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12-12-2021, 08:37 AM   #1
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Use of multiple filters

Hi Guys can you combine a ultra violet filter with a CPL one or any others Thanks

12-12-2021, 08:46 AM - 2 Likes   #2
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You can use both together... however, you'll be increasing the number of reflective surfaces and hence increasing the possibility of flare and ghosting. Plus, no matter how good quality the filters are, each one degrades image quality ever-so-slightly, and stacking them will have a cumulative negative impact. Most folks who fit a UV filter these days use it as a "lens protector", as it provides no real optical benefit on our digital cameras. As such, if you're going to fit a CPL filter for a shoot, you've no need for the UV and should ideally remove it...
12-12-2021, 09:06 AM   #3
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I once used a CPL with a ND filter once since the ND wasn't dark enough, but I would never combine a UV filter same reason as BigMack said.
12-12-2021, 09:31 AM - 2 Likes   #4
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Besides the reasons mentioned by @BigMackCam, stacking filters often leads to vignetting (dark corners) when used on wider-angle lenses. In essence, the filter stack sticks out so far that it ends up in the picture.

If you really need to stack filters on a wider-angle lens, the solution is to use a step-up ring and then stack larger filters.

12-12-2021, 09:36 AM   #5
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you can use multiple filters together but I will impact image quality in a negative way, might add vignetting as well. I personally never use UV filters, only use cpl and nd. I personally have the VND+CPL by K&F and have had no complaints up until now
12-12-2021, 10:23 AM - 1 Like   #6
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I combine a UV and CPL often only because there are fewer steps involved in removing the UV and adding the polarizer vs. adding the polarizer (and then undoing the process.)

There are several factors:

- threading filters when I actually want to is always nearly impossible.
- removing and replacing adds to the odds of damage, temporary (finger prints) or permanent (dropping.)
- front threads on a UV filter might be cut better and/or more robust (metal vs. plastic) compared to the front threads on a lens.
- I'd need an extra place to put a filter I remove before I can retrieve one to replace it with.
- I rarely photograph situations with lighting conditions (like maybe backlighting or light sources in the image) where I could detect a difference between none, one or two filters.
- I don't have exotic equipment where slight resolution differences might be visible (400/600mm fixed-focal length lenses, 50-60mp bodies, etc.)
12-12-2021, 10:52 AM   #7
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I often stack ND and CPL filters for long exposure. Provided you're using reasonable quality filters, vignetting is the main concern. But as tibbits points out, long lenses or very high resolution bodies will reveal more of the imperfections. That being said, I've used my birding setup (100-400mm on m43) just fine with a good CPL (B+W high transmission) and noticed no issues

12-12-2021, 11:16 AM   #8
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If you really need to stack, then the filters better be of high quality. Vignette is easily avoided with larger diameter filters, but the quality of the glass is sometimes annoyingly low.
12-12-2021, 11:37 AM - 3 Likes   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by aaacb Quote
I often stack ND and CPL filters for long exposure. Provided you're using reasonable quality filters, vignetting is the main concern.
And ghosting. If you take photographs with strong light sources - the sun, a bright moon, streetlamps, neon shop signs, indoor overhead lamps, car headlights etc. - in (or even close to) the frame, there's a significant risk of ghosting with any filter (yes, even the good, multi-coated ones), and stacking them increases the chances and cumulative effect of that ghosting.

I'm not saying the OP shouldn't stack filters... only that they should know the risks, and if they decide to go ahead, be ready to shoot around them or accept the potential consequences. I have a whole shoot from a few years back where everything looked fine until I imported my photos to Lightroom, and found half the photos were affected by ghosting - and roughly half of those were unrecoverable. That was with a single (good quality) filter on the lens - and the kicker is, it was just a UV filter... and I was indoors, so the lens didn't even need protecting

Last edited by BigMackCam; 12-12-2021 at 12:18 PM.
12-12-2021, 12:16 PM - 1 Like   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by BigMackCam Quote
And ghosting.
Good point, agreed. Should have made it more clear that I was talking about how I use them. Often, if I'm stacking those filters, the camera's on a tripod and I can both check the frame carefully and shield the lens (if the sun/light source is not in the frame, so i compose to avoid ghosting)
12-12-2021, 12:56 PM   #11
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You may not even need a UV filter since many polarizing filters passbands fall off around 400nm and they don't transmit UV that well.
12-12-2021, 01:34 PM   #12
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I'm not sure why you would want a UV filter at all, apart from lens protection, in which case it is superfluous with a CPL as well.
12-12-2021, 01:59 PM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by Paul the Sunman Quote
I'm not sure why you would want a UV filter at all, apart from lens protection, in which case it is superfluous with a CPL as well.
If you normally use a UV filter, fewer actions are involved in stacking a CPL filter on top when you need it rather than removing the UV filter first.

.
12-12-2021, 06:53 PM   #14
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just stay away from UV filters hahah
12-12-2021, 07:16 PM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by Eborhermit Quote
Hi Guys can you combine a ultra violet filter with a CPL one or any others Thanks
You can but you shouldn't.

I will combine a polarizing filter with a neutral density filter from time to time if the need is there. To enable this I am using very good quality filters.

If you are going to use two filters, each should do what the other doesn't.
In your question, the UV filter is made redundant by the polarizing filter. Since it now serves no useful purpose but is a potential source of problems, take it off.
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