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08/28/2012 03:13:44 AM · #1 |
So I just bought a new 5d Mark2 with the 24-105L. Its not here yet, I dont get it till friday. I want to buy a special filter for it. Something that will either give me something to play around with, make cool photos, or just plain make some photos pop. Im only going to get one but I cant decide. I was thinking a circular polarizer or a neutral density. I know what each does but I dont know which Id rather have the effects of at my disposal. Anyone have any opinions on filters? Maybe there are better/more popular ones out there?
P.S. UV is out of the question, I already have one for the new lens. |
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08/28/2012 03:26:17 AM · #2 |
3.0 ND Filter
It doesn't get much sweeter than this. 77mm just for you. ;)
That's a full 10 stops of ND, which means that a 30 second exposure in full daylight is possible - try to find something more unusual. ;) |
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08/28/2012 03:45:07 AM · #3 |
For first filters, yeah, ND or polarizer are standard. It's hard to say which would be better for you unless you say what type of photography you'd be interested in. If you do landscapes, get a polarizer, no doubt. ND's are fun and can be used for stuff as well, but the best ND is one which you can place over only a portion of your scene, and that's a whole separate discussion.
Keep in mind that a polarizer will do ...interesting... things at 24mm for you.  That was at 15mm equivalent, but you'll get some of it at 24mm, so if you go that route... be ready for it.
You'll find lots of different opinions on which ND/CIR POL to get. B+W is generally awesome, but I also very much like Hoya's products. I've never had a complaint from them, and typically buy their middle range products. I do have a B+W and found it to be a bit thicker and perhaps of equal quality to the Hoya's I had. If you're really set on ND's, consider saving for the Singh-Ray Vari-ND, which has graduation from very low ND to very high. Personally, I own a middle range Hoya CIR POL and a middle range ND8 from Hoya which works well but which I sometimes wish had more density for mountain midday shots of running water.
Message edited by author 2012-08-28 03:45:27. |
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08/28/2012 04:19:35 AM · #4 |
Go cheap. :)
Coffee filter
Zip lock bag
tin foil
vaseline on a uv vilter
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08/28/2012 04:30:11 AM · #5 |
| What does a shot using a coffee filter look like? |
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08/28/2012 06:59:18 AM · #6 |
Ben's coffee filter shot
And the Vaseline is quite a lot of fun to use as a filter. |
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08/28/2012 07:04:59 AM · #7 |
Originally posted by MinsoPhoto:
Ben's coffee filter shot
And the Vaseline is quite a lot of fun to use as a filter. |
Yeah, I've a cheap old filter I've considered trying it on, but haven't yet. The coffee filter was odd, as I had seen ways to use it similar to an expodisc, but obviously not what Ben had suggested... |
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08/28/2012 07:56:43 AM · #8 |
I think it's time for another found and fabricated filters side challenge.
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08/28/2012 08:20:10 AM · #9 |
I can't say this is a real DIY filter, but for this image I've used a strange combination. I had a B+W ND110 filter but the conditions were awful: it was raining and I couldn't use a very long exposure. So I used ISO400 (with this filter I always choose ISO100) and 4 seconds. After the first shot I saw that the sky brightness was too much. So I used the sleeve of my black t-shirt to simulate a graduated filter - it worked very good :)
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08/28/2012 08:47:55 AM · #10 |
| I don't mean to horn in,but what filter would you recommend for a Sigma 70-200mm 1:2.8 to shoot wildlife? |
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08/28/2012 09:38:25 AM · #11 |
Originally posted by jomari:
I think it's time for another found and fabricated filters side challenge. |
yes please |
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08/28/2012 09:52:05 AM · #12 |
| Does anyone have any experience with Singh-Ray variable ND filter? |
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08/28/2012 10:33:48 AM · #13 |
Originally posted by Venser:
Does anyone have any experience with Singh-Ray variable ND filter? |
 Melethia uses this filter. |
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08/28/2012 10:50:50 AM · #14 |
| At work so can't post examples but I do have a variable ND filter that fits both the 24-105 and the 10-22. Does really wonky things on the wide angle! Search B&H for variable ND and you should find it. Very fun toy. |
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08/28/2012 01:58:30 PM · #15 |
| I really do love the effects of the ND filter and would love to get one around ND 3.0 but, personally, I think id like it better in combination with a wide angle lens which Im not getting just yet but will be soon after the new camera. So I think Ill stick wiht the cir polarizer and wait to get the ND! Ive got plenty of photo friends, hopefully one of them have a 77mm ND I can borrow for the time being because filters do seem to get up there in price for 77mm anyway. |
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08/28/2012 02:07:33 PM · #16 |
Originally posted by meow:
I don't mean to horn in,but what filter would you recommend for a Sigma 70-200mm 1:2.8 to shoot wildlife? |
No filter at all. Extra glass=lower image quality.
Unless, of course, you want a panning/running shot - then I'd suggest a 3 stop ND filter.
Of course, if you're shooting wildlife in water, or landscape wildlife (including sky) then a circular polarizer is good choice, as it will allow you to better balance the subject and the bright sky, or it can make the water more transparent.
Otherwise, just forget using a filter, they're not helpful in about 95% of wildlife shooting. |
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08/28/2012 06:38:33 PM · #17 |
Originally posted by Alexkc:
I can't say this is a real DIY filter, but for this image I've used a strange combination. I had a B+W ND110 filter but the conditions were awful: it was raining and I couldn't use a very long exposure. So I used ISO400 (with this filter I always choose ISO100) and 4 seconds. After the first shot I saw that the sky brightness was too much. So I used the sleeve of my black t-shirt to simulate a graduated filter - it worked very good :)
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Yeah, I used my finger to fade out the bottom of this one  |
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08/28/2012 08:54:02 PM · #18 |
When I got filters I chose a circular polarizer and a graduated ND.
Later on I bought a cheap linear polarizer; by stacking the two polarizers and rotating them independently you can get something close to a variable neutral-density filter which achieve 3-4 stops. I have some crude (mini-tripod was kinda shaky) experimental shots in this gallery; I was able to take (slightly underexposed) shots of two and four seconds in daylight at f/8.0. |
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08/29/2012 12:40:01 AM · #19 |
Originally posted by Cory:
Originally posted by meow:
I don't mean to horn in,but what filter would you recommend for a Sigma 70-200mm 1:2.8 to shoot wildlife? |
No filter at all. Extra glass=lower image quality.
Unless, of course, you want a panning/running shot - then I'd suggest a 3 stop ND filter.
Of course, if you're shooting wildlife in water, or landscape wildlife (including sky) then a circular polarizer is good choice, as it will allow you to better balance the subject and the bright sky, or it can make the water more transparent.
Otherwise, just forget using a filter, they're not helpful in about 95% of wildlife shooting. |
Thanks! |
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