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Re: it's good to start with filters as a question here

162.40.174.38

Posted by Bold Eagle on January 11, 2003 at 10:53:06

In Reply to: it's good to start with filters as a question here posted by Joe M on January 10, 2003 at 19:58:19:

Nice shot.

I use only a few types of filters, but I have found a lot of variation between brands for supposedly the same filter type. So I have become very fussy about the specifics:

1) Circular polarizing, which also can double as an ND 0.6. Here I use Nikkor or Hoya.

2) Graduated in a neutral grey 0.6 ND from Tiffen. I like their blending at the center. Some others, like Hoya, are too abrupt and it's hard to hide the line. About 33% of the Tiffen is fully ND 0.6, then it tapers nicely to the midpoint.

3) Enhancing, either Tiffen or now Hoya. I have one of each brand in different sizes and they work just the same. Hoya calls theirs by a different name, but it's the same Didymium glass.

4) Nikon L1Bc skylight, which is close to a Hoya HMC Sky 1B, but better made and without the bright edge on the retaining ring that some Hoya's have. But the pinkish color is much better for spring and summer or tropical settings than the old 1A. Nice for travel and shooting at midday when the light is too stark.

5) 81A, but only the old Vivitar VMC, and only if made in the USA. I found these give a nicer color, and they are very well coated, and very well made. You have to buy them used, and they go for a song. But it's a long search to find mint ones. Their Skylight 1A is also slightly pinker than most 1A's.

6) Nikon L37c UV filters stay on my lenses. I have found that some lenses are actually sharper with a filter in place. I know the long lenses with a filter drawer are designed to have a filter in the optical path. It appears that some lenses with front filters have the same characteristic. I have also noted less flare with a coated filter on some lenses. The Nikkor 35-105 manual focus, for one. I use the L37c in the sizes they are available in, since it is virtually colorless. For other sizes I use the B+W 010 UV. Most other UV filters have a yellowish/greenish tint. Terrible for skin tones.

A comment on UV filters: You'll see in a lot of publications that you don't need a UV filter with modern coated lenses. Wrong! The statement is true for wavelengths shorter than 350 nM, but in the range from 350 nM to 400 nM (400 being the beginning of visible light) all regular lenses are 90-100% transmission. This near UV is what you want to filter, and it takes a very sharp cutoff filter to do a good job at 350-400 without having a noticeable tint. Check the transmission curves on the various brands and models of UV filters.

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