Hi, I'm new to digital photography and recently (~2 months ago) bought a 450d and have picked up a few lenses (kit, 50 1.8, 55-250 IS). I've just been reading about filters, specifically polarizing, and discovering the effects they can have to your shots. Is there any restrictions on what filters will fit on canon lenses. I can see that the diameter of the lens is important - so for me I would need either 52mm or 58mm depending on which lens(es) I want to use the filter on, but other than that can I just buy any filter? Specifically I'm looking on the Hoya PRO1 Digital Circular PL Filter, although I've been googling this and have just come across a thread on another forum where someone is talking about the lens cap not fitting over a hoya filter? Would I be better going for canon branded filters? Will the lens cap fit over these?
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Filter Advice
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Hoya filters are really slim so there's no chance of inserting a lens cap into one of those. But I have found it beneficial to have the slimmest filter as I can quite comfortably "forget" the filter installed into the lens permanently.
B&W is good brand too, but more expensive. Hoya has a better price/quality ratio. Don't spend too much until you can justify L lenses which many share the same diameter (which makes it possible to use same filters on different lenses).
B&W is good brand too, but more expensive. Hoya has a better price/quality ratio. Don't spend too much until you can justify L lenses which many share the same diameter (which makes it possible to use same filters on different lenses).
Just to clarify, the former in this post is only relevant to the slim Hoya filters that are designed for wide angle lenses. Regular Hoya filters are thicker and will accept a lens cap. In regards to the OP's post I specifically use Hoya filters for their bang for the buck ratio.
The Pro1 filters are a bit too expensive to justify in this case as the difference will not be too evident. I would suggest the middle of the line Hoya filters (Purple packaging) as I find them to be plenty good and I use them on my L lenses (so if there was a decrease in quality it would be immediately noticeable).
Thanks for your quick reply! So, do hoya filters come with their own "lens cap"? Some kind of protective thing you can clip over them when not in use? Or is in a case of - I want to use my filter, take the lens cap off, attach the filter, shoot, take the filter off, put the lens cap back on? I hope this isn't the case!
Cheers! Do you know what these middle of the road hoya's are called? I'd like to have a look on amazon? If they're good enough for you using L glass then I'm sure they'll be great for me!
This is the filter that I was referring to. It is Hoya's "Standard" line of filters, for some reason I can't find it on Amazon, but I originally bought my filters from the ebay user that I linked to and they work fine. Hope that helps a bit.
I find the lens hood is more than enough to protect the lens, and with a filter attached it's perfect. Perhaps I'm a very careful in handling expensive things, but I have never had to clean the filter despite not using any cap.
iBookG4User - The lens you're talking about is uncoated (according to a table on the ebay page you linked me to. Would I be better going for the "HMC" as that is 9mm and coated. Or should I just jump straight in with the pro1 digital that I was originally looking at? Will a lens cap fit with this?
How much difference does the coating make?
Just a few words on the company: Hoya is the largest manufacturer of optical glass in the world and it's not unlikely that Canon rebadges their filters as their own (not that I know this for sure, but I wouldn't be surprised).
You shouldn't leave on most filters on permanently (exception: UV filters), so it's not an issue whether they're thin or not. Personally, I've never seen thin polarization filters, if only for the reason that you still have to be able to turn it. Otherwise, making filters thin is a good thing, because only then can you stack filters and minimize the risk that some part of the frame gets into the optical path (which may happen if you stack filters).
You shouldn't leave on most filters on permanently (exception: UV filters), so it's not an issue whether they're thin or not. Personally, I've never seen thin polarization filters, if only for the reason that you still have to be able to turn it. Otherwise, making filters thin is a good thing, because only then can you stack filters and minimize the risk that some part of the frame gets into the optical path (which may happen if you stack filters).
The coating makes a big difference to reflections that can appear in your images. i'd post some examples but I'm on my iBook right now and my images are on my PC. Basically, without multicoatings you can end up with spot reflections all over your photos. But I guess it largely comes down to what you're shooting.
Here's some info from Mr Rockwell on filters, although it seems a bit out of date, it's mostly okay.
Here's another article on filters: http://www.bythom.com/filters.htm It's even older with a 2004 publication date. Filters don't change much, so its age is no big deal.
The biggest hassle with circular polarizers is that they don't play well with bayonet lens hoods. You could just buy a rubber screw-in hood to solve that problem, but be careful the filter and the hood don't vignette on wide-angle lenses. I would be inclined to pick one filter size and buy step up rings for the lenses you have with smaller filter diameters as good filters are not inexpensive. You could also just buy spare lens caps in that size - they're quite a bit cheaper than good filters.
The biggest hassle with circular polarizers is that they don't play well with bayonet lens hoods. You could just buy a rubber screw-in hood to solve that problem, but be careful the filter and the hood don't vignette on wide-angle lenses. I would be inclined to pick one filter size and buy step up rings for the lenses you have with smaller filter diameters as good filters are not inexpensive. You could also just buy spare lens caps in that size - they're quite a bit cheaper than good filters.
One other piece of advice... to save some money.
If you have both 52mm and 58mm diameter lenses, then only buy 58mm filters. Also get a 52mm to 58mm step-up ring. The step-up ring attaches to the front of the 52mm lense, and allows the use of the 58mm filters. Essentially, you only have to buy one sized filter for both lenses. Sometimes I will leave the step-up ring on the lense even if I'm not using a filter for ease. You will then need a 58mm lense cap.
It is almost always a bad idea to use a step-down ring i.e. using a smaller diameter filter than the lense. The corners of the image will get vignetted by the filter threads.
Good Luck.
ps Cliff3's good advice beat me to it.... oh well.
If you have both 52mm and 58mm diameter lenses, then only buy 58mm filters. Also get a 52mm to 58mm step-up ring. The step-up ring attaches to the front of the 52mm lense, and allows the use of the 58mm filters. Essentially, you only have to buy one sized filter for both lenses. Sometimes I will leave the step-up ring on the lense even if I'm not using a filter for ease. You will then need a 58mm lense cap.
It is almost always a bad idea to use a step-down ring i.e. using a smaller diameter filter than the lense. The corners of the image will get vignetted by the filter threads.
Good Luck.
ps Cliff3's good advice beat me to it.... oh well.