Should I buy filters for my lenses?

[pennylane]

I've been recommended a few different brands of filters (I have a Nikon D50). What kind do I need most often for the most situations? I've heard UV and polarizer are the most important.

Right now my only lens aside from the kit lens will be a 50mm f/1.8.

People have suggested:

Hoya Digital Pro 1
B&W UV Haze Multi-Coated (2C) Glass-Filter
Nikon Clear NC Glass Filter

The price of filters vary a bit, with some (like those 3) on the higher end. Do I need to spend that much on a filter? Thanks.

 

[blurredvision]

Some people will tell you that B+W is the only brand to get, but don't buy into it. B+W is definitely worth the money, but don't fret if you have to "settle" for a cheaper brand, as you may never even be able to tell a difference. B+W is typically more because they use glass (instead of plastic like cheaper brands), and their process of making the filters is more highly advanced and polished.

If you go for multi-coated filters, this will cut down on haze and the like. It's typically recommended to go with multi-coated if you can afford it on any type of filter you purchase.

UV filters are typically purchased for each and every lens, mainly for protection. In many cases, when a camera or single lens is dropped, the UV filter, most times, takes the brunt of the fall. You'd rather have your cheap $20 UV filter break instead of the front element of your $800 lens.

As for polarizers, you definitely want to look into one of these. With your having the D50, you'll have to look for a circular polarizer, not a linear one, due to the split-prism viewfinder it employs. I just purchased a $40 circular polarizer at my local camera shop, and I'm pleased with the results. It's not a $95, multi-coated B+W polarizer filter, but it works for me.

 

[Anubis]

spending alot of money on filters is a personal pref, however more expensive filters do work better and are built better

a UV Haze filter or a clear glass filter is nothing more then a lens protector, they do almost nothing to the image and image quality but protect the front element of the lens, this is important is you happen to be shooting in the rain or at a beach, they also protect then from being banged when say hanging at your shoulder

i have a UV or clear glass filter for each of my lenses
the other filters i have are more specialized and are used for certain things
i have a Blue, red, Yellow, Green filters for B&W film photography, they simply changes the contrast in the image and make certain tones stronger
I have a Circ Polarizer, reduces glare and will make Blues stronger
i have a Infa-red filter a Hoya R72 which i use for IR photo on my D70

i also have a 4 stop and a 8 stop Neutral density filter, these are great when shooting in really bright situations, like snow, when you want to cut the ammnt of light, they also work for doing longer exposures in daylight so you can get that silky water effect for waterfalls and streams

you don?t need to spend a lot but i wouldn?t go the cheapest,

I use Heliopan filters myself, except for the Hoya IR one, the screw mounts are Cast Brass and the glass in them is great also, they are better then B&W IMO

i also recommend looking around for them there is a site http://www.2filter.com/ that sells most filters for less then B&H and Adorama, ,

i got my R72 off Ebay, Brand New shipped from HK for 80$


and i just looked i have a 52mm Circ Polarizer and UV filter i need to get rid of


edit: personally i recommend getting the largest sized filter you thing you will ever need, say for example most of Nikons Pro lenses that even the biggest enthusiast will own have a 77mm filter thread, so before i got a lens with a 77mm mount i had 77mm filters and simply used a step-down ring to attach the larger filter to the smaller lens, while larger filters cost more, sometimes alot more, you end up saving it in the long run as you don?t need to rebuy filters for every lens, like Circ Polarizer, you only really need 1

 

[Brainonska511]

I only bothered getting a circular polarizer for my main lens and it certainly helped taking pictures through glass, of stuff on a lake, and just on a really sunny day at the zoo. I skipped out on getting one for my WA lens at the moment. As far as UV filters, some people feel that getting them to protect you lens is a good idea, but then it becomes another piece of glass to be shooting through.

 

[ProfJohn]

If you are shooting digital what is the point of the color filters anymore?
You can do everything you need right on the computer.

The UV makes sense though, especially if you are using an expensive lens.

 

[montanafan]

I keep UV filters on all my lenses because I do a lot of shooting where there's dust, mud, rain, bodies, and various projectiles flying toward the camera often, so they're just for a little bit of protection. I also use a circular polarizer at times. I usually get the Canon or Hoya brand, but I have used Promaster as well, and except for a slightly noticeable gray tint when shooting a white object up close, their UV filters are just fine for protection.

 

[sdifox]

Consider UV filter a must. At the very least, it protects your lens

 

[GTaudiophile]

I use UV/Protection filters on all my lenses. I have filters from B+W and Hoya. The B+W filters are usually 2x the price at least, but you can feel the difference in build quality.

Just be careful with them. I no sooner spent like $110 on a B+W 77mm UV MRC slim filter, took it to Santorini, dropped it about 2-3 inches onto concrete, and chipped it slightly. It's still usable, just not in pristine condition.

Edit: There are those who argue that any extra glass mounted on the lens, no matter how good, is going to detract from image quality. These people tend to carry hoods around too. I personally carry both but have much better peace of mind with a protective filter.

 

[tdawg]

Originally posted by: sdifox
Consider UV filter a must. At the very least, it protects your lens

The lens hood works as protection too and it also helps increase contrast and reducing flare in the lens. Best of all, most lenses come with a hood.

In cases like montanafan stated, a UV or clear glass filter makes sense, but for all other situations, UV filters are not a necessity. The hood works for protection as well. A lot of pros won't put UV filters over their lenses because there's the risk of image degradation. The old addage seems to be, why spend $1500 on a lens and then put a $50 piece of glass on it to shoot through?

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: tdawg

Originally posted by: sdifox
Consider UV filter a must. At the very least, it protects your lens

The lens hood works as protection too and it also helps increase contrast and reducing flare in the lens. Best of all, most lenses come with a hood.

In cases like montanafan stated, a UV or clear glass filter makes sense, but for all other situations, UV filters are not a necessity. The hood works for protection as well. A lot of pros won't put UV filters over their lenses because there's the risk of image degradation. The old addage seems to be, why spend $1500 on a lens and then put a $50 piece of glass on it to shoot through?

not all lenses come with hoods, and lenses like say a 35 of a 50 have hoods that really dont offer much protection,

 

[troytime]

Originally posted by: Anubis
and i just looked i have a 52mm Circ Polarizer and UV filter i need to get rid of


edit: personally i recommend getting the largest sized filter you thing you will ever need, say for example most of Nikons Pro lenses that even the biggest enthusiast will own have a 77mm filter thread, so before i got a lens with a 77mm mount i had 77mm filters and simply used a step-down ring to attach the larger filter to the smaller lens, while larger filters cost more, sometimes alot more, you end up saving it in the long run as you don?t need to rebuy filters for every lens, like Circ Polarizer, you only really need 1

the advice of buying the largest filter is really good advice!

willing to sell my your 52mm uv and polarizer? I just bought a 50mm nikon f/1.8 and could use them

 

[tdawg]

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: tdawg

Originally posted by: sdifox
Consider UV filter a must. At the very least, it protects your lens

The lens hood works as protection too and it also helps increase contrast and reducing flare in the lens. Best of all, most lenses come with a hood.

In cases like montanafan stated, a UV or clear glass filter makes sense, but for all other situations, UV filters are not a necessity. The hood works for protection as well. A lot of pros won't put UV filters over their lenses because there's the risk of image degradation. The old addage seems to be, why spend $1500 on a lens and then put a $50 piece of glass on it to shoot through?

not all lenses come with hoods, and lenses like say a 35 of a 50 have hoods that really dont offer much protection,

That's why I said most lenses come with lens hoods. The lens hood for my Nikon 50 1.8 (not included with lens) is a screw in style, like a filter, and would seem to offer much more protection than a UV filter on it.

One size doesn't fit all. Various situations will of course demand their specific gear.