Filters: Which ones and which sizes?

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doom-box

Filters seem to be a very cool and easy way to add 'personality' to a shot. I'm thinking about purchasing some Tiffen lens filters, though I've never used them in the past and have no clue of which ones to go for.
Looking from the various ones they have on the Tiffen site, the Ultra Pol Polarizer and the SKY 1-A or HAZED-1 (both of these are UV absorbing filters). When I look them up on B&H, they obviously come in different sizes and I have no clue which size I should get. Could anyone guide me?

Some of my other questions are:

1. If any of you have used or use filters, is it just an extra accessory that can be re-created in post-production with the editing software?

2. Are lens protection glass filters worth getting? I would think that the more glass is mounted on the camera, the more the image loss is...

3. I would mount these filters to my Nikon MF 50 mm, 28 mm and 150 mm which are attached to the Brevis 35mm adaptor. What filter size should I buy?

4. Which filters do you recommend I should get to make a good kit?

5. Last but most important, Tiffen seems to be somewhat expensive. Are there other brands which give the same image quality at a more affordable price range?

Thanks in advance!
 
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doom-box said:
1. If any of you have used or use filters, is it just an extra accessory that can be re-created in post-production with the editing software?
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Some effects can be done in post - some others cannot. Imoo, always better to avoid shoving anything to "do it in post". You'll regret it later. :)

doom-box said:
2. Are lens protection glass filters worth getting? I would think that the more glass is mounted on the camera, the more the image loss is...
Click to expand...

$10 UV filter vs. $2000 lens. Your call.

doom-box said:
3. I would mount these filters to my Nikon MF 50 mm, 28 mm and 150 mm which are attached to the Brevis 35mm adaptor. What filter size should I buy?
Click to expand...

Interesting question. Never used a 35mm adapter, so I'm not sure if the filters are applied to the lenses or the adapter itself. Knowing that, though...

doom-box said:
4. Which filters do you recommend I should get to make a good kit?
Click to expand...

A few shades of ND, a Polariser (take into account the ND built into that), a Red & Green & Yellow (for fun black/white stills)... and the 80 & 85 colour-correction varieties (for common tungsten & daylight needs)

Pretty much it sucks, having to buy the same filters for the same camera, when using different lenses. C'est la vie.

doom-box said:
5. Last but most important, Tiffen seems to be somewhat expensive. Are there other brands which give the same image quality at a more affordable price range?
Click to expand...

Most my filters are made by Quantaray, which I believe is a generic brand for Ritz Camera. I haven't dropped by one of their stores in a while, but they almost always had a "Buy Two... get one free!" deal going on (sometimes even 1 for 1)... and their prices were a lot lower than Tiffen.

Tiffen is a very fine name, though.
 
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doom-box said:
Filters seem to be a very cool and easy way to add 'personality' to a shot. I'm thinking about purchasing some Tiffen lens filters, though I've never used them in the past and have no clue of which ones to go for.
Looking from the various ones they have on the Tiffen site, the Ultra Pol Polarizer and the SKY 1-A or HAZED-1 (both of these are UV absorbing filters). When I look them up on B&H, they obviously come in different sizes and I have no clue which size I should get. Could anyone guide me?

Some of my other questions are:

1. If any of you have used or use filters, is it just an extra accessory that can be re-created in post-production with the editing software?

2. Are lens protection glass filters worth getting? I would think that the more glass is mounted on the camera, the more the image loss is...

3. I would mount these filters to my Nikon MF 50 mm, 28 mm and 150 mm which are attached to the Brevis 35mm adaptor. What filter size should I buy?

4. Which filters do you recommend I should get to make a good kit?

5. Last but most important, Tiffen seems to be somewhat expensive. Are there other brands which give the same image quality at a more affordable price range?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

The only filters you should use are the ones that can't be applied in post as well as you could on set, namely ND (Not a bad idea to buy a set), Circular Polarizer, UV, and any color correction that is mandatory. If you wanted to shoot with a pro mist you could but when using a 35mm adapter usually you're not fighting sharpness anyway. Oh and I have a starburst filter which when used right makes a very nice effect.

The Ø symbol is what you're looking for for size, you should find it near the filter ring on the lens. Ø58 would require a 58mm filter. I don't know if they all take the same size but they also make step-up/down rings for that purpose.

I have a UV filter on my camera always. It never comes off. I have had it save a camera lens before.

I don't know if you were asking about glass vs. plastic but yes many photogs and dps swear glass filters to have better optical capability than plastic. I use plastic because I just can't justify spending that much for glass filters yet. I have a few Hoyas and a few Tiffens. Its not like if you buy a Hoya its going to have a bubble in the middle of it, its just that it may be .5% worse than the Tiffen. I can live with that.
 
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Filters are great to have and i would get a ND set and 85 as well..to start

as for size..yes you could get one size and use stepdown rings, but if you are using a 35adapter..you should be using a rail system as well...if not..u should..thats a lot of weight for something to just screw onto a lens where a filter should be...

if you have a rail system...you should get a mattbox..and then you only need one filter size and the mattbox will be plenty handy for flare...as this is your number one enemy with all that glass in front of your camera...

just a thought
 
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Thanks guys! This was exactly the advice I needed! :)

I will be soon ordering Tiffen's UV Filter, Protection Glass, Circular Polarizer, 81 Color Correction and ND 6.
Does anyone know an online store where I could find an 85 Color Correction? :huh:

I do have a pretty good rail system and a professional matte box, but I can't afford to get those big 4 x 5 Tiffen filters that mount on the matte box. On B&H, those cost about 300 US / filter!! Getting filters that mount directly on the lens is WAY cheaper.

At this point, do you think it is still useful to mount the matte box to the camera - even if the filter is mounted on the lens - when shooting?
 
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You might send Clive a PM, he's in the UK, he probably knows all the best places to shop there. In the States, we always suggest B&H, but I've also had good experience with Adorama, and Samy's on the west coast.

Also, I wouldn't get "protection glass" just use the UV filter... its like $10, just leave it on all the time.
 
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