Need advice... I just recently purchased a Nikon D80?

Question

What filters do I need...? Do I need a filter to protect the front glass of my lens? I have looked into getting a polorizing filter, but not sure if I should be looking at something else also, what is a must have.. there are so many options.

I have the kit lens 18-135mm and a 55-200mm VR

Thank you!

Answer 1

any 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.

Here's a comparison that I did by accident. Read the comments and you'll understand: http://www.flickr.com/photos/samfeinstein/1793551691/

Buy a name brand like Hoya or Tiffen. Don't get cheap junk to put on the front of your fine lens. Personally, I am now switching over to plain high quality optical glass "filters" from Nikon for lens protection, even though they cost more than a good UV filter.

Answer 2

Just to point out, a polarizer is a good filter to have, and you will likely use it a lot if you take many landscapes, but the polarizer does NOT live on the front of your lens. If you want a protective filter, a UV, (skylight) haze, or plain glass filter are the ones to consider.

My second most used filter is a neutral density grad. At times I use a softening filter and a star filter. You might find that a little filter work goes a long way, so don't spend tons buying every available filter until you have a better idea what you might use.

Answer 3

In the old days of 35mm cameras we used a 'skylight' filter mostly to protect the lens. It also filtered out UV of course, but that was secondary, it was mostly to keep fingerprints and dust off the lens.

I think digital cameras have better UV protection but it might be nice to have a UV filter anyway and just leave it on all the time. A polarizing filter will come in handy in certain situations.

Beyond that, filters for light correction, etc. are unnecessary, since with digital photography you do all that in the computer afterwards. I'm assuming someone as serious about photography as to have a D80 would also have photo-editing software. If not, you might download GIMP and learn at least how to do simple things like cropping and adjusting brightness/contrast/levels/colors. GIMP is about as powerful as Photoshop but it's FREE! http://gimp.org

Answer 4

I definitely believe in having a UV filter on every lens 24/7 unless I'm using my polarizer. I have a 30 year old 24mm wide angle with perfect glass - its always had a UV or Skylight filter mounted.

There are two types of polarizers - linear and circular. Make sure you buy a circular polarizer. The linear one can upset auto focus and metering.

I've used Tiffen, Hoya, B+W and Minolta filters for years. Don't "cheap out" when you buy your UV and polarizer filters.

Buy a nice wide, comfortable neck strap and use it. Your camera should either be hanging around your neck, on a tripod or nestled safely in your camera bag. In your car, keep it on the floor - if its on the seat a sudden stop can send your camera hurtling through space and turn it into a really expensive paperweight.

Invest in a quality tripod. Bogen, Velbon, Manfrotto, Slik are all good brands. Here again, don't try to "cheap out". Plan on spending around 20% of what you spent on your camera and lenses Make sure the tripod "fits" you. If you're 5'9 tall a tripod that only opens to 5' might be uncomfortable to use. In fact, if you're 5' tall look for a tripod that extends to 6' - you won't have to extend it all the way and that means even more stability.* A visit to a professional camera store might be a good idea when you buy your tripod.

Depending on the conditions you'll be shooting in you might consider visiting cameraarmor.com or bonicadive.com and checking out the protective covers they offer.

* Someone may suggest raising the center column if your tripod is too short. Don't listen to them. Here's why: It creates what is called a "moment arm" when your 3 or 4 pounds of camera and lens is sticking up in the air on a slender column. Think of a heavy door on stiff hinges. The farther from the hinges the easier it is to push the door open. As you get closer to the hinges it requires more effort. So buy a tripod taller than you and keep the lower leg sections retracted as much as possible to get a comfortable viewing height.

Answer 5

While some purists abhor the thought of any filter coming between the lens and their subject, I would get a protective UV or Sky filter for both lenses. Polarizing lenses are good to minimize reflections, when shot at an angle and they also darken or intensify colors, especially the blue sky. There are many other filters, some to correct color imbalance, but your white balance setting in the camera can do that.

Answer 6

A UV filter is a lifesaver for protecting your optical investment. I wouldn't take the camera out of the bag without one. As for the polarizing filter, if I was taking landscapes, it would be invaluable. But for my situations (sports and photojournalism) it usually stays in my bag.

Modern digital cameras and computer software can do most of what filters did for 35mm cameras. Even in the 'old days', I was never a big fan of filters and I flinch everytime I see someone with a camera with two lenses and twelve filters. For most camera stores, filters are a quick and easy add-on sale, so they'll encourage you to stock up.

I hope this is helpful for you.

Answer 7

The only filter you need on a digital is a Circular Polarizer, and that's only because its effects are not easily reproducible in image editing.

It's mainly a landscape-wildlife-travel shot enhancer so google to see whether you'll ever use one.

To protect the end glass of your lens, use a lens cap.

Answer 8

Look at a Tamrac Velocity or Lowepro Slingshot pack. Both are single-strap backpack styles that swing around to the front quickly for easy access. I have both the Tamrac Velocity 7 and the Lowepro Slingshot 200AW. They both work well with my basic outfits. Usually I carry a Nikon D70 or D200 with an 18-200mm VR lens, SB600 flash, extra memory cards, AA batteries, and camera batteries. I can also carry diffusers for my flash as well as microfiber cloths for padding & cleaning. My Tamrac, with the D70, 18-200mm, SB600, and accessories was my total kit for a two week journey across China. It was small enough to always have with me, yet large enough to carry the camera gear with ease. By the way, I teach elementary school, so I realize how quickly one needs to get the camera out and ready when those memorable moments occur!

Answer 9

I had to take the filter off my 75-300 telephoto lens.

I like to take pics of trains and was always getting a head and ditch light shadow in the pic as well.

Ver annoying.

The rat