xti 58mm kit lens

i would like to purchase a lens cover/filter, but i am not sure which one is a good one to start with. if anything, i want something that will protect the lens more than anything.

also. whats the difference between a polarized uv lens and a lens hood? i know the uv lens helps with sun...

thanks

A lens hood is a black plastic surround that clips onto the front of the lens. It's purpose is to prevent stray light entering the lens from the side angles and causing unwanted optical effects. It can also help protect your lens in that if you drop it and it lands on it's front, the hood will take most of the impact instead of your lens hitting the ground directly and getting smashed up.

A filter is a thin piece of glass in a metal ring that screws directly onto the front of a lens. They come in many different types, UV and polarising included. It can be argued that a UV filter provides little optical benefit on a digitial camera because the sensor is not as sensitive to UV as wet film is. However, many people still use them to provide protection for the front lens element. It's far cheaper to replace a scratched filter than a scratched lens.

Polarising filters are considerably more expensive than UV filters. You probably wouldn't use one just for protection of your lens. They help reduce glare and reflections, as well as making the sky look a deeper blue and making colors look more vivid in general.

I myself use hoods and UV filters on all my lenses, and also have a polarising filter for use with my 17-85mm which I swap with the UV filter only when I need it.

If your kit lens is the EF-S 18-55mm, then an appropriate lens hood is the Canon EW-60C, and a basic UV filter is the Hoya UV(0) HMC 58mm.

Hope that helps. I'm a newbie to photography, so someone else may be able to give a more accurate answer.

Jason

thank you for the explanation. i read some stuff i wasn't aware of, but i knew the physical difference between the lens hood and the lens filters, what i was getting as was whether or not both were used for the same purpose, to prevent extra light getting in.

however after reading what you wrote, it sounds like i would need both to do what i want and to protect my lens.

can the same polarizing lens help with bright light AND give me richer/deeper colors? or would i need 2 diff lens filters to do that?

You would only need one polarizing filter to do the job although my experience has been that they do more to remove glare than to bring out the vivid colors. I haven't had a polarizing filter on my EOS cameras yet but I believe you'd be looking for a circular polarizing filter.

I would also second the vote for both a UV filter and lens hood on all lenses. Clear UV filters have saved me lots of lens scratches. Hoods are equally terrific for both IQ and protection purposes. I'm far from careless with my equipment but it's too easy to get caught up in shooting, turn around and hit a branch or a harder object with the end of a zoom lens.

FWIW, I have a problem with paying Canon nearly $30 for a plastic hood. I shop online and buy the generic brand ones for a third of the price. They work just as well. For UV filters, I've recently tried Tiffin Ultraclear. It's a few bucks more but it truly is crystal clear and IQ with my 50mm 1.8 is great...which tells me the filter is invisible.

thanks...

can i have a CP filter and then a UV filter ontop of that? is it possible to put on more than 1 lens filter? would you ever want to have to lens filters on, if possible?

You really don't want to stack filters. The extra thickness may cause vignetting; also every layer of glass you add increases the potential, especially with inexpensive filters, for flare or distortion. Remember, a polarizing filter will cost you about 2 stops of light, so you won't want to use it unless necessary for controlling glare (which is also why it makes the sky bluer; it cuts out "glare" from particles scattering light in the sky).

Jon wrote in post #4182592
You really don't want to stack filters. The extra thickness may cause vignetting; also every layer of glass you add increases the potential, especially with inexpensive filters, for flare or distortion. Remember, a polarizing filter will cost you about 2 stops of light, so you won't want to use it unless necessary for controlling glare (which is also why it makes the sky bluer; it cuts out "glare" from particles scattering light in the sky).

so then what would you guys recommend to keep the lens safe?

also, what is a good cp filter?

Look at hvstar.net, and stick with Hoya or Kenko PRO1 or HMC filters. They are very good, and reasonably priced through hvstar.net. They seem to have built up a good reputation here on POTN. Don't buy Quantaray or Sunpak filters...

I personaly NEVER shoot without 1 Filter AND a Lens Hood, If a filter breaks that lens wont leave the house untill i get one!

Go out and get both, UV Filter first i think.

NSWESP wrote in post #4187869
I personaly NEVER shoot without 1 Filter AND a Lens Hood, If a filter breaks that lens wont leave the house untill i get one!

And in over 40 years I have never used a filter for "protection" and I have never taken photos in a situation where I felt I needed one. If I were planning to shoot in a sandstorm, driving rain, or something like that, I would consider a "protective" filter.

I always, on the other hand, use a properly designed (for the individual lens) rigid lens hood. As said above, a rigid hood will provide a barrier to stray light that could cause flare and also provides a lot of physical contact protection for the lens and camera.

tomdlgns wrote in post #4185879
so then what would you guys recommend to keep the lens safe?

also, what is a good cp filter?

I use the B+W MRC UV filters on my lenses. If I'm going to use a polarizer, the UV comes off. My polarizers are also B+W MRC. Other reliable brands are Heliopan's SH-PMc and Hoya's S-HMC (not the lesser HMC) or Pro-1 filters. Unlike Skip, I'm often in situations (and it doesn't need to be a sandstorm) where I need protection.