Using Filters in Photography
Things you need to think about!
The decision to start using filters is a question all photographers face at some point especially landscape photographers and this article will help you through this process?
But why use filters is the first question you need to answer?
Often our images are impacted by the dynamic range within the shot being too wide for the camera to mange. In simple terms the difference between the brightest and darkest are is too big. Using filters we can darken down that bright zone and so narrow the difference between the lightest and darkest zone to a point where the difference is within the cameras range. The other result of this is you will have greater editing range as well.
Another reason to use filters is when we cant achieve a slow enough shutter speed i.e. when we want the water in an image to blur. Because filter can be used to darken an image we are able to achieve slower shutter speeds.
If these two reasons are not things that you want to achieve then I would not recommend you acquire a filter system for your photography!
What are the types of filters
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Fitting Style
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Screw on
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Fixed frame style
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Magnetic frame plate/circular style
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Functional Type
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Polarising Filter
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Neutral density Filter
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Graduated Filter
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Soft Graduated
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Hard Graduated
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Inverse Graduated
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Coloured Filters
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Specialist Filters
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Soft focus
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Prism
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Star Burst
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So lets look at these in some detail and I will include some videos to assist
Fitting Style
Screw on Style
This is as simple as it sounds and this is a filter that screws on to the end of your lens in the same manner as the UV filter you probably have fitted to your lens.
How do you know what size?
Normally its stated on the inside of the lens cap i.e. 77mm (this is the thread size and a filter will need to be this size to scre on to the lens.
What if I have different sized lenses?
If you have different sized lenses say 77mm, 77mm and 82mm then the best thing to do is start with the biggest screw thread which in this case is 82mm and purchase your filter for this size. This filter will then screw straight on to your 82mm lens but will be too big for the 77mm lens!
Then you need to purchase a "step down ring 82mm to 77mm".
What this does is the 82mm "female" side of the step down ring screws onto your filter and the 77mm "male" side of the step down ring screws into your 77mm lens.
Practicality
This means the filter when on the 77mm will be larger than the lens and your lens cap will no longer fit however this is a cheap way of doing this as step rings are cheap and you only need to by one filter. As the filter is bigger than the 77mm lens it will work fine. The other way of approaching this is to take care when purchasing your lenses and ensure that they all have the same size threads so you wont nee step down rings.
Conclusion
These are a good option and are well worth investing in but they do have limitations.
Pros
- Cheap option
- Good for hand held photography
- Easier to carry around than plate filters
- Some filters do work well in circular mode
- Neutral Density - best option is a variable neutral density
- Circular Polarising filter
Cons
- You cant stack different filters to get an effect
- Some filters don't work well in this approach and are better on a plate system
- Soft Graduated
- Hard Graduated
- Inverse Graduated
The other types of filters listed in the functional types will work but if you are post processing in digital I would not get these.
So a variable neutral density filter and a Circular Polarising filter are all I would recommend coupled with any step down ring you may need and this is an easy cheap and light travel option.
Fixed frame plate/circular style
These are clearly different from the screw on type as they are designed to handle large rectangular pieces of glass or acrylic that look much too big for a camera!
How does this work?
You screw and adapter ring onto the end of the lens and the frame fixes to this via a quick release mechanism. This frame has a number of grooves in the front (typically 3 into which you can slide your filters). The polarising filter being circular attatches
What if I have different sized lenses?
If you have different sized lenses say 77mm, 77mm and 82mm then the best thing to do is start with the biggest screw thread which in this case is 82mm and purchase your lens attachment based on this size. This adapter will then screw straight on to your 82mm lens but will be too big for the 77mm lens!
Then you need to purchase a "step down ring 82mm to 77mm".
What this does is the 82mm "female" side of the step down ring screws onto your frame and the 77mm "male" side of the step down ring screws into your 77mm lens.
Practicality
This means the filter when on the 77mm will be larger than the lens and your lens cap will no longer fit but then it wont with the frame on.
This method now allows you to ad a graduated filter which can then be easily moved up and down to ensure that the graduation is perfectly located relative to you composition for the shot. You are able to use multiple filters to compose you shot.
ie two graduated filters to get an increased effect or a graduated filter and an Neutral density filter (ND)
Conclusion
This is the best option if you want to get the most out of a filter approach
Pros
- Lots of choice
- Great flexibility
- More complex to use
- Can use them at an angle
Cons
- Bulkier to carry around and need a specialist filter bag
- More complex to use
- More expensive
- Need to be on a tripod as you have so may bits to managed and also for long exposures
This is the approach to go with if you want to maximise the effect of filters in your photography.
Narrow that dynamic range and the ability to slow those shutter speeds down.
But its not and either/or decision!
It can be a choice of one system or the other if the screw on system gives you what you need and budget is an issue.
What I have found is there is a good argument for employing both systems!
When shooting landscapes and sea scape and i have time transport the the frame system is the best option as I have maximum control.
When travelling I will often go for the screw on system as its light and easy to carry and also this is probable the best option for a city break or where you are mainly shooting hand held
Magnetic system
The latest trend is for filters that attach to your camera via a magnetic attachment which does have some advantages.
Relative to the screw on system it is a faster and easier method.
Relative to the frame system it is faster and easier but does make the use of a polarising filer much easier.
Conclusion
This will be the preferred option going forward and more and more filters will be released by the companies. However this does that the old screw on and frame systems will be readily available second hand at knock down prices.
Types of Filters
Polarising Filter
This is used to remove glare and it will also saturate the colours in you image.
So if you are shooting something with a lot of glare or reflection such as glass, water, metal or the scattered light in a sky then this can improve your shot. It will also reduce the light entering the camera so will reduce your shutter speed.
These are available from all top manufacturers.
Conclusion
This is a filter well worth investing in but you need to use it well or it will add strange tonal distortions to you image.
Neutral Density (ND) Filter
This are simple to explain in that they reduce the amount of light that reaches the sensor and so reduce the shutter speed. This will enable you to get blurred people or water effect. In this case we are talking about the solid ND filters not the graduated.
Conclusion
This is a filter well worth investing in you but do need to remember that as you use these you will probably need to be using a tripod. When you purchase theses filters as you get to the high ND filters (dark) you need to beware of colour casts that some will impart on your image.
Graduated Neutral Density (ND) Filter
These are also simple to explain in that they reduce the amount of light that reaches SOME of the sensor. This will This will enable you to balance out a bright sky and a dark sea. They come in two types hard and soft.
Hard grads are used when you have a clear division between the light and dark areas ie sunrise out at sea.
Soft grads are used when you have a mixed division between the light and dark areas ie rural or urban landscape.
Conclusion
This is a filter well worth investing in but you need to use it in a system that allow you to move the filter independently of the camera to ensure its correctly located.
Inverse graduated Filter
These differ in that they are dark in the middle an get lighter as you go to the top and bottom of the filter. The easiest way to explain when these are used is when the sun rises above the horizon or just before it sinks below. At this point the middle of the image is bright and the top and bottom are dark so this will reduce the brightness in that central section
Conclusion
This is a filter well worth investing in but take care when you select as manufacturers differ widely on this and some are much better graduated than others.
Coloured Filter
These are typically red, green, yellow or blue and are used primarily in monochrome photography to impact your black and white image for example a red filter will barken the blues so in your black and white image you will have a dark sky effect
Conclusion
Personally I would not use these filters as I find I can get this effect with much more selective control in post processing.
Other Filters
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Graduated coloured filters - don't recommend easier to achieve in post processing with greater control
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Soft focus filters - don't recommend easier to achieve in post processing with greater control
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Spot magnification filters - don't recommend easier to achieve in post processing with greater control
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Star burst filters - this can be achieved in post processing however they do work well and are relatively cheap
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Conclusion
With the exception of star but mainly these effects are better achieved in post processing.
Leading Manufacturers
What may be some of the best choices of filters