Filters
2 Filter or Not 2 Filter
July 16, 2008 10:21 PM Filed in: Cameras | Photography
QUESTION:
Jane from Perth wrote, "When I bought my new Canon 450D I also picked up a couple of
UV lens filters to act as lens protectors and also a polarizing filter. I leave the UV filters on both of my lenses at all times.
In what situation should I use the polarizing filter instead of the UV filter?
Can I use the Polarizing filter in addition to the UV filter, i.e. can I leave the UV filter on the lens and screw on the polarizing filter as well?
ANSWER:
A very good question. The most important reason to use the UV lens filter is protecting your lens. I'm not really sure you could tell a difference with or without it on your photographs. Photoshop gives way too many controls to fix or change the little differences this filter would have.
A purist would say that it's wrong to put a cheap piece of glass in front of the expensive lens, but I would argue that the protective value is more important. It's better to clean and re-clean the filter than the actual lens. Also, I have had stuff hit the filter and broken them several times. Better the filter, than the lens.
If you try to stack the filters you may get a little vignetting on the edges when you use the lens hood on wide angles with your zoom lens.
The polarizing filter helps darken the blue sky and keeps the clouds white and will help reduce reflections while shooting through glass.
Filters like the polarizer don't seem to be used much today to darken the sky because of Photoshop. We are getting way to advanced with HDR (High Dynamic Range) software like Photomatix, to use something so simple as a polarizing filter.
In the years past with black-and-white film, photographers would use red filters to darken the sky and keep the clouds white. The polarizer will gives a similar but not quite as dramatic result but can also be used with color film - RL
MORE COOL WEBSITES:
Check out photographer's James Quantz Jr website. Take a look at the elephants going to a self-serve car wash. His photography and Photoshop work is amazing. Don't miss it. This comes from the Dave Cross post on the Scott Kelby's Photoshop Insider site. Be sure to read Dave's excellent blog post. It very informative. Yes, he also mentioned photographer Dave Hill and Joey Lawrence. I'll be good now. No more website suggestions. Who has the time to check them all out? Also, adding the links to the text is a lot of work.
Have a nice Thursday. A new review due out late FRIDAY. Stay tuned - Robert
Jane from Perth wrote, "When I bought my new Canon 450D I also picked up a couple of
UV lens filters to act as lens protectors and also a polarizing filter. I leave the UV filters on both of my lenses at all times.In what situation should I use the polarizing filter instead of the UV filter?
Can I use the Polarizing filter in addition to the UV filter, i.e. can I leave the UV filter on the lens and screw on the polarizing filter as well?
ANSWER:
A very good question. The most important reason to use the UV lens filter is protecting your lens. I'm not really sure you could tell a difference with or without it on your photographs. Photoshop gives way too many controls to fix or change the little differences this filter would have.
A purist would say that it's wrong to put a cheap piece of glass in front of the expensive lens, but I would argue that the protective value is more important. It's better to clean and re-clean the filter than the actual lens. Also, I have had stuff hit the filter and broken them several times. Better the filter, than the lens.
If you try to stack the filters you may get a little vignetting on the edges when you use the lens hood on wide angles with your zoom lens.
The polarizing filter helps darken the blue sky and keeps the clouds white and will help reduce reflections while shooting through glass.
Filters like the polarizer don't seem to be used much today to darken the sky because of Photoshop. We are getting way to advanced with HDR (High Dynamic Range) software like Photomatix, to use something so simple as a polarizing filter.
In the years past with black-and-white film, photographers would use red filters to darken the sky and keep the clouds white. The polarizer will gives a similar but not quite as dramatic result but can also be used with color film - RL
MORE COOL WEBSITES:
Check out photographer's James Quantz Jr website. Take a look at the elephants going to a self-serve car wash. His photography and Photoshop work is amazing. Don't miss it. This comes from the Dave Cross post on the Scott Kelby's Photoshop Insider site. Be sure to read Dave's excellent blog post. It very informative. Yes, he also mentioned photographer Dave Hill and Joey Lawrence. I'll be good now. No more website suggestions. Who has the time to check them all out? Also, adding the links to the text is a lot of work.
Have a nice Thursday. A new review due out late FRIDAY. Stay tuned - Robert
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