Filters

[OliverC]

I like to find out a bit more about 81A,B,C and the proper use of ND filters.

Is there a website that shows you how to use it properly and when to use it on a SLR camera like Canon's?

For example, you wouldn't use a ND filter on auto mode because then the camera will adjust the settings again.

When I first bought my first dig camera, the salesperson said I don't need filters because Photoshop software will take care of these effects I want (like star/diffuse filters etc). I believe there's more to it.

Oliver
Canon Pro90

[JimHunt]

Here's a site with more info:

http://www.cliffshade.com/dpfwiw/filters.htm

The 81A, B, & C filters were required to adapt film to existing light conditions. Your digital camera's Auto White Balance or Custom White Balance does that very well without messing with filters. If you still want to do it the old fashioned way, you'll need to use a preset white balance such as "Daylight".

Neutral density filters are to allow the use of slower shutter speeds or wider apertures than would otherwise be possible with existing lighting conditions. Useful to slow the shutter speed for deliberate motion blur or that "silky" look for waterfalls. Also useful to widen the aperture for reduced depth of field.

Graduated neutral density filter lets you darken the sky without darkening the foreground.

Have fun!
Jim

[OliverC]

Thanks Tim

The first thing I want to improve is landscape which has strong contrast between the land and the sky. It's either the sky gets washed out so it has to be post-processed with photoshop with a nice set of new beautiful sky or vice versa.

I haven't tried this white custom program but I guess it's time to experiment. Thanks again for the website.

I managed to buy 81C and ND2 today, still looking for gray graduate, I then went to another shop but the salesguy tells me that there are no demands for these filters, but imagine spending an enormous amount of time sitting infront of Photoshop and processing hundreds or thousands of photos, substituting pictures with different skies etc... there must be an easier way!

Oliver
Canon Pro90

[Edited on 6-8-2002 by OliverC]

[Edited on 6-8-2002 by OliverC]

[Bill3]

Oliver --

Suggestion to improve the contrast between sky and scenery: a polarizing filter. Deepening the blue for the sky is a basic and straight forward use for a polarizer (the light reflected off molecules in the atmosphere is highly directional).

I personally use ND filters in astrophotography; I "believe" I get more consistent results shooting the moon with it on my Nikon CoolPix 995.

As Jim Hunt said, in the traditional 35mm world color filters were frequently used to balance lighting conditions (e.g., the 81 series blues to offset the redness/warmness in incandescent lighting), which digicams can automatically handle through white balance capabilities. Other colors (red, orange) have had such uses as increasing contrast for black & white film.

Also on the filter topic: Adding to a UV filter to protect your camera lens is a cheap and valuable investment (if you haven't already done so).

Bill3

[OliverC]

Thanks Bill

I think I am nearly there. This combinations looks right, they are in order of attached lenses:

1) UV
2) Circular Polariser
3) Cokin Gray Graduate filters (1 or 2 intensity) - NOT ND! I got confused with this one and Gray ND filters. They are not the same!

The result I get now is the foreground looks brighter and I can get the sky to maintain its characteristics without resulting too dark the foreground or washed out sky. What a difference this makes!

Thanka again!

Oliver