77mm Circular filters

86JR

86JR

86JR

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Im getting ready to buy the 24-70 F2.8 Nikon lens for my D300s, its pretty much the perfect range for most of my shots, i checked all of my best pictures and most hovered around 40mm. When the D700 replacement comes out ill bag that so then it will be perfect.

Anyway, im trying to figure out circular filters, and getting confused. it doesnt help that googling for the B+W tech codes doesnt bring up any image examples either... for example B+W 486M UV/IR.

I want the following and dont mind paying upto £200 per filter if I need to spend that to get good results (which is some of the advice i have had).

Polariser
UV filter
Protector
ND's
Grad ND's for landscapes
UV

Currently i just use protectors but 72mm ones i think. I also have a hoya UV filter which doesnt seem to make any difference to my shots, so its probably cheap and lost its coating.

The other option is a Lee filter setup but im told its a pain to change filters and because its so modular is just a pain to work with all things compared.

Finally if you have them can you post up some image samples you have taken with different filters and explain what filter you used ? Thanks.
 
You can buy a UV/Protector, but no point in both. Personally I don't see the need for one, since it does essentially nothing and it's cheaper to replace a front element than an expensive filter.

Polarisers are good. Just buy the basic B&W/Hoya Pro one - about £80 IIRC?

ND's are fine if you need them.

ND Grads - don't really need them with digital but if you want one - go for sqaures. Unless the horizon is the middle of the frame a circular one is a little pointless!

I'd get - A cheapish 77mmND4, perhaps say around the £30 mark (it's not a filter you'll use everyday!), and Circular polariser for about £80. Thats just my opnion though. Some swear by UV filters and their value and others will argue spend more/buy ND grads etc. etc.
 
If you take good care of your equipment and/or don't shoot in challenging outdoor conditions then a UV/protector filter isn't necessary. In fact, there are some pros who detest them, as they just think of them as another layer of glass to get in the way of optical perfection.

An essential purchase, in my opinion is a good circular polariser ( I have B&W ). If you do landscapes then ND filters and graduated filters can be useful - although the post-processing software available nowadays makes the latter less important.
 
I would get a UV or Protector filter (not both, they do the same thing), for use only if you take your lens somewhere with blowing sand/ sea spray, mud thrown out of rally cars etc.
Cheap filters degrade IQ a lot, expensive ones don't make much difference. If you are always lying don on sandy beaches filming seals for example buy the best you can get, otherwise it doesn't matter so much

a CPL is very important. Get a good one.

NDs, similarly cheap filters give colour casts and lower contrast. Just buy one.

ND-Grads probably ignore these. Definitely you don't want a circularthreaded filter.
 
I've got a couple of 77mm filters.

B&W CPL: Very good and feels well built.

B&W NDx64: 6 stops reduction of light and again very good. I think tough it does give a warm tone to long exposures.

I have 77MM wide angle filter ring for lee filters. Don't screw it too tight to a CPL as it can be a mission to get off as the ring of the CPL turns as well.

Depends what you shoot. If you shoot landscapes then in my view you will have the polarizer on pretty much most of the time with the 77mm adapter ring if you go with Lee for their ND grads, which are a must if you want to get good sky and ground images.
 
My advice: (I have the 24-70mm too btw ;))

UV: Dont bother with a UV filter, waste of money.

ND: I have a Hoya x8 ND filter. Great filter, no casting that I can see and not that expensive either.

Polariser: Again , I have a Hoya Pro1 Circ Pol filter. Never had any problems, does exactly what says on the tin ;)

GNDs: If you want quality, and by the sounds of it you do, then get LEE kit. It's expensive, but you get what you pay for.

Here's a few shots taken with a LEE 0.6 GND Hard filter.

GND-Comparison-2.jpg


DSC_3561.jpg


DSC_3797.jpg


Also, when you say your UV filter has no effect, they dont do that much. Most people have them for protection, but to me its a waste of money. And its more glass the light has to pass through etc.
 
Since D.P. has already given the straight answer as I'd give it, I'll give you out of the box thinking: since you're mostly using around 40mm, why not stick with the 50/1.8 for the time-being and get some 52mm filters? They're cheaper and more convenient to carry. I'd advocate just getting a NC, CP and ND...then not using the NC unless absolutely necessary.
 
twoblacklines said:
i checked all of my best pictures and most hovered around 40mm. When the D700 replacement comes out ill bag that so then it will be perfect.
Click to expand...


If you take most of your photos around 4mm then buy a 35 or 50mm prime. You could buy the 50 1.8 and 35 1.8 and save a load of money over the 24-70 and get better results.
 
No point in getting a UV filter for the purposes of filtering UV since camera sensors have UV filters built in. UV Filters were/are only of use to correct the colour cast caused by UV rays on film. That said since they were the most commonly used filters to be fixed to lenses when most people used film their use has filtered (sorry!) over to the digital camera world where people use them to protect the front of the lens.

The Hoya Pro1 Digital Filter range are very good and reasonably priced. They do a Hoya 77mm Pro1 Digital Protector Filter (search on that via a site that sells books and other stuff) which is clear optical glass with no colour tint. Costs around £40 but will protect your lens from scratches.

As someone else has already mentioned, they do ND and Circular Polarisers in that range as well.
 
As i am only just starting out with my DSLR, would it be ok, as money is tight, to buy one of these for now:

Kood 58mm Circular Polarising Filter, £21
 
twoblacklines said:
I want the following

Polariser
UV filter
Protector
ND's
Grad ND's for landscapes
UV


Finally if you have them can you post up some image samples you have taken with different filters and explain what filter you used?
Click to expand...


So you want to buy all of those but don't know how/why they can be used.

How many times do I have to say this in your threads... You're so hung up on gear! FOCUS ON TECHNIQUE!

Can we see some powerboating pics please?
 
Stupot_ said:
So you want to buy all of those but don't know how/why they can be used.

How many times do I have to say this in your threads... You're so hung up on gear! FOCUS ON TECHNIQUE!

Can we see some powerboating pics please?
Click to expand...

Filter use is technique. I can see where you're coming from, but no need to be so totally negative. Better off just ignoring the thread.
 
If you're buying a few filters all at once, it might be worth you checking out this Hong Kong based company.
http://maxsaver.net/
I've used them a few times in the past, they've been cheaper than UK prices and I've had no problems.

Personally, I wouldn't bother with the gradient ND, I just take multiple exposures and blend them using layers in Ps.
Which gives you more control if you have an object which cuts into the sky.

I just use a Protector, CP and ND.
But I hardly use the CP and ND, maybe 1 shot in 1,000.
 
Stupot_ said:
So you want to buy all of those but don't know how/why they can be used.

How many times do I have to say this in your threads... You're so hung up on gear! FOCUS ON TECHNIQUE!

Can we see some powerboating pics please?
Click to expand...

Can you do me a big favour and stay off my threads please.

Every thread i make you come along and tell me i dont know what does what, when I explain my knowledge to you you dont listen, and then you post again something negative.

The bottom UV i put on my list i actually meant IR, typo!
 
twoblacklines said:
Every thread i make you come along and tell me i dont know what does what, when I explain my knowledge to you you dont listen, and then you post again something negative.
Click to expand...

Meh, I give up. I've offered you plenty of advice, nicely in the past. As have many others.

Instead, you choose to ignore it, and then come up with ridiculous statements such as 'OMGZORS I NEED A CPL OR I CAN'T TAKE PHOTOS OF WATER LOLOLOL' or 'HI I GOT THIS 30 YEAR OLD PENTAX FILM CAMERA WITH LENS ATTACHED, NOT GONNA BOTHER WITH FILM BUT THIS WILL AUTOFOCUS WITH MY NIKON D70 RIGHT? You're knowledge of photography doesn't even extend as far as 'different manufacturers have different mounts'.

Anyway, I'm gonna get jumped on again for saying all that. But go back a few months and you'll find I do speak some sense in your threads, though I rarely get any acknowledgement from you. You have £thousands worth of kit but you don't seem to learn from your mistakes and you still post up ridiculous questions. Have you actually read the understanding exposure book you were recommended or are you still shooting anything everything on iso 3200? (just as well you got a D300 as you seemed hell bent on getting it for it's low noise capabilities).
 
As said with regards to recommendations and other, I wouldn't get too hung up on gear. To start with you could do half of the shots you want without filters, and going from your other threads I can't see you NEEDING all the filters, perhaps choose one that is most suitable for something you want to do?

If landscapes are your things, start with getting the ND Grads, and work your way along. Don't spent £thousands on something that might not get used, or used to it's actual capability. The other option is getting something similar to the Cokin P set (squares) - or the Lee something or other. Probably more versatile than restricting yourself to one, and possibly not use that Grad.

I don't use any filters, but for 'protection' I'd just use UV anyway. As for the CPL they definitely won't come cheap as said - how did your shots from the other day/week come out? Might help to determine whether a CPL would have benefited.

Going on from Stupot, I somewhat agree with him - just because the high ISO is available, don't use it for the sake of it. Especially in long exposures, I think I remember seeing you using a ridiculously high ISO for a long exposure (could have been before the D300s)?

As a general brand, B+W gets my vote, anyway.
 
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To be honest, Ive got the 24-70mm f.2.8 AF-S Nikkor and it's a pain in the ass.....it's big, long and very heavy...I wouldnt bother if i was you and I would go with the Nikon AF-S 50mm f.1.4, just move forward and backwards to zoom.....its a nice compact lens, light and gives great results and less than 300 pounds....

I always go with Hoya Pro 1-D filters, but the 77mm ones can get very pricy, just as well I had a selection for my 70-200mm already....

I use UV as a protector...i wouldnt want to knock my 1300 quid glass for the sake of an 80 quid filter....

I dont use ND filters but judging by Dan Freemans results there the results are nice....

Remember, you may think you need the 24-70 but in actual practise you may well use it a lot less then you think you will.....
 
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