I don't own a single filter and I feel...exposed (shooting on a beach)

[michael_s10]

<p>In a couple of weeks I'll be going to do a beach shoot (evening), and the sand at the beach is already scaring me.</p>

<p>I have 3 decent lenses (Nikon 50mm 1.4, Nikon 85mm 1.8, and Tokina 12-24 F4), that probably deserve a little protection (I'm worried about blowing sand).</p>

<p>However, I'm am completed lost in terms of what to buy, how to know what to buy, etc etc in terms of filters?</p>

<p>I'm pretty sure that I need some filters just to protect the lens - I've also heard that getting neutral density filters will help me shoot better with flash in bright sunlight, and I've also heard that getting graduated filters will help improve my outdoor shots. </p>

<p>There seems to be 10 times as many filters available as lenses, and I don't even know where to start...help!</p>

<p>Mike</p>

 

[tobey_bilek]

<p>A MC UV will work, thin for wide lenses.</p>

<p>If there is blowing sand, you need to worry more about lens crevases and body seals as much a the front of the lens. Blowing sand can work its way in.</p>

<p> </p>

[swenson]

<p>Get a Circular Polarizing filter for your largest dia lens and step down rings for the rest.</p>

[andylynn]

<p>All filters give some protection by putting a layer between the front element of the lens and the outside world. Some are useful only for that. The most common protective filters have names like UV and Haze - for example, one of my lenses has <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/72718-REG/Tiffen_72UVP_72mm_UV_Protector_Glass.html">this one</a> on it all the time. Of course, that doesn't protect from sand messing up other parts.</p>

<p>Plain ND filters are neutral but darken the image, which allows you to shoot at a slower shutter speed or a larger aperture in bright light. (For example, in conditions where your shutter isn't fast enough to shoot at f/1.4.)</p>

<p>Grad ND filters do the same thing but they have a dark area, a light area and a gradient in between. This can be useful shooting a landscape on a bright day t darken the sky so it doesn't blow out.</p>

<p>But for a beach, with all the sun and glare I'd probably be using a circular polarizer.</p>

[swenson]

<p>

<p>Get a Circular Polarizing filter for your largest dia lens and step down rings for the rest.<br>

If you get a GND filter you'll need to get holder. I recomend 'P" square holder.<br>

You can accomplish the same thing by taking multiple exposures (search HDR -<br>

High Dynamic Range) and combine them in PS or a host of other programs. If the sun<br>

(The actual ball) is not in the frame the Circular Polarizing filter should work.</p>

</p>

[songtsen]

<a href="http://www.photo.net/equipment/filters/digital">Filters for Digital Cameras</a>

[jpo3136b]

<p>You definitely could benefit from a UV or Skylight, or similar, clear-looking filter that will have no impact on exposure. All it will take is one grain of sand under pressure, raking across the face of that lens, to scratch a coating or finish or something. The clear filters will help to contain that kind of damage. Filters of those styles can commonly be purchased for $20USD, sometimes less.</p>

<p>Neutral density or polarizing or grad filters will be about exposure and composition. A PL will have some neutral density benefit to it; polarizers are basically adjustable sunglasses for your camera. Very useful.</p>

<p>When you mention the beach, I have to say, don't forget the mechanics of the lens barrel overall. Be sure to bring a soft brush with you. I have one lens assembly that sustained some abuse, from me, by my not taking care of those loose grains of sand that got in and around the exterior of the lens barrel itself. Those grains of sand can work their way inside, and cause abrasive damage to the inner mechanics of the assembly. The simplest solution is to take a moment every so often and dust off the equipment. It's a beach. Sand gets into everything.</p>

<p>I mention this because at one point, it was so bad, the whole assembly locked up on me. How embarrassing. Your stuff is probably tougher than some would think, but you still need to take care of it some. Fortunately, I was able to get my little lens going again. But, don't let that happen to you. Dust off those lens barrels every so often during the day.</p>

<p>Also, another useful item is a scrap of cloth about the size of a hand towel. Towels themselves are going to be of limited usefulness; their fuzz can trap a great deal of sand. Simply wrapping that camera in an unused T-shirt when it's not immediately being used can help you out some. I think T-shirts are a good idea for this because their cloth is soft and smooth. If they get sandy, you can shake them out separately.</p>

<p>A plastic bag can protect from salt spray and some sand, but on a hot day at the beach; I predict limited durability and usefulness. If you do use such a thing, though, keep in mind, the trusty lens hood is the best anchor point for over-camera protections. I can't say I've seen any commercial over-wraps that look like they are good enough for the beach. Occasional rain reduction, yes; the underwater bag housing that I picked up recently looks like it might be the kind of thing someone would recommend, if they never used one. Those are poor protection choices for the beach, because abrasion (sand) will scar up and decay their plastic and optical surfaces. Considering their expense, I would say that all an underwater bag housing would do at the beach is trash the UW bag. There are few overwrap protection solutions that will be better than the soft cloth T-shirt when not in use and occasional dust-off. The El Cheapo lens hood as an anchor point for a plastic bag against salt spray is just as good as any commercial overwrap cloth.</p>

<p><strong>Lens hoods are the core of any good camera overwrap protection choice.</strong></p>

<p>Lens hoods are central to overwraps as anchors, whether you are using the expensive custom fitted wraps or an improvised plastic bag. If you wanted, you could even tape down a bag with duct tape to the lens hood. Why not? The El Cheapo lens hood is commonly around only $20USD, and can be removed for a liberal scrubbing and cleaning, away from the optics. This means it can withstand tougher maintenance requirements (like, scrub it in a bucket of soapy water) that would fell or disable a lens assembly itself. Use common sense; but, you can see, the El Cheapo lens hood is a great anchor point for overwrap protection.</p>

<p>I know I kind of deviated from your filter question there, but those topics were on my mind lately. Good luck; enjoy your trip at the beach. And don't forget that exposure compensation! You know those beach scenes can require some minor exposure adjustments.</p>

[jpo3136b]

<p>I know I kind of went off about the lens hoods there; but I want to emphasize it because I rarely see anyone mention the lens hood's importance to camera overwrap protection. I almost always see lens hoods associated with "cut down on flare" or "helps contrast and exposure"; but, I almost never use lens hoods for those things. Bah, humbug! I don't use them for that.</p>

<p>However, I strongly and firmly believe that they are central to overwrap protections. Admittedly, I often abuse the camera instead of protecting it; but, when I do protect it, I frequently, almost always, find that using some kind of lens hood as the anchor point is what makes the most sense. Lens Hood! Rah!</p>

<p>Use a big El Cheapo. Don't pay $75 dollars for one of those flower-looking things. Rubber ones are popular; but, I like the solids.</p>

[jpo3136b]

<p>By big lens hood, I mean I use the wide angle ones for just about every lens; they'll stay out of the way and avoid vignetting; but, still serve as good anchor points for the overwrap bags. Sorry again for OT; I was thinking about all this because I almost once again trashed an expensive camera system by abusing it when I obviously should have provided more protection; sustained excessive exposure to rain and sand and dirt; I knew better; happened a few days ago; my stuff's okay (Pentax! Built like a tank!), but I came close to wrecking over $1000 in equipment when I shouldn't have. Lens Hood! Wrap up that camera when you know you should. J.</p>

[jpo3136b]

<p>When the time comes that you notice that you have had an equipment damage tragedy, your stuff is already on the borderline or beyond the point of "too late." Don't let that happen to you. You will look at that situation, and know full well that you knew better. I want you to take care of your stuff. Use common sense, and get the toughest equipment you can afford. Take care of the equipment in the field. Bon voyage. J.</p>

[david_henderson]

<p>The reason why there seem to be lots of different filters is that some are protection filters and some have an effect of the image. To choose between the latter you need to know what sort of effect you want to create.</p>

<p>UV filters would protect your lenses and do virtually nothing else. I'd put protection filters in the category of "optional not compulsory", and I've photographed on beaches many many times without any filter on the lens. However to be fair its not just a question of protecting from damage directly; but that the ease of cleaning when you have sticky and salty residue carried by the wind and to which grains of sand tend to adhere, is much improved if you can rinse a filter under the tap and use washing up liquid than if you have to be ultra careful not to rub sand around your lens coating.</p>

<p>Other filters? Well using a polariser on a beach doesn't work any differently to using it anywhere else. It isn't really suitable for leaving on your lens all the time and its capable of odd effects with wide lenses ( which I often use on beaches) and its effect varies dramatically with position vs the sun. IMO you either want one of these or you don't, and it doesn't have much to do with your trip to the beach.</p>

<p>ND filters, well they increase your exposure time or permit a shallower depth of field. Good for smoothing out moving water if you're working right in the surf. Capable of unexpectedly adding a colour cast to your pictures but correctible in post. </p>

<p>ND grads. IMO a great asset on the beach especially if shooting sunsets - or dawns. I'd use grads more than the polariser and ND together. Because horizons at the beach are level, a three stop hard edge grad , and maybe a two stop as well, tend to be the most useful . You'll need a ring for each lens size and a holder.</p>

<p>Most serious landscape or marine photographers will have and carry all of these and decide which (if any) on a shot by shot basis. But everyone has to start somewhere. As you're worried about the effect of sand I'd probably prioritise the UV, albeit that I don't use them myself, and if possible then a grad ND or two.</p>

<p>Just a couple of final points about sand. First if you look carefully you'll see that there's a great deal more sand movement in wind near ground level than a couple of feet higher. Putting your bag down on wet sand or in blowing sand isn't going to be easy so I always use a bag I can keep on my shoulder and work out of. Second the big danger to me in blowing sand isn't necessarily the risk of lens element damage but in getting sand in the body as you change lenses and in the moving parts of the lenses. If the sand is blowing strongly I do choose not to photograph at all, and in any case provide as much shelter as I can when changing lenses.</p>

[c_wyatt]

<p>From what I've read, most DSLR's don't require UV filters to cut down UV haze now because they have a coating on the sensor that does the same thing. 'Protector filters' will do that same job but will be cheaper. However, I wouldn't go buying a really cheap filter. If you pay good money for lenses don't go dropping the image quality with a cheap uncoated filter on the front. Oh and they are optical glass so they can break. But I'd rather damage them than the lens front element.<br>

Hoya is a popular brand here. Pro1 is their best range. They have three coatings I think. I think Heliopan and B+W have more but they are big, big $ and I've never had a problem with Hoya.</p>

[paddler4]

<p>I would stay away from skylight filters, because they have a tint. My standard practice is to leave a UV filter on all the time unless there is a good reason to do something else. There are people on this site who insist that you should not do that, but I have done it for decades because I would rather ruin a filer than the front element of the lens. I recommend buying a multi-coated filter to avoid flare. My standard is the low end of Hoya's range of multi-coated filters.</p>

<p>I agree with others that a circular polarizing filter (it has to be circular!) is a good idea for a next step. It reduces glare off water, and it enhances skies a bit. If your lenses show vignetting when you stack the two filters together, you can remove the UV and replace it with the CP filter.</p>

<p>I personally would not bother with others until you have some more practice. Tamron makes a nice small filter case that can snap onto the camera strap, any strap on your case, or whatever.</p>

<p> </p>

[walter_strong5]

<p>If I were facing a blowing sand situation I'd just stay home!!</p>

[greg_peterson3]

<p>A UV or Skylight 1A is a permanent fixture on all of my lenses when I travel. I often remove it from wide angle lenses while shooting, but I don't really have a solid reason for doing so.</p>

<p>If I'm about to shoot sandy / gritty situations I'll cobble together something out of large zip-lock bags and easy-to-remove tape. (Blue painter's tape works well.)</p>

<p>I'm sure that this saved me big repair bills on trips to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Iraq.<br /><br />-- Greg Peterson<br />http://GregPetersonPhoto.com</p><div></div>