Do you use filters.

[dennykyser]

Ok, I know this has been discussed before but wondering if anyone is changing there opinion with the better lenses and quality of digital cameras. I always used a filter on my film cameras and I do have them on my lenses now, but catch myself taking them off at times so wondering if I am doing any good by even using them. Is there certain lenses you use a filter on, certain ones you dont. For example, a 50 f/1.4, do you filter it or not, 85 f/1.8 ? Thanks for any opinions

[Ken Fong]

I no longer need to use special effects filters that can be reproduced on Photoshop. The only ones I use now are UV (kept on at all times to protect the glass) and maybe a circular polarizer. I also use the neutral density filters a lot, but I tend to hand hold these now.

[vvizard]

Circular polarizer on all lenses at all times. If I need to shoot low-light and can't handle the light-loss a polarizer gives, I change it to UV, but I never shoot without. It's so much cheaper replacing a UV or polarizer than a lens.

[Jim_T]

Filters ? What kind of filters ? There are dozens of types..

I have a polarizing filter for a couple of my lenses.. I have an ND8 neutral density filter for a couple more.. I only put them on as required. I have clear UV filters on all my lenses.. I leave them on most of the time.

I don't bother with colored filters (red, yellow, blue etc). You can create the same effect with a decent photo editor, and you can probably duplicate the effect with far more control.

One filter I don't have, but will get some day is a graduated neutral density filter..

[dennykyser]

Was talking about UV filters, just was wondering if you loose any quality. I sometimes wonder if we lessen the value of good glass by adding UV filters. Just a thought.

[CoolToolGuy]

I have a UV on every lens except my 14mm (no filter ring) for protection. Its cheap insurance. I don't think there is any degradation with a UV.

[msvadi]

I use Hoya Super HMC UV filters on all my lenses, including 50mm 1.8. I see that filters gather dust and occational fingerprints. I don't want it get to the lens.

I'll buy a good graduated ND filter at some point.

I believe that everything else is quite useless with digital.

[Vegas Poboy]

Well inthe past I use to say keep them on @ all times but recently I've changed my mind. Canon 70-200 f/4 UV filter when outdoors & the UV filters is a B&W never had any problems.
My Sigma 28-70 f2.8 has had focusing issues with the Hoya UV on it so now I pull it off unless I have bright sunlight.
My 50mm 1.8 never gets a filter or lens hood on it but the only time I use it is indoors, no flash & low lighting.
Pretty much decided to upgrade a couple of lense to Canon and go from there.

[Conk]

Was talking about UV filters, just was wondering if you loose any quality. I sometimes wonder if we lessen the value of good glass by adding UV filters. Just a thought.

Absolutely no quality loss using a uv filter. I bought one the day I purchased my camera and have never removed it. I have a circular polarizer that I use outdoors if I can. Sometimes the situation may not be light enough for my liking.

[KennyG]

Circular polarizer on all lenses at all times. If I need to shoot low-light and can't handle the light-loss a polarizer gives, I change it to UV, but I never shoot without. It's so much cheaper replacing a UV or polarizer than a lens.

CPL's are used for a specific purpose. I have never known anyone keep one on all the time (and that is in 25+ years). How do you manage to adjust the CPL when the hood is on?

I noticed one of your swan shots that looked as though you had adjusted the CPL for the darkest image instead of to eliminate the reflected light.

[kb244]

I still use filters when needed. I dont mainly use any special FX filters, unless its IR ( I like to mess around with the levels to produce those colored IRs, b&w IR can be easily done in channel mixer on PS ).

The three (or four) I'll ever mainly use:

UV = Pretty much on all my lens, especially the expensive ones, serves more or less as a lens protector so you dont have to clean the main lens or worry bout scratch, dust etc. Good thing is they're pretty inexpensive for a decent one too, bout 30ish if yer looking at a 72mm.

Circular Polarizer = At one time I had to have a warming CPL, but photoshop can fix the warming part, it however cannot easily if at all remove glare, or reflections from non-metalic objects, the CPL can also act as a slight darkening tool.

ND Filters ( +4, +8 etc ) = I've recently had to get these, basically ND filters, or Gradulated NDs, are very useful if you need to underexpose a scene, in a situation where you cannot acheive this by either increasing shutter speed, or tightning the aperture. One example I ran accross ( whichI didnt run accross with an IR since it blocks so much light anyways you need long shutter as it is ) , is like taking a picture of a waterfall or stream, or some other situation, where you need to have a shutter speed of 1 second or longer, even in broad daylight, and you dont want to tighten your aperture to the max either. The ND filter will stop more and more light to the point where having longer shutter and the aperture you desire will not overblow the picture, and still create the desired effect.

Any filters I plan on useing will be more or less for the sake of functionality of the camera, more so than visual effect that can otherwise be performed in photoshop.

[vvizard]

Was talking about UV filters, just was wondering if you loose any quality. I sometimes wonder if we lessen the value of good glass by adding UV filters. Just a thought.

I'm not loosing quality, I'm "gaining quality" from them actually =D Especially the polarizers really help bring out more saturated colors for me. But my UV was a total lifesaver yesterday. I was about to pick up some stuff from the carseat, but already had my hands full of a coke-bottle, my camera, and my 50mm. I thought I put it down on the ground to free my hands. All fine, took out my zoom-lens, and was about to put the 50mm in the car, as I thought I had no use for it any more that day. When I picked it up, I found out there was no lens-cap on it's front element (which I placed down) right into the gravel.. Thank God for the UV-filter, now I lost $30 instead of $450 ;)

[minicooper]

I agree with kenny about the CPL on all the time- not a great idea, you will get un-evenly blue skies if anything other that 45 degrees to the sun, and you will always loose 2 stops of light. I would find that a right pain!!

I always keep a UV on all my lenses. I had an unfortunate incident where i picked up my rucksack out of my car without it zipped up properly (something that I think most people with a rucksack have done, or will do!!), and my 80-200mm f2.8 dropped face down on the concrete... ouch. The UV filter saved me £1200- it cracked and dented, really badly, I had to pop the glass out and use pliers and alot of force to get the filter off as it had deformed the screw thread on the filter. If it hadn't been on, I am sure that it would have been the front element that cracked and dented- Nasty!

Tom