Skylight 1A Filters [Archive] - Canon Digital Photography Forums

FlyingPete

21st of November 2004 (Sun), 13:32

I have a 52mm Skylight 1A filter that was on an old EF35-70 (EOS500n era) that I sold with my EOS30 (just to get started).

It is sitting on a white piece of paper, so the pink tinting is visable against the paper.

This made me think, is there any point in having a filter such as this with a slight tinting (I know there is a point in having a clear filter, if anything to protect glass, I usually just have a UV) on a digital camera, as the white balance would cancel the effect out?

Just a random thought! :idea:

CyberDyneSystems

21st of November 2004 (Sun), 13:41

Well.. with film they add a slightly warm tone and help bring out some color... hardly noticeable with a 1A though.

With Digital.. AWBalance could likely jsut compensate the effect right out of the picture.

dhbailey

21st of November 2004 (Sun), 13:42

Having a filter just to offer some protection (and it really only protects to a point, a hard enough drop will damage both the filter AND the lens) make sno sense to me.

It used to, and I used to have one on my lenses all the time, simply because I had read that it was a smart thing to do, until one day I realized I wasn't really happy with my pictures but couldn't tell why. I took the filter off and immediately my pictures improved.

Only use a filter if it will offer you something to benefit your pictures. If you're wondering about whether the skylight filter will help/hurt/do-nothing, simply take a picture without the filter and then take one with the filter on.

If you see a difference that you like with the filter on, keep it on. If you see a difference you hate, take the filter off. If you see no difference, then you can leave it or not as you wish, but realize that a filter really is only protection agains minor bangs and bumps.

And it just might offer a different tint to some pictures you won't be aware of (some filters offer no difference in certain lighting situations but make a major difference in other situations.) If you get in the habit of always having it on, you won't necessarily be using it wisely to get the best pictures.