Lens filters

[duncan22]

Is there any point in using a polarising filter and a skylight or UV filter at the same time or is that just a pointless exercise ?

[silversnapper1]

It is probably pointless and may give you some vignetting around the corners of your images if you stack them.

[Cathus]

also, the more filters you have in front of your lens, the greater the degradation in the quality of light that reaches your sensor.
Is there much point in buying a £700 lens & sticking a cheap £20 bit of glass in front of it? & then a couple of bits of cheap glass?

(ducks having sown the seeds of the 'what's the point of a UV/Skylight/protection filter anyway' debate)

[duncan22]

Not sure about the word "cheap" minimum price for a Hoya pro1 or HD Polarising filter is around £70 & the UV/skylight are not exactly cheap.
Certainly agree about the vignetting.

[Cathus]

the comment about cheap was that most people just stick the cheapest bit of glass they can find on their lens. I'd certainly go with getting the best quality if you are going to put a filter on.

I have the Hoya Pros but have actually taken them off for the last year & now shooting 'naked'.

The only purpose for a UV or Skylight on a digital camera is for lens protection, they don't do much as the sensor already has a filter on it. It would be senseless having one as well as a polariser & would just degrade your image

[amk1977]

Its also worth mentioning to newcomers of digital photography, that the only filters really worth purchasing for a DSLR are a circular polarizer for reflection removal/sky enhancement and a variety of ND and ND grads, for blurring and preventing over exposure on low shutter speed shots. All other filters like warming/cooling can be achieved in post processing in Photoshop or similar software.

[KeithT]

For digital photography - UV filters are a waste of space if using them for their intended purpose on a digital camera. UV doesn't affect digital sensors in the same way it did film. If you want a protection filter buy a plain glass filter for the job. ND's solid or grad are an essential filter in every photographers kit bag, either for blocking light to achieve daylight slow shutter speeds or preventing over exposure in really bright situations, and the grads for adjusting exposure where needed - usually in skies. The Polariser is a must to remove/reduce glare and reflections from glass, water or metal surfaces and to lift the clouds away from a deepened blue sky. All other filters are unnecessary in my view unless the photographer really feels they are essential to achieve a particular effect that can't be achieved in post processing.

Buy only filters that have been coated for digital photography and don't think you are getting a bargain by buying cheap filters from eBay etc. Your lens is a crafted piece of optical engineering and so why would you put anything less in front of it?

[mondmagu]

I agree with the above ,a polariser and ND grads are all the filters a photographer will need. With post processing all other effects are achievable,all you are doing if you buy other filters is adding to your kit,spending more money on gear you will not any return for.

Des