best filter for dslr camera?

Answer 1

The best filter for a DSLR is no filter. With the abiliity to control white balance, you don't need one.

The only reason I can see for using a filter on a lens for a DSLR is to protect the front element. If that is what you're looking for, then either a Skylight filter or a UV Haze filter or just a clear filter.

Answer 2

These days, digital cameras have filtration over the sensor to block UV, so those UV filters and skylight filters sold by stores are just ways for camera stores to make money off you. With a digital SLR, a filter on the lens reduces contrast and introduces another optical element which reduces digital image quality.

Some will say that a filter helps to protect the front element, but I disagree. The two best things protecting the front element are 1) a solid, non-flexible lens hood and 2) the center-pinch lens cap. Anything which can get past those is strong enough to drive a filter glass right into the front element any way and wreck your lens.

The one filter I would recommend is the circular polarizer for darkening blue skies to a darker blue, intensifying some colors, and reducing glare/reflections. I do not recommend skylight or UV filters; those who don't understand why should take images with and without to see why.

Answer 3

Many people use a skylight or UV filter to protect the front glass of the lens, but you can also buy high quality plano glass filters for that purpose. Whatever you do, at least buy a decent quality filter instead of trying to get off cheap.

Personally, I'd say the first place to start for effects is a polarizing filter. You want a "circular" polarizer.

You might also find a neutral density filter (varying degrees of darkness are available) useful for taking shots of bright subjects at wider apertures or slower speeds.

As far as all the rest, you can do this in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. Okay, I don't want to argue with anyone about how it's better to use the real filter, but our asker can try a few in Photoshop (etc) "for free" and see which ones will be the most useful before you start spending money on the real thing.

Or, go here http://www.thkphoto.com/products/hoya/index.html and see what you can learn.

Or here http://www.tiffen.com/tiffen_filters.html Tiffen makes a kit to get you started on filters, if you think you want more than one. They include a polarizer, a UV filter and a warming filter. B&H Photo and many other places sell this kit.

Many people use a UV filter simply to protect the front element of their lens from damage. "UV filters absorb ultraviolet rays which often make outdoor photos hazy or indistinct." (from: http://www.thkphoto.com/products/hoya/gf-01.html )

We get this question often enough that I decided to upload a sample to Flickr showing the same subject taken with and without a UV filter. Download the image, cut a small section out of the top half and drag it to the same section in the bottom half and see what you think. The photos were taken about 15 seconds apart in subdued sunlight, so I think the lighting was virtually identical for each. There was no post-processing at all so you can make a fair comparison. I will not comment any further and let you decide for yourself if there is any color shift.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7189769@N04/441244796/

The picture was taken with a Nikon D200 at ISO 100 with the Nikon 18-200 VR lens @ 112 mm at f/5.3.

Buy a name brand like Hoya or Tiffen. Don't get cheap junk to put on the front of your fine lens.

Answer 4

You should always have either a Skylight or HAZE/UV filter on your lens to protect the front element. A good filter to have is the circular polarizer to darken blue skys and make white puffy clouds really "pop". The polarizer also removes glare/reflections from glass, sand, snow, and painted metal - but not polished metal.

Answer 5

The "HOYA Skylight" filters seem to be a popular choice... my Dad's had one one his old Pentax ME film SLR for years + also had one put on my old Rollei 35.

I believe there's also a Polarised HOYA filter, which I reckon may be useful for photographing fish in rivers (seeing as Anglers wear Polarised sunglasses for fish spotting, when the water is clear enough).

Warehouse Express is probably best spot online to get them... here's the page with them on:
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/?/photo/filters/hoya.html

Answer 6

For ordinary photography, you shouldn't need one. Filters are for camera tricks. Use a neutral density filter to take pictures of stationary objects while making moving objects disappear or blur.

Answer 7

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Answer 8

there is no such thing as best filter if you don't specify what do you want to do with your shoot.

Answer 9

if you mean to protect the lens .ultra violet it doesn`t alter the vissible colours.hope this helps