Basic must have filters......

[AndyKH]

Hi Everyone. I'm going to be getting a couple of filters for my canon 1000d this week and was just wondering what would you all recommend as my first must have ones? I was thinking of a polarizing filter and a uv filter for starters?

[Kermit power]

First question is what lenses do you currently have, or are you considering getting?

I started out with screw in filters - initially polariser and an ND - but have now come to the realisation that this is actually going to prove a rather costly way of going about things, as I have lenses which are 58mm, 62mm, 67mm and 77mm in diameter, which would mean needing one of each filter for each lens.

I'm now thinking of popping all the ones I have got onto Ebay, and getting one of the larger Lee or Cokin filter sets instead, just with adaptors for the different lens sizes.

[AndyKH]

I currently have a 18-55 kit lense but will hopefully be getting other lenses in the future. I cant say what as it wont be for a while yet. I jjust want the 58mm screw in types for now.

[mas99]

So what do you want the filters to do?

What sort of photos?

Are you after ND? (what people use to get that flowing water look that is sooo overdone or potentially for car rig shots)

ND grads? (useful for landscapes allowing, in effect, different exposure for ground and sky)

coloured filters for B&W contrast enhancement?

[Kermit power]

Note that if you want an ND Grad filter to get the sky properly exposed for landscapes, then you're pretty much going to have to go for a square filter system, unless you're happy to always have your horizon at the mid-point of the shot.

[AndyKH]

Ah, the square system, i have lots of different square filters from my old film camera that my uncle donated to me. I just haven't got the adapter to fit it to my lense. Square system may be the sensible approach as i have fiters already.

[SamHH]

Most people find that filters are not all that necessary with digital cameras. Ones that you might want to use are:

Polariser for reducing reflections;

Neutral density for when you've got too much light for the shutter speed you want, e.g. when panning;

Graduated neutral density for correctly exposing a light sky and dark land. If you use a tripod you can do this more precisely on the computer though.

You'll know if you need them; I don't think there's much point in buying them to experiment with. Some people also use a threaded UV filter for protecting the front element of the lens.

[Kermit power]

AndyKH said:

Ah, the square system, i have lots of different square filters from my old film camera that my uncle donated to me. I just haven't got the adapter to fit it to my lense. Square system may be the sensible approach as i have fiters already.

In that case, I would think it's definitely the best approach!

[AndyKH]

Thanks chaps, i have an old skylight (?) filter on at the min to protect the lens glass but it has a very minor mark on it so will be replacing that for sure. Thanks for the help guys.

[...Mole...]

The filters i take everywhere with me are,
Circular Polariser, ND8, and a ND grad. i find them essential,
although mine are just cheap ones due to budget issues i am looking at upgrading soon.