Why use lens filters?

General » Photography & Photoshopping

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Why use lens filters?

Posted: 4/18/2017 9:11:27 PM EDT

Can't you just do the same thing in Lightroom?

Posted: 4/18/2017 11:09:14 PM EDT

[#1]

To my knowledge a circular polarizer can't be duplicated in LR or PS.

Don't know about the other filters.

Posted: 4/19/2017 1:21:09 AM EDT

[#2]

ND filters so you can use a larger aperture in brighter light (to achieve desired DOF).
Haze filters to cut down UV light and generally protect the lens (this is open to much debate on both sides, might be the equivalent of 9mm vs 45.....)
Circular polarizer (wish I had remembered it was in my bag on Kauai last week.....)

Posted: 4/19/2017 1:51:43 AM EDT

[#3]

Quote History

Quoted:
ND filters so you can use a larger aperture in brighter light (to achieve desired DOF).
Haze filters to cut down UV light and generally protect the lens (this is open to much debate on both sides, might be the equivalent of 9mm vs 45.....)
Circular polarizer (wish I had remembered it was in my bag on Kauai last week.....)

View Quote

Modern digital cameras filter UV light natively. Filters are not required for that. Old film cameras, sure it was a problem. Not anymore.

Posted: 4/19/2017 1:56:25 AM EDT

[#4]

Neutral Density filters to shoot long exposure or to kill sunlight while using strobes when limited by flash-sync.

Graduated ND for landscapes

Posted: 4/19/2017 2:02:35 AM EDT

[#5]

People say you can do Graduated ND in Lightroom, yes... but you cant tell me that I can get the same quality results as with an analog 1.2 Soft edge Grad-ND for shooting lakes at sunset on a long exposure: Like this

10 Stop ND filters cannot be replicated in Photoshop.

Polarized Filters cannot be replicated in Photoshop.

I use Colored filters for black and white color seperation a la Sergey Prokudin Gorsky

UV Filters for the extra layer of protection against drops, dust, smudges, etc.

Posted: 4/19/2017 2:03:07 AM EDT

[#6]

ND's are the only ones I use as well.

Posted: 4/19/2017 8:56:44 AM EDT

[#7]

Yes, alot can be replicated in PS/LR. Sometimes it is easier to do it in post. Sometimes it is easier to do in camera.

Polarizers, ND, and graduated ND cannot be truly replicated in post as they directly alter the light coming in.

The only time I've ever used a clear filter for "protection" was when I shot a paintball game once.

Posted: 4/19/2017 9:12:42 PM EDT

[#8]

there is no substitute for a ND filter if you want to shoot in fairly bright sunlight at a wider aperture

Posted: 4/19/2017 10:35:54 PM EDT

[#9]

Quote History

Quoted:
Yes, alot can be replicated in PS/LR. Sometimes it is easier to do it in post. Sometimes it is easier to do in camera.

Polarizers, ND, and graduated ND cannot be truly replicated in post as they directly alter the light coming in.

The only time I've ever used a clear filter for "protection" was when I shot a paintball game once.

View Quote

As much as I argued with Zack about it, I've slowly gone away from them unless it's a spot where there could be damage to the lens. A few spots I photograph have blowing sand for example. Beyond that, I've largely ditched them.

I do need to break down and get some ND filters though. I've never managed to get a polarizing filter to work for me, weirdly enough. I know the 'how' but I've just never seen them work, despite knowing they do. Could be that my one was a cheapass one.

Posted: 4/20/2017 2:45:23 AM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
People say you can do Graduated ND in Lightroom, yes... but you cant tell me that I can get the same quality results as with an analog 1.2 Soft edge Grad-ND for shooting lakes at sunset on a long exposure: Like this

10 Stop ND filters cannot be replicated in Photoshop.

Polarized Filters cannot be replicated in Photoshop.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:
People say you can do Graduated ND in Lightroom, yes... but you cant tell me that I can get the same quality results as with an analog 1.2 Soft edge Grad-ND for shooting lakes at sunset on a long exposure: Like this

10 Stop ND filters cannot be replicated in Photoshop.

Polarized Filters cannot be replicated in Photoshop.

Right on the money.

Quoted:
UV Filters for the extra layer of protection against drops, dust, smudges, etc.

If you are going to go this route, a clear filter is a better option than a UV filter.
Low quality filters will reduce the image quality, often quite noticeably.

Posted: 4/20/2017 4:55:25 AM EDT

[#11]

There is some arguments for using filters, so I am going to include some to show the difference.

Like using an ND filter for the effect..

The above is to get the 'ghost'effect. You can also use ND for getting a landscape without having people in the shot since the ND allows for loonngg exposures and they people would move without affecting the shot.

And for polarizers whether they are linear or circular would reduce reflections on water, people or whatever. Below is some example.

Posted: 4/23/2017 10:13:51 AM EDT

[#12]

for film? all the time. Skylight 1A or 1B, UV/Haze all the time.
B&W film- I use yellow K2 or Orange for added contrast

Digital? nope, not needed in my book. The in camera settings can adjust for various effects.

polarizers and neutral density filters are fun to use with film or digital.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Why use lens filters?

General » Photography & Photoshopping

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