Thread: Filters - What do I need?

You don't need a UV filter on a digital camera. That said I personally put a protective filter on all my lenses as I'd rather break or damage that than the front element, others will disagree and say why spend so much on a lens only to put something in front of it. My only advice is buy a good B+W or Hoya protective filter.

Other than that a CPL (Circular polarizer) would be the only thing unless you later find you need ND's or Graduated ND's. Best CPL is the B+W Kasemann, expensive, but as the polarizing layer is fused into the glass and the two halves sealed then it is an investment.

For the CPL or any additional filters I would recommend buying 77mm and a 77->72mm step down ring for your lens. Then if you buy in L-series lenses you will have a filter to fit them as most are 77mm front mounts.

Seconding what dm_td5 says. I've used the Canon 30D as my primary camera for a few years now, and the first thing I buy for each of my lenses is a UV filter, not so much for filtering, but to add a protective element to a quite expensive lens. It's paid off twice - once in Pakistan, and once in Russia - bag got dropped, filter was smashed to smithereens, but the lens itself was unharmed.


For bright light conditions such as what you get here, you will certainly need a circular polariser to cut down on the harshness in the resulting photos. I use one in 90-95% of my outdoor shots.

Other than that, additional filters are purely for adding artistic touches to the photos. Depending on whether you are a purist or not, i.e. want to add these effects during the photographic process, most of these effects can be replicated quite easily nowadays in even the most basic of digital imaging software.

One thing to note though, is that with the 18-200 IS lens, you probably will notice a little bit of rounding of the corners of the photo by the edges of the filter when you zoom out to the maximum, so buy as low profile of a filter as you can. And while you're at it, buy a lens hood - it's a godsend when taking photos into the sun.

Originally Posted by mike_ie

And while you're at it, buy a lens hood - it's a godsend when taking photos into the sun.

I would have thought that like the Nikon it would come with a lens hood If it doesn't then definitely get one.

Originally Posted by dm_td5

I would have thought that like the Nikon it would come with a lens hood If it doesn't then definitely get one.

The 500D is a Canon, and sadly, they don't come by default with a lens hood. Not in my experience at least

When I say "lens hood" by the way, I mean this thing:



...not this thing

Originally Posted by mike_ie

........
Other than that, additional filters are purely for adding artistic touches to the photos. Depending on whether you are a purist or not, i.e. want to add these effects during the photographic process, most of these effects can be replicated quite easily nowadays in even the most basic of digital imaging software.

Grad filters are not for additional touches and cannot 100% replicated with basic software.

Originally Posted by mike_ie

................ And while you're at it, buy a lens hood - it's a godsend when taking photos into the sun.

Thanks Mike. And you're right, not hood came with the camera.

Originally Posted by Chucaro

Grad filters are not for additional touches and cannot 100% replicated with basic software.

I agree mate - I for one, don't use editing software other than to resize photos, or convert from RAW to jpg. If I can't capture it with the camera, I don't want to add it in later on the computer. But as I said, it completely depends on your attitude towards this type of photography.

I have a UV filter on all my lenses for protection only.
I have a 77mm circular polariser which only gets used occasionally to control reflections in glass and water.

I have a whole set of cokin effects filters that don't fit any lenses anymore since the average size of my lenses has gone from 55mm to 77mm. I wouldn't use them anyway except the ND grad, as adding effects in software is much more controllable and much less permanent.