lens filters and outdoor portraits

[tannyboy]

Just a purely out of curiosity question.

Do you? and is it necessary? say a UV, Skylight or Polariser.

I haven't really used filters before, but ive seen polarisers work their wonders on general landscape shots.

Thoughts?

[Deckham]

Circular polarisers certainly have their uses. UV filters are more often used as 'protection' to expensive glass, and I haven't had need of one otherwise. Whether to use one or not is an age-old debate.

If you shoot landscapes of any sort, a CPF is almost essential.

[mercho]

I have UV's on both my lenses for protection sake, and have beaning meaning to by a CPL for ages, as my current one doesn't fit my lenses after switching from Pentax.. CPL's are one of the most useful peices of equipment, and i would reccommend grabbing one, esp for landscape shoots

For an outdoor portrait I can only assume they would help, as i have never used them for portraits, but in theory i don't see why they wouldn't be good

[kiwi]

UV "protection" filters are the biggest con inflicted on photographers ever.

[mercho]

UV "protection" filters are the biggest con inflicted on photographers ever.

Hmm i dunno about that, we had one at work on a pretty expensive nikon zoom lens. The lens was dropped and the filter took the full force.. $60 ish for a new filter as oposed to a new lens...

[kiwi]

You are assuming that if the filter wasn't there the lens would have been damaged though.

There would have been more chance of the UV filter's glass shattering actually either jamming the filter on the thread or scratching the front element.

[ricktas]

Hmm i dunno about that, we had one at work on a pretty expensive nikon zoom lens. The lens was dropped and the filter took the full force.. $60 ish for a new filter as oposed to a new lens...

But would the lens have broken without the filter..probably not. More lenses have been damaged from filters scratching the front element when dropped. It has also been shown that UV filters degrade IQ, repeatedly.

Good lenses are built solid. The dropped and filter broke scenario is often quoted to 'prove' the worth of the filter, but its not a good scientific test.