Post by Snappersforum on Jul 27, 2013 9:29:28 GMT
Filters explained
With so much reliance on image-editing software these days, it’s easy to forget that there was a time when photographers had to do things differently. Long before white balance could be shifted at the click of a button, or contrast could be adjusted until it looked right on an LCD, photographers used filters to change something about the light coming into the camera.
You can get resin filters Grads (half colour, half clear) or Standards (all colour) Glass filters and Polyester filters which are Thin flexible filters, generally used for colour correction, black and white or soft focus effects. They are only available as Standards, but are considerably cheaper than resin filters in most cases and can easily be cut to fit smaller filter systems.
The use of filters has understandably declined as digital technology has progressed, but for a number of reasons it hasn’t negated their use entirely. In fact, many pros will still keep a couple tucked away in their kit bag.
Filters not only enhance photographic results, they also offer vital dust, grease and scratch protection for a valuable lens.
This makes a skylight or UV filter well worth the investment, as apart from reducing blue light levels (skylight) or haziness (UV), they have no discernible effect in other situations.
Polariser filters offer more dramatic results, reducing unwanted reflections on glass and water, and enhancing colour saturation for stunning images with brilliant blue skies.
If you're keen to use filters for their subtle and creative effects, rather than purely for lens protection, look out for our upgraded multi-coated selection, which promote maximum light transmission to the camera's sensor while reducing flare.
UV filters
They may look like clear glass but these clever accessories absorb the ultraviolet light which can make outdoor photos hazy. With no discernible effect in other situations, keep one on your camera for day-to-day lens protection.
FLD filters
Fluorescent-light filters were designed to improve results when shooting under fluorescent illumination. Fluorescents have an odd output, with spikes at certain wavelengths and some wavelengths completely missing (depending on the particular fluorescent bulb in question&—there are lots of different types, and often more than one type in in use in a given fixture). An FLD (for daylight) filter produces a good general correction when you're shooting daylight-balanced color film; an FLB (for Type B) works well with Type B (tungsten-balanced) color films. Newer color-print films work better with fluorescent lighting than slide films and older print films (print films with a fourth emulsion layer are especially good for fluorescent-light shooting).
You can also use the FLD filter to add a pleasant cast to outdoor twilight shots, as shown here.
Neutral density filters
Made from completely transparent superior grade optical glass, it will not affect the colour performance of your lenses in the slightest. However, constant use will protect your valued lenses from expensive front element damage which could be caused by dirt, knocks and scratches.
Neutral Density Graduated (ND Grad) Filters
Neutral Density Filters are also available in graduated versions, where one side of the filter is treated with the effect while the other is not. Their most common application if for landscapes where the foreground will typically be darker than the sky; by using a graduated filter the camera can strike a better balance between the two extremes, as the intensity of the sky will be reduced.
These filters vary by the gradation between the treated and untreated areas, with soft filters offering a smoother gradation than harder types. The type you will need depends on what it is you’re shooting, although a good rule is to match the filter to the scene you are shooting. So, if you can see a clear definiton between two areas (such as when shooting a horizon), try using a harder filter first as softer filters tend to be better suited where there is a more gradual shift between different areas.
Skylight filters
A great way to warm things up, on a clear, bright day the hint of pink in the glass reduces the transfer of blue light from sky to land. The effect is to correct blue tinged shadows, most noticeable in snowy scenes but pretty much always present when the weather looks good.
Circular polariser filters
A great all-rounder for reducing unwanted glare from water and ghostly reflections from glass, while boosting colour saturation and the contrast between blue skies and cloud. The effect can be varied by slowly rotating the filter - and you can team it with a UV or Skylight filter for the same shot.
Coloured filters
Coloured filters are used primarily for black and white photography, as a means of controling tone rather than colour. They work by filtering out certain wavelengths of light while letting others pass through, and by doing so they change the contrast between different areas.
The use of a yellow filter results in a slight boost to contrast, and is particularly effective in portraiture as it covers up blemishes.
Orange filters offer a medium contrast, and so are suited for capturing landscacpes where clouds or other brighter details needs a little enhancement against darker details, while red filters provide the strongest effects and so are often used for dramatic landscapes or even for architecture.
If you’re not sure which to use type to use, a good rule to remember is that a particular colour of filter will typically lighten details with its own colour, as it will allow these wavelegnths through while blocking others (therefore making them darker).
Warming Filters
A warm filter is a photographic filter that improves the color of all skin tones and absorbs blue cast often caused by electronic flash or outdoor shade. Adds warmth to pale, washed-out flesh tones and are ideal for portraits as they smooth facial details while adding warmth to skin tones (for color imaging)
In general, they suppress blue casts on overcast days and on subjects lit by blue sky. Look for 81a 81b and 81c when choosing these
_________________________
With so much reliance on image-editing software these days, it’s easy to forget that there was a time when photographers had to do things differently. Long before white balance could be shifted at the click of a button, or contrast could be adjusted until it looked right on an LCD, photographers used filters to change something about the light coming into the camera.
You can get resin filters Grads (half colour, half clear) or Standards (all colour) Glass filters and Polyester filters which are Thin flexible filters, generally used for colour correction, black and white or soft focus effects. They are only available as Standards, but are considerably cheaper than resin filters in most cases and can easily be cut to fit smaller filter systems.
The use of filters has understandably declined as digital technology has progressed, but for a number of reasons it hasn’t negated their use entirely. In fact, many pros will still keep a couple tucked away in their kit bag.
Filters not only enhance photographic results, they also offer vital dust, grease and scratch protection for a valuable lens.
This makes a skylight or UV filter well worth the investment, as apart from reducing blue light levels (skylight) or haziness (UV), they have no discernible effect in other situations.
Polariser filters offer more dramatic results, reducing unwanted reflections on glass and water, and enhancing colour saturation for stunning images with brilliant blue skies.
If you're keen to use filters for their subtle and creative effects, rather than purely for lens protection, look out for our upgraded multi-coated selection, which promote maximum light transmission to the camera's sensor while reducing flare.
UV filters
They may look like clear glass but these clever accessories absorb the ultraviolet light which can make outdoor photos hazy. With no discernible effect in other situations, keep one on your camera for day-to-day lens protection.
FLD filters
Fluorescent-light filters were designed to improve results when shooting under fluorescent illumination. Fluorescents have an odd output, with spikes at certain wavelengths and some wavelengths completely missing (depending on the particular fluorescent bulb in question&—there are lots of different types, and often more than one type in in use in a given fixture). An FLD (for daylight) filter produces a good general correction when you're shooting daylight-balanced color film; an FLB (for Type B) works well with Type B (tungsten-balanced) color films. Newer color-print films work better with fluorescent lighting than slide films and older print films (print films with a fourth emulsion layer are especially good for fluorescent-light shooting).
You can also use the FLD filter to add a pleasant cast to outdoor twilight shots, as shown here.
Neutral density filters
Made from completely transparent superior grade optical glass, it will not affect the colour performance of your lenses in the slightest. However, constant use will protect your valued lenses from expensive front element damage which could be caused by dirt, knocks and scratches.
Neutral Density Graduated (ND Grad) Filters
Neutral Density Filters are also available in graduated versions, where one side of the filter is treated with the effect while the other is not. Their most common application if for landscapes where the foreground will typically be darker than the sky; by using a graduated filter the camera can strike a better balance between the two extremes, as the intensity of the sky will be reduced.
These filters vary by the gradation between the treated and untreated areas, with soft filters offering a smoother gradation than harder types. The type you will need depends on what it is you’re shooting, although a good rule is to match the filter to the scene you are shooting. So, if you can see a clear definiton between two areas (such as when shooting a horizon), try using a harder filter first as softer filters tend to be better suited where there is a more gradual shift between different areas.
Skylight filters
A great way to warm things up, on a clear, bright day the hint of pink in the glass reduces the transfer of blue light from sky to land. The effect is to correct blue tinged shadows, most noticeable in snowy scenes but pretty much always present when the weather looks good.
Circular polariser filters
A great all-rounder for reducing unwanted glare from water and ghostly reflections from glass, while boosting colour saturation and the contrast between blue skies and cloud. The effect can be varied by slowly rotating the filter - and you can team it with a UV or Skylight filter for the same shot.
Coloured filters
Coloured filters are used primarily for black and white photography, as a means of controling tone rather than colour. They work by filtering out certain wavelengths of light while letting others pass through, and by doing so they change the contrast between different areas.
The use of a yellow filter results in a slight boost to contrast, and is particularly effective in portraiture as it covers up blemishes.
Orange filters offer a medium contrast, and so are suited for capturing landscacpes where clouds or other brighter details needs a little enhancement against darker details, while red filters provide the strongest effects and so are often used for dramatic landscapes or even for architecture.
If you’re not sure which to use type to use, a good rule to remember is that a particular colour of filter will typically lighten details with its own colour, as it will allow these wavelegnths through while blocking others (therefore making them darker).
Warming Filters
A warm filter is a photographic filter that improves the color of all skin tones and absorbs blue cast often caused by electronic flash or outdoor shade. Adds warmth to pale, washed-out flesh tones and are ideal for portraits as they smooth facial details while adding warmth to skin tones (for color imaging)
In general, they suppress blue casts on overcast days and on subjects lit by blue sky. Look for 81a 81b and 81c when choosing these
_________________________