What You Need To Know About Camera Lens Filters

Although many things can be done in post processing, there is still a strong argument for using filters. Filters can do things that will take a long time to recreate in Photoshop.

However, using filters can also raise the risk of ghost images. This is a slight clouding on the image and is where light reflects on glass, this can be in the lens or the filter, but additional layers of glass can increase the chances of this occurring.

 

 

UV Filter

A UV Protective Filter locks out Ultra Violet light which can add a blue cast to your images. They can also prevent the purple fringing caused by longitudinal chromatic aberration. They can also be left on a lens permanently to prevent it from becoming scratched.

 

 

 

 

Skylight Filters

Like UV filters, Skylight Filters also filter out UV light rays, but also have a slight pink cast to them to offset the blue cast that they can cause.

 

 

Neutral Density Filter

A Neutral Density Filter, also known as ND filter is like a glass dark shade that fits over your lens to reduce the amount of light that enters to allow longer exposures. These filters are only used in bright sunlight or long exposures, say, where you want to show movement in water.

Neutral Density filters are available in different densities to offer different strengths of shading. Variable Neutral Density Filters offer 2 to 8 stops of light control in the same filter.

 

 

Polariser Filters

Polarisers can be used to increase colour saturation, darken the blue in a sky, so enhance the white of the clouds and reduce reflections on water, windows or metal. The effect they have cannot be replicated in post processing.

Once you have composed your shot, you need to rotate the filter, whilst watching how this impacts the image, to get the best result.

The angle of the sun will have an impact on how effective the Polariser Filter is. You will get the best result if the sun is at a right angle to the subject of your photo. Therefore, you will find it easier to practice using one when the sun is high in the sky.

The disadvantage of a Polariser filter is that it will reduce the light level by 2-3 stops.

💡Tip – Circular Polariser Filter are better for DSLRs than linear one’s.

 

 

 

Diffusion Filters

A Diffusion Filter is used to soften an image, adding a dreamy feel and reduce the contrast. There are many different types of diffusion filters; some also add a golden tint.

 

 

 

 

Colour Filters

Colour Filters can be used to create different colour casts on your photos. They include, red, orange, blue, green, pink, yellow and purple. They can be great fun to play around with.

If you use colour filters on black and white photos you can change the tones:

• Red filters turn blue skies to black
• Orange hides freckles! Why would anyone want to do that? I am so jealous of freckles!
• Yellow filters produce lighter skin tones and hide spots
• Green lightens foliage
• Blue lightens skies and increase haze.

 

 

 

Graduated Filters

You can also get Graduated Color Filters, which are only tinted on one half, and then tail off to clear, so that you can change the colour of just the sky, say. The graduated grey filter is great for darkening a bright sky, to prevent it from being over exposed.

💡Tip – Make sure that you line up the sky with the graduated line as much as possible.

 

 

Special Effects Filters

Prism Filters

Prism Filters, also known a Fractal filters, are split into areas, like the spokes of a wheel. They can have different amounts of divisions, usually 3 or 5. For each area there is, you will get a repetition of the image overlapping each other. Therefore, a 5 spoked prism will show the same image repeated 5 times inn image.

 

 

Centre Spot Filter

Centre Spot Filters have a clear spot in the centre and are diffused around the outside. It allows the centre of the image to stay sharp whilst blurring the surrounding areas.  Centre Spot Filters are fun to use in portrait photography.

 

 

 

 

Star Filters

Star Filters turn any lights or highlight into stars. You can get Star Filter Sets that have four, six and eight points to the stars created. They are fun to play with when taking night photos with lights or creative Christmas photos.

 

 

 

Diffraction Filters

Diffraction Filters have grooves on the rim of the lens to allow light to produce a radial rainbow effect to the image.

 

 

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