Help

[KVRNut 0]

I need some feedback on the type of lens filter system I should get.

 

I currently use both manual focus and auto focus lenses on my Canon FL, FD, and EF mount cameras. My lens openings range from 77mm on down to 46mm with the 72, 67, 60, and 58mm lens opening lenses used the most. Currently I use screw on filters from Tiffen, Singh-Ray, Hoya, etc., and I have a slug of them. LOL Yes, I do have and use step up/down rings. Over the next while, I want to expand the types of filters I have to include more special effects filters, light adjustment filters, B&W filters, and enhancement filters.

 

I have some used filters that offer some of the effects that I would like to experiment with and possibly incorporate into my photography. Some are indexed round while others are retangular plate or square plate. I know I'll end up having to get adapters for each type of filter shape that I have but for the new filters I'll be purchasing, what filter manufacturer should I go with and use? I'm after a filter adapter that I can use for both manual and auto focus lenses, one that can hold a filter setting when I focus manually, one that I can change filters fairly rapidly if need be. Should I go round or 4 sided? With the increased distance between filter and lens, I am also concerned about vignetting when I go long with a lens. Being able to stack 2 or more filters would also be a big plus. I know that I'll be running into some problems with a couple of rangefinder cameras I have but most of my photography is done with SLRs anyways.

 

I could sure use your ideas and feedback on this issue before I start plunking down the hard earned dollars.

 

Thanks for the help with this can of worms!

 

Ernie

 

 

 

[Guest]

Ernie,

 

Back when I shot a film slr(and before photoshop) I used many filters. I sold all of that stuff a few years ago. I do remember my favorite setup was the rectangular filters that just slid into place. It made changing filters easier and the filter holder that I used had three slots for multiple filters if I remember correctly. I don't remember the brands or anything so I guess I am not of much help...

[Graham 0]

I like the larger sized Lee filters, 4"x6", and the filter holder has three slots, and I slide the Lee wide angle hood into the second slot, mostly because I've never tried shooting with more than one filter at a time. Singh Ray has some awesome filter equipment. I definately prefer the larger sizes. That said, I've collected a nice assortment of LEE products, mostly for scenery shots, but very seldom cover the end of my lens with any type of filter including UV. But I'm really looking forward to visiting the Sierra with various filters. The larger filters allow more room for sliding up and down positioning and I don't have vignette in the corners. The SingRay website has some great information.

[KVRNut 0]

Thanks for the info Graham!

 

Am looking at getting ND filters, a warming polorizer, a graduated blue gold polorizer, and a red enhancement filter to start. I can definately see the advantage in getting a larger filter size given the range of lens openings I have.

 

One of the reasons that I'm looking at stacking filters is I do it sometimes with my current filters to get different effects. I'll use a cross hatch filter with a softener or polorizer in some shots, or if I'm doing a portrait shot of someone, a softener combined with a vignette filter and/ or a warming filter. I've even tried turning day into night by stacking a pair of polorizing lenses. Needless to say, I often stack filters when fooling around with B&W photography when I have to use a polorizer and colored filter.

 

Have checked in with various camera stores in my area and they all suggest different filter systems, one even telling me to bite the bullet, stick with the screw in filters and ditch the step rings. I won't be going there anymore! That's why I decided to ask the people who use the filters and not the ones who sell them what they thought.

 

Thanks agian for the info!

Ernie

[Graham 0]

Hey Ernie, I'm happy to try and help, but I'm still a rookie..

 

I have one the four shooting menu banks in my camera named Portrait, and the softening is done internally, but I've never done portrait shots.

 

I have a couple of round polarizer’s including a Moose Peterson 81A warming polarizer, which I usually turn opposite of what is recommended, and adjust the earth tones instead of making the sky as blue as possible. The polarizer I use the most is a Heliopan, and my round 3 stop ND is also a Heliopan and mostly just use that for making water milky while keeping the sky blue. I think round filters are smaller and easier to carry, can be stacked with end caps, or left in individual containers. Shooting with adjustable rectangular filters means carrying a sizable filter wallet(s), filter holder, adaptors, and a dedicated lens hood, more than I can keep in a shirt pocket. When buying round filters I make sure they are thin, and have internal threads for attaching the hood that came with the lens and/or a second filter. But having said all that, almost all of the lenses I shoot with, except macro, are 77mm, so I don’t need a load of different round filters. I have read articles and seen great shots done by pro’s who hand hold the rectangular filters over lenses, and that could be an option, until you collect all of the adaptors you need for various lens sizes.

 

I mostly use my rectangular adjustable filter holder for grad, split and reverse ND's, it's rather large and bulky, but can do things no round filter can accomplish. The blue gold polarizer’s have a cool effect but there are Photoshop plugins that can do that, but I’m not sure if the overall effect is identical, but in Photoshop you can look at the pic shot naturally as well as adjust the desired filtering. I have the NIK Color Efex pro plug-in, but haven't experimented much with the various filters yet, but the warming filter is great, fully adjustable, and I haven’t used the 81A since, just the Heliopan. That said, I really have no experience shooting B&W and have no idea how various filters affect capturing the desired image.

 

I think a full size LEE or SingRay is all you need for all of your lenses. Now that I think about it, I did once try stacking two filters in my LEE holder and there was a bit of vignette in the corners and I had to take off the LEE lens hood. There is also a special adaptor that is needed if you want to turn the camera vertical, and spin the horizontal shaped accordion wide angle lens hood. That adaptor made the filter assembly stick out far enough to cause the vignette. It's really been challenging trying to find the perfect setup that works for any situation. I removed one of three slots from my filter holder and figured there would be a greater chance I’d want to take a vertical shot with one filter than taking horizontal with two filters while using a wide angle lens hood.

 

Graham

[kargen 0]

I am kind of in the same boat as SmallieHunter. I preferred the square filters but don't remember now what I used most. I had a whole mess of assorted brands and types. All I remember is now is for split, polarized or graduated filters the square ones I had let me control where the split was. It didn't just run across the center of my lens.

I had a set of screw on filters I used for B&W photography and tht was okay because I wanted the entire shot to get the same effect. All in all though I think the square ones give you more options in how you use them.