How To Use Canon Camera Filters

If you lot ask most consumer-camera owners why they keep a filter on their lens, a majority will most likely reply, "For protection." Although filters do, in fact, protect the surface of your lens against dust, wet, and the occasional thumb impress, the master role of lens filters is actually to meliorate the image quality of the pictures you take—depending on the filter you're using and how you use it—in a variety of obvious and not-so-obvious ways.

Are there a few basic filters or do I need to buy many filters?

The most basic filters are ultra-violet reducing filters (UV), Skylight filters, and protection filters, which depending on the manufacturer are either drinking glass filters with basic anti-reflective coatings, or in some cases, merely plainclothes UV filters, which isn't dishonest. To go along the front element of your lens clean and safe, any of the above will suffice, simply if you're looking to protect your lens and improve the image quality of your stills and video, you lot're going to want to buy a UV or Skylight filter.

UV filters, also referred to as Brume filters, are designed to cut through the furnishings of atmospheric haze, moisture, and other forms of airborne pollutants, each of which contributes to image degradation. UV/Brume filters are available in varying strengths. If you lot plan on photographing near large bodies of open water, at higher altitudes, in snow or other weather condition that magnify the intensity of ambient ultra-violet lite, yous should definitely consider a stronger level of UV filtration (UV-410, UV-415, UV-420, UV-Brume 2A, UV-Brume 2B, UV-Haze 2C and UV-Haze 2E). Depending on the force of the UV coatings, UV filters appear clear, or in the instance of heavier UV coatings, take a warm, bister-like appearance and require anywhere from zero to virtually a half stop of exposure compensation.

An alternative to UV/Haze filters are Skylight filters, which are available in a choice of 2 strengths—Skylight 1A and Skylight 1B. Unlike UV/Haze filters, which have a warm amber appearance, Skylight filters have a magenta tint that is preferable when photographing skin tones or using color slide movie, which depending on the motion-picture show stock often has a bluish bias that is typically balanced by the magenta tint of Skylight filters.

Regardless of their strength, skylight filters practise not have any effect on the camera exposure, are equal to UV filters in terms of cutting through atmospheric haze and protect your lens against grit, moisture, and fingerprints that tin can all be dissentious to lens coatings if not removed in a timely manner.

I've constitute 52mm UV filters for as footling as $nine.95 and as much every bit $29.95. What's the divergence and why should ane UV filter price two or three times more than another?

Even though ane UV filter might appear indistinguishable from another UV filter costing two or three times as much, the differences betwixt them can be considerable, beginning with the quality of the glass used in the manufacturing process. Though one would suspect there's little deviation between one piece of glass and another, make no fault about it—there'south drinking glass and in that location's glass, and the differences can make a departure in the quality of your images.

The primary criteria of practiced glass versus and then-so glass are the chemical composition of the glass, how it was made and fifty-fifty where it was made. These are followed by the thickness of the glass (the thinner, the better) and the coatings used to minimize flare and maintain optimal color and contrast levels. Although the differences between an inexpensive filter and a pricier filter may not be all that apparent when photographing with a kit zoom lens, they become increasingly obvious when used with costlier, higher-functioning lenses.

In the instance of color and Polarizing filters, which typically consist of a sparse layer of color moving-picture show (or Polarizing cloth) sandwiched between two layers of glass, the pic is usually bonded to the glass layers in pricier filters. This eliminates air surfaces and other irregularities that tin negatively affect the optical purity of the filter than less expensive filters designed to perform the aforementioned functions.

The other divergence betwixt entry-level filters and the pricier versions has to do with the retaining rings, which in the case of cheaper filters are invariably made of aluminum (a relatively soft metal) that are subject to denting and jamming if they're not screwed on straight. Conversely, the retaining rings used on pricier filters are most always made of brass and, as such, are less likely to get jammed onto your lens or dent when they strike hard surfaces.

The bottom line is if you get the actress mile (and expense) past purchasing a better lens, you shouldn't compromise the results of your investments past saving a few dollars on the filter.

What are Kaeseman filters and why are they priced noticeably higher than regular filters?

Kaeseman filters, which are invariably Polarizing filters, are manufactured with more weather condition-proofing seals than non-Kaeseman filters. They are worthy investments if your photographic interests include traveling to and working in damp, extreme climates.

Aside from UV/Haze and Skylight filters, what other types of filters should I consider for everyday picture show-taking?

If you photograph landscapes—or whatsoever outdoor scenics for that affair—you should certainly accept a Polarizing filter handy at all times. Polarizing filters are all-time known for making clouds seemingly pop out from darkened blue skies, saturating colors and eliminating glare and reflections from the surfaces of water, drinking glass, and other polished surfaces.

Polarizing filters are mounted in a secondary ring that you manually rotate while viewing your bailiwick through the viewfinder until you dial in the desired level of Polarization. The downside of Polarizing filters is that you lot lose nigh 3 stops of calorie-free in the process of optimizing the image, but the results cannot be mimicked using Photoshop plug-ins or other forms of postal service-capture voodoo.

Polarizing filters are likewise bachelor combined with additional filtration such every bit warming filtration (81A, 81C, 81EF, 85, 85B), Enhancing and Intensifying, Skylight, UV/Haze and a measure of diffusion.

Polarizing filters are bachelor in ii formats: linear and circular. Though they look and perform identically, circular Polarizing filters are designed specifically for employ with autofocus lenses while linear are best used with manual-focus lenses. Circular Polarizers, on the other mitt, tin be used with AF or MF optics with equal results.

What are Neutral Density filters and how would I use them?

Neutral density (ND) filters are essentially gray-toned filters designed to blot calibrated degrees of light equally information technology passes through the lens. Nearly commonly broken downward in 1/3, two/3, and full-stop increments, ND filters are more than recently also available every bit variable-density filters that you tin infinitely arrange by rotating the filter on its mountain as you would a Polarizing filter.

There are many applications for ND filters. Chief among them is their ability to allow y'all to shoot at wider f-stops under bright lighting weather. ND filters are used extensively by filmmakers and videographers as tools that allow them better exposure control due to the express shutter-speed options afforded by the cinema and video process.

ND filters also go far possible to blur the movement of pedestrian traffic and flowing water under bright lighting weather by assuasive you to drop your shutter speeds while maintaining total control of how much or how niggling depth of field you desire, based on the amount of ND filtration you place in front end of the lens.

What's the divergence between Neutral Density and Graduated Neutral Density Filters?

Neutral density filters are even, edge to border, in their degree of density while graduated neutral density filters are typically clear on one end and slowly build upwardly density toward the contrary side of the filter. Graduated ND filters are most unremarkably used to even out scenes containing extreme exposure variations on opposite sides of the frame.

Examples of these types of scenarios include landscapes in which the elevation of a mountain is bathed in sunlight, while the valley beneath lies in shade; and multi-story atriums where the primary source of illumination is an overhead skylight from which the low-cal gradually falls off as information technology approaches the lower levels. Graduated filters can also be used in evenly lit areas to darken the sky or foreground for stylistic reasons.

In add-on to neutral graduated filters, colored grad filters are too available, and are useful for adding a touch of subliminal colour into a scene while concealment the foreground or groundwork.

Should I consider warming and cooling filters?

While warming (adding yellow to the scene) and cooling (adding bluish to the scene) tin can be practical to an paradigm file post capture in Photoshop or other image-editing software, there are however those—including motion-picture show shooters, who prefer to filter the lens at the time the exposure is made.

Almost photographers warm or cool their images for aesthetic or mood reasons. A bit of warming is frequently desired for portraits, or when photographing at midday during the summer months when the sun'south light can be bluer and harsh. Warming tin can too be effective when taking pictures on overcast or rainy days.

Conversely, cooling filters can be used to correct color in images in which the color temperature is too warm to suit your intentions. Warming filters include all 81 and 85-series filters, and cooling filters include all eighty and 82-series filters.

When using cooling, warming, and other colour filters with digital cameras, it'south of import to ready the White Balance to a setting close to the ambient colour temperature, i.e. Daylight, Overcast, Tungsten, Fluorescent, etc., and avoid Machine WB, which will intuitively try to correct, according to its own parameters, the mood and tone y'all're trying to constitute. Car WB may not render results that are in agreement with your personal vision.

I've heard landscape photographers talk about Enhancing and Intensifying filters. What makes them and so special?

Enhancing and Intensifying filters are modified to cutting some of the orangish portion of the color spectrum, which results in higher saturation levels in reds and cleaner, less muddy interpretation of earth tones. They are especially popular for photographing fall foliage and landscapes.

I've seen photographers using ruby, green, yellow, and other color filters. Bated from making everything look cerise, green, yellow, etc, when should I consider using color filters?

While color filters exercise make everything wait reddish, yellow, green or any color y'all might place in front of the lens, their most common use is for black-and-white photography.

When shooting black-and-white, the colour of the filter beingness used blocks that colour from reaching the picture show (or sensor) surface, which depending on the filter color and subject matter, can drastically change its tonal qualities. As an example, shooting through a xanthous filter meliorate delineates clouds confronting blue skies. Orange filters farther darken bluish skies and make the clouds popular more, and red filters darken bluish skies fifty-fifty more and make the clouds pop out most dramatically.

Green filters on the other hand, are effective at improving skin tones in blackness-and-white portraits.

What are color-correction filters used for?

Colour-correction filters, also chosen cc filters, consist of cyan, magenta, yellow, red, green, and blueish filters. Each of these is available in x% increments and is used for modifying or correcting the colour rest of mismatched or irregular light sources. The need for cc filters is non every bit great in these digital days equally information technology was in the time of picture. Nevertheless, they are still used past many photographers who would rather correct their images at the time of capture.

Every bit with warming, cooling, and other color filters, it'southward advisable to avoid the Auto WB setting on your digital camera when using cc filters and instead choose daylight, overcast, tungsten, fluorescent or whatsoever setting is closest to the ambient lighting conditions under which you're working.

Are at that place filters other than the glass screw-on types?

Aside from the glass screw-on filters virtually photo enthusiasts and pros depend on, there are also polyester, gelatin, and resin filters, which are used for both creative too as technical applications. Usually square or rectangular in form, these filters are most usually used with filter holders or matte boxes that fit in forepart of the lens via spiral-in or friction mount filter holder adapters. The filters are dropped into identify in slots that keep the filters flat and parallel to the front lens surface in club to maintain optimal prototype quality.

Are polyester, gelatin or resin filters improve than glass filters?

It depends on what you mean by "better." If you mean sharper, some of these filters, especially the thinner resin and gelatin filters—depending on the brand and textile—are optically purer than glass. They are also lighter to ship, and if you plan on purchasing an unabridged serial of filters, these alternatives will be less expensive than a comparable set of glass filters.

These alternative filters are too handy if you have lenses with differing filter threads. All y'all demand is a unmarried gear up of step-down rings, starting with the largest thread down to the smallest size, to go along with the filter holder. (These aforementioned step-down rings tin also exist used with spiral-in glass filters if you are using lenses with differing filter thread sizes—there'south no need to purchase multiple sets of filters.)

The downside all the same is that not-drinking glass filters are hands damaged and in the instance of gel filters, near impossible to make clean when smudged by an errant fingerprint. So if you do go this route, be extra careful when handling them and past all means invest in a box of dispensable plastic or cotton fiber gloves.

What are slim filters?

Slim filters have narrow profiles and sometimes lack threads on the forward side of the filter ring. Slim filters, which are available in almost every filter size, are designed for use with lenses featuring angles of view wider than almost 74°, or the equivalent of a 28mm lens. By utilizing a thinner retaining ring, the filter is less likely to vignette the corners of the frame. Depending on the brand and model, many kit zooms require sparse or slim-mount filters.

What other types of filters are at that place?

There are many types of creative and technical filters bachelor for pros and serious enthusiasts alike. Included among them are filters that produce prism and star-similar patterns, filters for shut-ups, improvidence, infrared imaging, as well as contrast control. Their creative applications are up to you!

The Takeaway

UV / Brume and Skylight filters protect the surface of your lens confronting scratches, grit, moisture, and fingerprints, which in the long term tin can harm the lens coatings. UV / Brume and Skylight filters besides minimize atmospheric haze, which results in better overall prototype quality. Protective filters also keep dust, moisture, and fingerprints at bay, but are not as effective in cutting through atmospheric haze.
The difference between an inexpensive filter and a pricier one has to do with the quality of the drinking glass (the costlier filter near likely contains optically purer and thinner glass), the quality of the anti-reflective and colour coatings and retaining ring (ameliorate filters have brass rings instead of aluminum).
Polarizing filters reduce or eliminate distracting reflections from the surface of glass, water, and other polished surfaces, darken skies, make clouds pop from their surroundings and saturate color by reducing devious ambience glare.
Polarizing filters are also available combined with warming filters, enhancing filters, and diffusion filters. Conditions-resistant Kaeseman Polarizers are also bachelor for utilise in farthermost, damp climates.
Neutral density (ND)filters cake varying degrees of light from striking the imaging sensor (or moving picture) in order to shoot at wider apertures under bright lighting weather, blur moving objects in the frame regardless of ambient light levels and allow for amend exposure control when shooting video or film.
ND and Color Graduated filters darken or tint the height or bottom (or left and right) portion of the frame while leaving the contrary side untouched. They are useful for equalizing exposures of scenes containing extreme lighting variables on opposing sides of the frame, as well as adding an element of drama to an otherwise practiced, but not great, prototype.
Enhancing and Intensifying filters are useful for intensifying the color-saturation levels of reds and other earth tones, making them desirable for landscape and leaf photography.
CC filters allow you to incrementally arrange the color levels of your cyan, magenta, yellow, red, green, and blue channels.
Although virtually photographers rely on conventional drinking glass screw-in filters, lens filters are also available every bit square and rectangular filters made out of polyester, gelatin, and resin. These filters, some of which are optically purer than glass filters, require holders and extra levels of care when handled.
If you plan on using one filter on several lenses, y'all should buy a slim or thin version to better ensure it won't vignette the corners of the frame when used on a wide-angle lens.