Using a filter with a non-SLR type camera

If I take a "normal" pocket-size camera (the type most non-photographers use), and hold a filter in front of the lense, will it work? I'm interested in the cross-filter that makes those pointy stars around light sources but I'm not satisfied with the results from software. Would the filter have to be held a particular distance from the lense or would that not make any difference? Thanks in advance for not laughing...

There is a posibility of glare on the close side of the filter if you hold it up to the lens. Feel free to try it, however.

Hold it as close to the lens as possible.

What type of camera. Maybe there are filter adapters for your particular make/model.

How many specular highlights do you get off of potatoes? Them's some fancy type potatoes, Sean.

Yep. You may wish you had a third hand though.

I havn't bought the camera yet, but I'm planning on getting one of these types: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk …8QQtcZphotoQQcm​dZViewItem - do they make filter adapters for that sort of camera? I'll check it out.

(www.seanspotatobusines​s.com)

I used my sunglasses as a filter with my old Advantix camera one time. The sunset looked a heck of a lot better before I took my sunglasses off, so I gave it a try. Worked great!

Right now I'm looking at the Canon PowerShot A710 and this does have a lens adapter - my next question is, are lenses designed to be universal (i.e. will a any 'cross filter' attach to my adapter)?

I'm looking for something compact, about 8 MP, at least 6x optical zoom with option for manual control and a built-in flash and my budget is £200 (macro is also important). The PowerShot A710 is only about £150. Any advice?

If it's the same diameter as the adapter.

seanspotatobusiness wrote in post #3686387
I havn't bought the camera yet, but I'm planning on getting one of these types: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk …8QQtcZphotoQQcm​dZViewItem - do they make filter adapters for that sort of camera? I'll check it out.

(www.seanspotatobusine​ss.com)

Hmmm... without looking into the exact qualities of that camera, I'd have to guess they do not.

Here's an idea: Fire up the camera and measure the distance between the face of the camera and the face of the lens. (how far does the lens protrude)
Cut a strip of black construction paper as wide as that distance.
Tape the construction paper around your filter so that it forms a column around the filter. You want the filter to be at the end of the column.
Hold the filter up to the lens so that the construction paper blocks out any light from coming up behind the filter.

The object is to have the paper block out any ambient light from hitting that silver camera, bouncing off the glass of the filter, and into the lens. The paper will block and absorb some of that light. You do not want the paper to stick out forward of the filter. Otherwise, it may show up in the periphery of the shot.

Warning: You're going to look silly doing this.