Are filters necessary for lenses?

[Razor54]

the key word is

Are filters necessary for lenses?

the answer is no

after spending big money on good glass, you put a filter in front of it to degrade the quality?
Does not compute ...

This one filter saved my good glass once...filter totally smashed up, don't dare to imagine if it's the front element of my lens that is shattered.:sweat:

Now all my lenses got filter on, 24/7...but I make it a point to get the better ones out there.

 

[Snoweagle]

This one filter saved my good glass once...filter totally smashed up, don't dare to imagine if it's the front element of my lens that is shattered.:sweat:

Now all my lenses got filter on, 24/7...but I make it a point to get the better ones out there.

That's the reason why it's also gd for full-time protection of the front lens element.

 

[fatigue]

I have cleaned quite a number of lenses. Most of those lenses without filter have stubborn stains and/or minor scratches on their front glass. Even those lenses with "deep"
(not easily accessible) front element are not spared. Maybe we should just remove the filters when shooting a direct source of light to avoid glares.

 

[bent]

any idea how much Hoya ND8 filter costs (55mm)?

 

[westclox]

If you shoot black and white, colour filters can accentuate certain tones which make the

 

[westclox]

Sorry accidentally click submit.

If you shoot black and white, colour filters can accentuate certain tones which make the picture stand out.

 

[diver-hloc]

No lah i just put two close up filters only. Since i'm using it just for close ups (which i seldom use) so no point getting a B+W for it.

Hi... would like to know.... are those close up filters the type that gives a bit of Magnification to ur lense..... like 1+ or 2+ ??? Me own a Canon EF-S 60mm. Heard of filter that could give lense more "Magnification"..... is it true ?? does it works ?? Thxs :think: :think:

 

[ExplorerZ]

any idea how much Hoya ND8 filter costs (55mm)?

should be about $20 from CP...

Hi... would like to know.... are those close up filters the type that gives a bit of Magnification to ur lense..... like 1+ or 2+ ??? Me own a Canon EF-S 60mm. Heard of filter that could give lense more "Magnification"..... is it true ?? does it works ?? Thxs

it makes your lens able to focus even nearer...

 

[diver-hloc]

it makes your lens able to focus even nearer...

So u mean all it does is enable me to 'move' my lense closer to the subject.... and not that it 'makes' the subject 'bigger'......

 

[Razor54]

So u mean all it does is enable me to 'move' my lense closer to the subject.... and not that it 'makes' the subject 'bigger'......

A closeup filter will make the subject bigger by magnifying, not to allow you to focus closer. To do that (focus closer), you'll need an extension tube. If I remembered correctly, 3rd-party tubes cannot be used on EF-S lenses. You'll need a Canon extension tube for those...

 

[ExplorerZ]

A closeup filter will make the subject bigger by magnifying, not to allow you to focus closer. To do that (focus closer), you'll need an extension tube. If I remembered correctly, 3rd-party tubes cannot be used on EF-S lenses. You'll need a Canon extension tube for those...

eh a close up does let you focus closer...
at the same time magnify a tiny bit which most of the time not noticed by some

 

[diver-hloc]

A closeup filter will make the subject bigger by magnifying, not to allow you to focus closer. To do that (focus closer), you'll need an extension tube. If I remembered correctly, 3rd-party tubes cannot be used on EF-S lenses. You'll need a Canon extension tube for those...

Ok.... I'm confuse now ..... So i ask another question.....

Example :

At the same distance from a subject - lets say 10cm away - the subject will be of size 'A'. Does by putting on close-up filter makes the subject now size 'A++'..... if focus length and distance... etc remains the same.... ???

Thxs for any info.

 

[ExplorerZ]

Ok.... I'm confuse now ..... So i ask another question.....

Example :

At the same distance from a subject - lets say 10cm away - the subject will be of size 'A'. Does by putting on close-up filter makes the subject now size 'A++'..... if focus length and distance... etc remains the same.... ???

Thxs for any info.

imho, its both, but the magnificant is usually much bought up by focusing closer, unless you are using a very high diopter closeup filter. but having said that, a high diopter will make your lens unable to focus at the same distance as when without filter.

here is a quote from wiki

Diopters are simple single or two-element lenses used to assist in close-up and macro photography. They provide some number of positive optical diopters, which magnify the subject and allow objects very close to the lens to be brought into focus.

 

[Razor54]

eh a close up does let you focus closer...
at the same time magnify a tiny bit which most of the time not noticed by some

I see the difference now, thanks.

But how true is it that by stacking these extra glass (closeup filters), we'll be affecting the image quality as compared to using an extension tube to reduce the minimum focusing distance of the lens?

 

[diver-hloc]

Thxs for all the info...... Seems that the 'plus' of using close-up filter is little at best..... Mmm.... will stick with my EF-S 60mm.

Again thxs for all the help.

 

[ExplorerZ]

I see the difference now, thanks.

But how true is it that by stacking these extra glass (closeup filters), we'll be affecting the image quality as compared to using an extension tube to reduce the minimum focusing distance of the lens?

depends very very very much on which make is the filter from... high end one from canon/nikon/raynox are known to affect quality very slightly, almost not noticeable unless you stacked more than 2.

but other than image quality, closeup filter doesn't reduce the light entering to your sensor like the way extension tubes does.

 

[Razor54]

This was taken sometime back with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II with Kenko extension tubes. Image quality wise wasn't too bad, but I agree that a lot of light was lost after passing through the 'tunnel'...

 

[Snoweagle]

Hi... would like to know.... are those close up filters the type that gives a bit of Magnification to ur lense..... like 1+ or 2+ ??? Me own a Canon EF-S 60mm. Heard of filter that could give lense more "Magnification"..... is it true ?? does it works ?? Thxs :think: :think:

Yeah i'm using two pieces of +4 but do take note that if u wish to use back the lens to take faraway objects, have to remove the filters.

Sice u're already using a macro lens, u could use an extension tube to focus even closer.

 

[xray]

I used a filter on my manual Nikkor 50mm 1.4. And it saved the lens when I tripped and fell. Only the metal ring of the filter was badly damaged (it had to take my entire body weight).

There's also a difference in which kind of filters you use too... I experimented with a Nikon UV filter and a no-brand one. The no-brand one created lots of 'haze'. The Nikon filter had almost no impact on the photo.

 

[Snoweagle]

Use B+W filters.