Filters by type

Whether you're a photo novice or a photo pro, a filter is a great addition to your camera to get pictures done that wouldn't be possible without filters. They come in a variety of styles and in some cases make an image either look more vibrant or have a more somber effect. There are inexpensive filters and expensive filters, but it doesn't depend on how much money you invest, but more on the effect you want to achieve with the filter. The filters in both price ranges are nowadays built in such a way that they hardly make the image quality worse. To help you decide which filter is best for you, we have compiled an overview below of which filters are suitable for which purposes:

Protection - and UV filter - Filter to protect the front lens

The question is often asked whether a protective filter is really necessary. Many do without a protective filter because the quality can be downgraded, since the filter serves like a kind of protective glass. The incident light ultimately causes a reflection. In backlit situations, this results in so-called ghosting and flaring. In night shots, the reflection brings unwanted lights into the picture that are not on the subject. However, if a high-quality filter is used, the effect can be minimized and it no longer occurs so strongly.
A UV filter is no longer absolutely necessary, since today's sensors are not sensitive to UV light, unlike the earlier ones. In the worst case, such a filter rather worsens the image quality, because the light is already reduced in front of the sensor. But this is usually only the case with cheaper filters.

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So why would you need a protective or UV filter?

Some photographers who are often exposed to adverse conditions for photography or filming, such as the sea, where the salt content is high, or in the desert, where sand can quickly get into the front lens. Then, most photographers rely on such filters. The filters seal the lens and thus ensure a longer life of the front lenses. A scratched front lens and damage to the coating, can not be replaced as easily and cheaply as a filter.

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Polarizing filters - No desire for reflections?

If you often have to deal with reflections, then polarizing filters are just the thing. They are often used for landscape shots or at the water, because the rising water vapor often reflects the light unwanted.
It can also, all reflections on non-metallic surfaces such as glass surfaces or water filter out. In the photo, it is then easier to see what is behind the subject, since reflections do not appear as usual. Depending on the angle, however, it can not always be prevented, because even the filter in certain situations can not filter out everything and reflections can sometimes even intensify.

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Gray filters - perfect for long exposures

The gray filters manage to reduce the light without sacrificing the light color. If you want to achieve long exposure times even during the day, this is no problem at all with the gray filter, because it manages to achieve a shallower depth of field in bright shooting situations. It also ensures that especially waterfalls, rivers, fog and haze, for example, become motion blur in daylight.

So who are gray filters for?

They are perfect for photographers who take photos during the day. In fact, they are basically used to be able to take long exposures in daylight. It is not necessary in principle, but the filter provides a certain effect that many photographers want.
It is also often used in films, because it can show some situation better and more emotional.

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Close-up lens filters- ideal for getting started with macro photography

Close-up lens filters are ideal for macro photography. The filter is a good alternative for novice photographers who do not want to put on a special macro lens. It magnifies the subject to loupe size and is helpful when you want to get close to objects, as nothing gets blurred at a short distance. It is still possible to get a sharp photo, but deterioration is also possible in some situations.

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Graduated filters - to create an exciting effect

A graduated filter is a good way to compensate for unwanted contrasts. This is because, unlike a gray filter, it is only partially darkened or colored. Contrast differences are a common problem, which is why a graduated filter is perfect for compensating for an annoying contrast. The filter darkens contrasts, giving the finished image a uniform contrast. In landscape photography, for example, the sky is darkened so that the contrast in the images is consistent. The only alternative how to prevent contrast without a graduated filter is to shoot HDR, but this is only possible when shooting video with a tripod.

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Infrared filter- only infrared light comes to the lens

With infrared filters, only infrared light is allowed to pass through the filter. So it is not as many assume that the infrared light is filtered out. They are also called blocking filters because they block the color from hitting the sensor. They can only be used by special cameras that have removed the infrared filter that is on the sensor. Infrared light is often found in nature because plants reflect it strongly. In summer, this creates incredible images, because only all the infrared effects come through the filter, and so the plants are displayed differently. With infrared photography, a whole new era has formed over time, as more and more photographers occasionally work with this effect.

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Conclusion

The filters are quite easy to attach to a lens. They work similarly to the protective cap that is on the front of every lens for protection when you buy a new one. The screw-on filter, as it says in the name, screws onto the front of the lens. When buying a filter, it is important that the diameter of the lens thread matches the diameter of the filter. The size can be easily found in the manual or on the top edge of the lens.