Learning and purchasing lens filters

Watcha · 10-26-2021, 08:12 AM

Originally posted by drinkyT

Hello again everyone,

I am interested in purchasing lens filters for some of my cameras, my k1000 in particular. I have absolutely no idea what I am doing, after research I found myself more confused than when I started. I know they can be helpful, and I am interested in purchasing some. The question is...where do I start? I don't know what filters to get, or what company to buy them from. Should all of my cameras utilize filters? I have a Canon T7, K1000, Minolta X-570, do you recommend that I should get them for all of my cameras? Which ones would be the best to have? I really don't want to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars, but if they are worth having I would like something that is reasonable. I would greatly appreciate the help, I am beyond lost...

Thanks as always,

Ben

NISI and Urth also do filters with guides and examples for use.

angerdan · 10-26-2021, 09:00 AM

Originally posted by Lord Lucan

Good links. I have an old Hoya brochure something like that.

https://hoyafilter.com/download/document/5b20d948a61c6.pdf
https://hoyafilter.com/

InnAtElmwood · 10-26-2021, 09:31 AM

my basic, walk-around filters are UV and circular polarizer as 90% of my shots are outdoors/landscapes. Variable ND, red and yellow for when I'm shooting specific sky conditions.

**BobL** · 10-26-2021, 06:17 PM

Originally posted by drinkyT

Hello again everyone,

I am interested in purchasing lens filters for some of my cameras, my k1000 in particular. I have absolutely no idea what I am doing, after research I found myself more confused than when I started. I know they can be helpful, and I am interested in purchasing some. The question is...where do I start? I don't know what filters to get, or what company to buy them from. Should all of my cameras utilize filters? I have a Canon T7, K1000, Minolta X-570, do you recommend that I should get them for all of my cameras? Which ones would be the best to have? I really don't want to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars, but if they are worth having I would like something that is reasonable. I would greatly appreciate the help, I am beyond lost...

Thanks as always,

Ben

I taught a course for many years called "Playing with Light" which was all about Filters & Exposure. I really does depend on what you want a filter to do, are you shooting B&W, or colour. There are a series of filters that will change the tone in B&W, a RED filter creates more contrast, making blue skies almost black & white clouds pop. An Orange filter does similar, but less so. Blue, Yellow & Green all effect the contrast in different ways. I'd suggest going to your local library for some of the old books dealing with B&W film or Google. An essential for any photographer would be a poloriser (PL) filter. Then there are filters to correct light, varying density of Blue (80A,B & C) will correct tungsten (yellow ) light , straw coloured filters (81A, B & C) correct cool temperature light, warming up a cold looking image.... the list is endless. Hope that this is of help.

drinkyT · 10-27-2021, 09:26 AM

Wow everyone, what an amazing thing to come back from vacation to read! I sincerely appreciate all of your posts, opinions, and advice. This will surely give me something to think about! I will look into a circulating polarize lens filter and a ND filter. I wanted to thank everyone who posted to help me out, I am still learning but I am getting there! Thanks so much !!!

---------- Post added 10-27-21 at 09:31 AM ----------

Let me ask one thing...can someone recommend a good ND and cirular polarizer and an ND? I want to use the idea someone said and just buy a big enough filter so I can get a ring and use it on my other cameras. I have mostly film cameras and an Canon T7 that I use quite often. What do I have to do?

---------- Post added 10-27-21 at 09:33 AM ----------

Originally posted by Lord Lucan

Good links. I have an old Hoya brochure something like that.

Cymru am beth!!!!

Broadside · 10-27-2021, 10:31 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by drinkyT

Let me ask one thing...can someone recommend a good ND and cirular polarizer and an ND?

Is ND so important you listed it twice? I'm presuming you meant UV, but may have intended something else.

Hoya is the most obvious recommendation; they're common, don't affect sharpness, and are a fairly neutral grey that doesn't add a noticeable colour-cast. On eBay, Cir-Pols should cost you a tenner or less including postage (unless you're after 77mm or larger), NDs ought to be cheaper.

You might consider slim filters, which are shallower and intended to avoid vignetting, if you're given to shooting wide angle or planning on stacking them with colour filters. However, as you seem to be intending to use a step-up ring, this might not be necessary.

My understanding is that the Hoya logo has gone through at least 3 versions. The oldest has a low horizontal in the H, and the Y looks like a tuning fork. I think they then went for boring HOYA. The most recent has the horizontal of the H looking like a shallow lentil and extending into the O.

'Pro1 Digital' and 'HD' were high-end lines which attracted the efforts of Chinese fakers. They will still be circular polarizing filters, but won't have the anti-reflective coatings; just something to be aware of. Plain Hoya Cir-PL filters will cost you 2 stops of light; the HDs only one stop.

drinkyT · 10-27-2021, 07:36 PM

Originally posted by Broadside

Is ND so important you listed it twice? I'm presuming you meant UV, but may have intended something else.

Hoya is the most obvious recommendation; they're common, don't affect sharpness, and are a fairly neutral grey that doesn't add a noticeable colour-cast. On eBay, Cir-Pols should cost you a tenner or less including postage (unless you're after 77mm or larger), NDs ought to be cheaper.

You might consider slim filters, which are shallower and intended to avoid vignetting, if you're given to shooting wide angle or planning on stacking them with colour filters. However, as you seem to be intending to use a step-up ring, this might not be necessary.

My understanding is that the Hoya logo has gone through at least 3 versions. The oldest has a low horizontal in the H, and the Y looks like a tuning fork. I think they then went for boring HOYA. The most recent has the horizontal of the H looking like a shallow lentil and extending into the O.

'Pro1 Digital' and 'HD' were high-end lines which attracted the efforts of Chinese fakers. They will still be circular polarizing filters, but won't have the anti-reflective coatings; just something to be aware of. Plain Hoya Cir-PL filters will cost you 2 stops of light; the HDs only one stop.

Could you DM me, I'm starting to get confused again and would like some clarification. Shouldn't be anything too extreme, I would just like to be 100% confident before I start spending the wife's money

!

10-26-2021, 09:31 AM	#18
InnAtElmwood New Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 24	basic filters my basic, walk-around filters are UV and circular polarizer as 90% of my shots are outdoors/landscapes. Variable ND, red and yellow for when I'm shooting specific sky conditions.

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10-26-2021, 08:12 AM	#16
Watcha New Member Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Hampshire Posts: 24	Originally posted by drinkyT Hello again everyone, I am interested in purchasing lens filters for some of my cameras, my k1000 in particular. I have absolutely no idea what I am doing, after research I found myself more confused than when I started. I know they can be helpful, and I am interested in purchasing some. The question is...where do I start? I don't know what filters to get, or what company to buy them from. Should all of my cameras utilize filters? I have a Canon T7, K1000, Minolta X-570, do you recommend that I should get them for all of my cameras? Which ones would be the best to have? I really don't want to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars, but if they are worth having I would like something that is reasonable. I would greatly appreciate the help, I am beyond lost... Thanks as always, Ben NISI and Urth also do filters with guides and examples for use.

10-26-2021, 09:00 AM	#17
angerdan Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2015 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,639	Originally posted by Lord Lucan Good links. I have an old Hoya brochure something like that. https://hoyafilter.com/download/document/5b20d948a61c6.pdf https://hoyafilter.com/

10-26-2021, 06:17 PM	#19
BobL Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 80	Originally posted by drinkyT Hello again everyone, I am interested in purchasing lens filters for some of my cameras, my k1000 in particular. I have absolutely no idea what I am doing, after research I found myself more confused than when I started. I know they can be helpful, and I am interested in purchasing some. The question is...where do I start? I don't know what filters to get, or what company to buy them from. Should all of my cameras utilize filters? I have a Canon T7, K1000, Minolta X-570, do you recommend that I should get them for all of my cameras? Which ones would be the best to have? I really don't want to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars, but if they are worth having I would like something that is reasonable. I would greatly appreciate the help, I am beyond lost... Thanks as always, Ben I taught a course for many years called "Playing with Light" which was all about Filters & Exposure. I really does depend on what you want a filter to do, are you shooting B&W, or colour. There are a series of filters that will change the tone in B&W, a RED filter creates more contrast, making blue skies almost black & white clouds pop. An Orange filter does similar, but less so. Blue, Yellow & Green all effect the contrast in different ways. I'd suggest going to your local library for some of the old books dealing with B&W film or Google. An essential for any photographer would be a poloriser (PL) filter. Then there are filters to correct light, varying density of Blue (80A,B & C) will correct tungsten (yellow ) light , straw coloured filters (81A, B & C) correct cool temperature light, warming up a cold looking image.... the list is endless. Hope that this is of help.

10-27-2021, 09:26 AM	#20
drinkyT New Member Join Date: Jun 2021 Posts: 18 Original Poster	Wow everyone, what an amazing thing to come back from vacation to read! I sincerely appreciate all of your posts, opinions, and advice. This will surely give me something to think about! I will look into a circulating polarize lens filter and a ND filter. I wanted to thank everyone who posted to help me out, I am still learning but I am getting there! Thanks so much !!! ---------- Post added 10-27-21 at 09:31 AM ---------- Let me ask one thing...can someone recommend a good ND and cirular polarizer and an ND? I want to use the idea someone said and just buy a big enough filter so I can get a ring and use it on my other cameras. I have mostly film cameras and an Canon T7 that I use quite often. What do I have to do? ---------- Post added 10-27-21 at 09:33 AM ---------- Originally posted by Lord Lucan Good links. I have an old Hoya brochure something like that. Cymru am beth!!!!

10-27-2021, 10:31 AM - 1 Like	#21
Broadside Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Posts: 86	Originally posted by drinkyT Let me ask one thing...can someone recommend a good ND and cirular polarizer and an ND? Is ND so important you listed it twice? I'm presuming you meant UV, but may have intended something else. Hoya is the most obvious recommendation; they're common, don't affect sharpness, and are a fairly neutral grey that doesn't add a noticeable colour-cast. On eBay, Cir-Pols should cost you a tenner or less including postage (unless you're after 77mm or larger), NDs ought to be cheaper. You might consider slim filters, which are shallower and intended to avoid vignetting, if you're given to shooting wide angle or planning on stacking them with colour filters. However, as you seem to be intending to use a step-up ring, this might not be necessary. My understanding is that the Hoya logo has gone through at least 3 versions. The oldest has a low horizontal in the H, and the Y looks like a tuning fork. I think they then went for boring HOYA. The most recent has the horizontal of the H looking like a shallow lentil and extending into the O. 'Pro1 Digital' and 'HD' were high-end lines which attracted the efforts of Chinese fakers. They will still be circular polarizing filters, but won't have the anti-reflective coatings; just something to be aware of. Plain Hoya Cir-PL filters will cost you 2 stops of light; the HDs only one stop.

10-27-2021, 07:36 PM	#22
drinkyT New Member Join Date: Jun 2021 Posts: 18 Original Poster	Originally posted by Broadside Is ND so important you listed it twice? I'm presuming you meant UV, but may have intended something else. Hoya is the most obvious recommendation; they're common, don't affect sharpness, and are a fairly neutral grey that doesn't add a noticeable colour-cast. On eBay, Cir-Pols should cost you a tenner or less including postage (unless you're after 77mm or larger), NDs ought to be cheaper. You might consider slim filters, which are shallower and intended to avoid vignetting, if you're given to shooting wide angle or planning on stacking them with colour filters. However, as you seem to be intending to use a step-up ring, this might not be necessary. My understanding is that the Hoya logo has gone through at least 3 versions. The oldest has a low horizontal in the H, and the Y looks like a tuning fork. I think they then went for boring HOYA. The most recent has the horizontal of the H looking like a shallow lentil and extending into the O. 'Pro1 Digital' and 'HD' were high-end lines which attracted the efforts of Chinese fakers. They will still be circular polarizing filters, but won't have the anti-reflective coatings; just something to be aware of. Plain Hoya Cir-PL filters will cost you 2 stops of light; the HDs only one stop. Could you DM me, I'm starting to get confused again and would like some clarification. Shouldn't be anything too extreme, I would just like to be 100% confident before I start spending the wife's money !