Lens filters

kopite1979

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Just paid for my first DSLR, a D3100.
Alot of my pics will be outdoors of mountains etc. I've been advised to get a couple of filters to screw onto the end of the lens.
I've watched a few YouTube vids and understand why I need them, but which ones do I get? I'm guessing I avoid the cheap ones off eBay?
 
kopite1979 said:
Just paid for my first DSLR, a D3100.
Alot of my pics will be outdoors of mountains etc. I've been advised to get a couple of filters to screw onto the end of the lens.
I've watched a few YouTube vids and understand why I need them, but which ones do I get? I'm guessing I avoid the cheap ones off eBay?

All you'll need is a polariser, but if you have the kit lens, then even that won't be great, as the lens rotates when you focus and the polariser needs to be rotated to get the desired effect. It can be done, you need to focus, and lock the focus, then rotate the polariser carefully without turning the lens and defocusing.

You don't need UV filters, you'll only start getting into ND Filters and grads as you get more advanced.

Remember filters go I front of the expensive lens and camera, so there is no point whatsoever sticking something cheap and nasty there. You may as well just use your phone camera.
 
I got a UV filter with mine, which more than anything is good to protext the lens.

Also got ND8 filter as it was a decent price.
 
For polarisers a Hoya pro1, kood or b&w is best.
I doubt you want to spend over £300 on a Lee system at this stage.
 
Ignore Lee filters for now. Very expensive, and not what you need to spend you're money on right now.

As mentioned, Hoya do good Polarisers, as do Kood. B&W too, but again can be expensive.
 

lol.

For polarisers a Hoya pro1, kood or b&w is best.
I doubt you want to spend over £300 on a Lee system at this stage.

^^ Indeed. Just a point to bare in mind... try not use polarisers on too wide a lens, as you get odd looking gradients in the sky. The kit lens should be fine, but you will start to see the effect in the right conditions.
 
I spent a lot of money on UV filters and was always a bit disapointed when I came to view the results as they were quite soft at times. I went on a shoot with my 7D and 100-400 L which I knew was capable of brilliant IQ and left the UV filter off and put my hood on I was blown away with the results. I took all the filters off my lenses and immediately got the sharpness I should. I've only put a UV filter on again once when I went to a beach where I knew it would be extra dusty and breezy and was happy to take a quality dip to protect the lens.
 
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