I think a Fluorescent filter is good to have if you will be taking any pictures for indoor sports or anything held in a trade center or under Fluorescent lights. I have one that I use all the time.

Nicholas

You prefer the Fluorescent filter over the Fluorescent white balance setting on your digital camera?
-JP

I've never looked for the setting on the Rebel...I tend to choose the physical fix instead of the electronic one. Then if I don't like it I can color correct some things in Photoshop.

I will go look for the setting now :)

Thanks!

05/13/2007 10:04:16 PM · #8

Originally posted by macleodn:

Originally posted by jprhea25:

Originally posted by macleodn:
I think a Fluorescent filter is good to have if you will be taking any pictures for indoor sports or anything held in a trade center or under Fluorescent lights. I have one that I use all the time.

Nicholas

You prefer the Fluorescent filter over the Fluorescent white balance setting on your digital camera?
-JP

I've never looked for the setting on the Rebel...I tend to choose the physical fix instead of the electronic one. Then if I don't like it I can color correct some things in Photoshop.

I will go look for the setting now :)

Thanks!

There are white balance settings for pretty much any type of lighting condition on your rebel.

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 12-24mm f/4.0G IF-ED

05/13/2007 10:04:52 PM · #9

Originally posted by RainMotorsports:

Originally posted by GeneralE:
Either that or a graduated ND filter, to help even out the exposure when you have a bright sky and dark foreground.

Originally posted by A4wheelin:
What filter is good to use to take waterfall shots? I need to darken the shot so I can use a longer exposure during the day.

Neutral Density Filter, You can stack them.

There are so many different types of ND filters. How do I know what to get?

jbsmithana

Nikon D300

05/13/2007 10:09:27 PM · #10

I would get both a 2 Stop Graduated ND Filter and a couple of 2 stop ND filters. With those you can handle almost any light situation, both to slow down shutter speed by stacking and cutting out light and by usign the Graduated to cut light from an overly bright area (like a landscape with a very bright sky and a shadowed land portion.

yakatme

Lytro Illum Light Field Digital

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

05/13/2007 10:17:22 PM · #11

Originally posted by A4wheelin:

There are so many different types of ND filters. How do I know what to get?

I went with the 4" by 6" Lee graduated neutral density filters. I have two sets of .3, .6, and .9 filters. One set is hard edged and the other is soft edged (this refers to the transition from clear to dark). In addition to the filters themselves, you'll need to get a filter holder and a lens adapter to fit the holder to the lens that you'll be using the filters on.

The reason that I went with the 4 x 6" Lee system despite the cost was because of the quality of resin versus polyester filters. The 4 x 6" size helps to reduce or eliminate vignetting too.

Here are a couple of shots using these filters.

- - -

edits are in italics above...(the resin filters are better)

Message edited by author 2007-05-14 17:51:14.

surfdabbler

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II

05/14/2007 09:29:11 AM · #12

If you're getting ND filters, don't get a few the same size, because you can stack combinations of different sizes to get what you need. Your polariser will be roughly a 2 anyway, so you don't need one of those. I got an ND8. That way, I have a 2, an 8 and a 10 if I stack them. if you really want fine control over the amount, you could get a 4 and an 8, giving you steps of 2 up to 14. I think. It's late, and i can't remember if you multiply or add them. :)

Alternatively, something I've not tried - get a linear polariser, and put it on the outside of your circular polariser. Then you can turn the front polariser against the second one, and you have an infinite variation of the darkness, from roughly 4 to infinity. Try it out carefully in the shop first, because sometimes, particularly with cheaper filters, you might get funny colour banding between the 2. But the theory is sound, and you can actually buy filters that are made to work like this.