which filters ?

bonk · May 10, 2007

I starting to get me some filters for my Pentax 67 lenses (67mm). I wanted to start of with UV and Pol. Is there anything I need to watch out for? How do I know if a filter is of good quality? What properties make a good filter? Is there any product that I should prefer? Or can I just get the cheapest that is out there?

reellis67 · May 10, 2007

My understanding is that the cheaper filters have a more variable range of wavelength for any given filter, and that the better filters have a more controlled range of wavelength that they allow through. Having said that, I also think that this is a bigger issue when working with color film than with black and white, but my experience is not great enough to go into detail on the subject.

For black and white work, I find that Tiffen and Hoya filters offer a good value for the price, but my standards are not as exacting as others. For color work I would spend the money on the better known filters rather than buying those generic no-name filters on ebay.

You also have to consider whether you need a filter that can handle a little abuse. Gel filters take less abuse than glass filters, but they allow you to use the same filters on many different sized lenses without a bunch of step rings...

- Randy

Nick Zentena · May 10, 2007

I'd tend to avoid the UV filter. Not much point. If I was forced to I'd lean towards a slight warming filter instead.

Cheap filters can stick if the rings aren't that great.

I agree Hoya is a good value. Tiffen is okay for the filters they only seem to provide now. But for the filters they both sell I lean towards the Hoya. Just seem better built. Not that you will see build quality on the film.

Travis Nunn · May 10, 2007

The only lens I have a UV filter on is my macro lens which I use for photographing insects and such. Other than that, I don't see much use in them. If you're going to buy filters, buy good ones. B+W and Hoya make nice filters. Why spend the money on a nice lens and slap a cheap piece of glass on it?

bwakel · May 10, 2007

I agree with the others that I see little point in using UV filters. They alter the green response and serve no real purpose on modern lenses (other than as protection and you may as well use an 81A for that).

I've not been impressed with Hoya filters. I've used Hoya Pro and HMC filters. The Hoya polarisers impart a greyness in blue skies and the red HMC filter I have for B&W work produces horrible streaking whenever I'm shooting anywhere near the light. I've found B+W filters to be superior - their polarisers produce nicer blues in the sky and they feel really solid. I've also seen a comparison of the effect that different filters have on resolution (can't find it now but it's on the web) and B+W and Nikon came out top with Hoya well down.

I generally have a polariser, red filter and yellow-orange filter for B&W and a polariser and 81A, B and C filters for colour.

Barry

Christopher Walrath · May 10, 2007

Yeah and one more thing to bear in mind. If going with a filter system such as Cokin (yeah, I know, dinosaur, but I use it) then a wide lens like this 67 you've got needs to have the wider 'P' filters or else the holder will shade the image.

SAShruby · May 10, 2007

B&W filters are the best they are coated which is important, Tiffens arer acceptable, Cokin are amateur ones.

You would be surprised to see the difference between Cokin and B&W. It's all about trasmittance and reflection. You'll get way better contrast with B&W than Cokin.

Cheap ones, forget it.

bonk · May 11, 2007

Why exactly is a UV-Filter useless? I read it reduces the atmospheric dusk? I just though about a UV-Filer for removing dusk and primarily to use it as a protection. I also shoot color from time to time so a UV filter would not change colors. So if I should not go with a UV-Filter a protection, what is a better choice?

David H. Bebbington · May 11, 2007

Personally I always keep a UV filter on every lens as scratch protection if I am not using another filter - if you go anywhere near the sea, it is surprising how quickly salt spray can get onto the lens, very often accompanied by sand. I would say the only time a UV filter is needed for correction purposes is at high altitudes.

I always used to use Hoya filters, no real problems but they do stick easily, the reason is flexing of the aluminum alloy mounts. Also, the design of the polariser mounts is crazy - milling on the front part of the filter, which is easy to grip anyhow, no milling on the rear part which is where it's needed. More recently, I have bought B+W and Heliopan filters directly from Germany, they're really not much dearer and have great brass mounts

tony lockerbie · May 11, 2007

The UV filter was of course desighned for B&W and not colour. If you shoot mainly colour (esp. trannies) then a skylight filter would serve you better. Regarding the filter being useless, I thing people are saying that an extra piece of glass on your lens that really does very little is not desirable.
There is the protection thing of course, but I'm sure all Apuggers are very careful with their precious optics. Filters for B&W photos are a completely different kettle of fish, and are almost indispensable.
My favourite brand is B+W, nice quality and the newer ones have a multi resist coating which can handle a lot of cleaning due to the hardness of that coating.
Cheers, Tony

bonk · May 11, 2007

tony lockerbie said:
The UV filter was of course desighned for B&W and not colour. If you shoot mainly colour (esp. trannies) then a skylight filter would serve you better. Regarding the filter being useless, I thing people are saying that an extra piece of glass on your lens that really does very little is not desirable.
There is the protection thing of course, but I'm sure all Apuggers are very careful with their precious optics. Filters for B&W photos are a completely different kettle of fish, and are almost indispensable.
My favourite brand is B+W, nice quality and the newer ones have a multi resist coating which can handle a lot of cleaning due to the hardness of that coating.
Cheers, Tony

I am confused. I so far have three options if I want to use a filter for protection purposes. 81A, Skylight or UV. If I shoot color I should not use UV, why ? How does a UV Filter influence the color negative ?

tony lockerbie · May 11, 2007

Don't be confused, it's not really that serious. You can use the UV,81A or Skylight and you probably won't see a lot of difference. B&W film is a little more sensitive to the blue end of the spectrum (and UV ) so the UV (basiclly colourless) filter is used to increase the contast slightly, especially for distant scenes etc. Modern lens coatings pretty well take care of these problems so filters are generally not necessary,
With colour negative films it's very easy to correct colour casts at the printing stage ( even in cool shadow areas )
With colour trannies you need to correct for different conditions at the taking stage, so correction filters ( like the 81A) are more necessary.
Basically what I am saying is that with your colour neg work, you will not pick the difference with any of the above filters as any cast will be corrected out when the photos are printed.
If you feel that you need a protective filter you can really chose any of those filters, just that the 81A and not the UV was designed for colour.
Hope that's as clear as mud!
Cheers, Tony

which filters ?

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