Some Advice On Filters

[Dylan & Marianne]

THank you Whitefire and CarlR

It's difficult to make generic suggestions but on the whole, I think go with easier to use grads first ie
try what results you get with a 2 stop ND rather than a 9 or 10 stop
try what results you get with a soft edged GND rather than hard or reverse edge - maybe start with 2 or 3 stops as well?
don't go all out with the most expensive stuff unless you think that after using them, GNDs are the way to go for you rather than exposure blending
and of course, a circular screw on polariser

[Milbs1]

Hi Dylan...quick Q. II have the Lee Foundation kit holder with hitech grads. If I want to use a CPL (dont own one yet, but I WANT and NEED one lol) deos this mean I have to handhold the grads?

[Dylan & Marianne]

Shirl - I don't have the the Lee holder so I can't give you a reliable answer on that , however, with a filter holder screwed on, I suspect you will be able to do it with the CPL but when you want to change from portrait to landscape, that might give you some difficulty depending on how it attaches? - how's the holder? does it vignette at 10mm ?

[Milbs1]

I like the holder...but dont have anything to compare it to! I haven't found noticeable vignetting, but did invest in the ultra thin adapter rings for wide angle lenses so that may have made a difference. I have an unused UV filter somewhere..I'll try and see if that fits on with the adapter ring screwed on too. Its pretty easy to take off the filter holder (leaving the adapter ring in place) so if they do both fit, adjusting the CPL and then slotting the holder back on ought to be relatively simple.

I was shooting at an orchard on the weekend, and there was lots of dew around. I reckon a CPL would have been awesome on the leaves....

[Dylan & Marianne]

thanks shirl - I think I might finally take a look into getting those holders - there's only so much filter replacing one can afford before banging head on brick wall !

[davearnold]

I have just recently been introduced to the world of filters, and your article just at least doubled my knowledge .

Thanks you for a well laid out and informative post.

Cheers

[dmrphotography]

I have just broughjt a heap of hitech filters to try out. i tried to get a circular polarizing filter to go into my holder but cant seem to find one. is it ok for me to buy a screw on one then put the holder on with filters that are needed. I would have to adjust the polarizing first then put the holder and filters on wouldnt i. what would the best polarizing filter to get.

[ricktas]

I have just broughjt a heap of hitech filters to try out. i tried to get a circular polarizing filter to go into my holder but cant seem to find one. is it ok for me to buy a screw on one then put the holder on with filters that are needed. I would have to adjust the polarizing first then put the holder and filters on wouldnt i. what would the best polarizing filter to get.

Yes you can screw on a polariser, then attach your filter holder..BUT.. you could find that you can see the sides of the filter holder in the viewfinder, especially when using wider angle lenses. So you may have to crop, or zoom to ensure that the filter holder isn't visible in your final photos.

[GlenBoxall]

Nice article, wish I read this before I bought my polarising filter for the 70 - 200mm lens I have ... I may have just wasted my $$$

[luckyforteja]

Very nice article, I bookmarked it for future reference. Thanks a lot

[Eliza]

Thankyou, I found this quite inspiring. I don't own filters yet, I've always wanted to but am horrible with making the final decision to purchase anything. This has prompted me to do something about it.