With the advent of digital cameras, conversion and colour light filters have sunk into oblivion, and soft filters have also lost their former relevance. From now on, cameras and photo editors themselves perfectly cope with their tasks. But let's not talk about "dead souls", let's talk better about the popular light filters.

Protective

Replacement optics for the "carcass" of the camera often costs a lot of money. Its most vulnerable place is the front glass, which takes on the force of impact during falls, may be accidentally scratched or damaged. Protective filters play the role of a kind of layer between the external environment and the front lens of the object, protecting it from all kinds of adversity. Agree, it is easier to keep the "nose" of the object "under the cover" of the filter for a couple of dozen evergreen bills than to spend money on expensive repairs in case of damage to the front lens.

A protective filter can save an object from an imminent, seemingly, death more than once.

Ultraviolet light filters are usually classified in the same category. They filter out invisible UV radiation, which gives a purple-bluish veil on photographs on a bright sunny day. However, since digital cameras are essentially immune to ultraviolet rays, filters from the UV subfamily are fully used precisely as protective.

Why do some protective filters cost mere pennies, while others have a sky-high price tag? Here, all sorts of protective sprays enter the arms race. Modern nanocoats literally repel dirt from the filter surface, whether it's fingerprints, dirt, grease or water droplets. In cheap light filters, they are used infrequently, and in advanced models they are found everywhere, leaving no chance for droplets and splashes to affect the final result of the shooting.

Moisture-proof light filters

Polarizing

So the so-called "polarics" are not expected to be replaced by software, thanks to which they are in the arsenal of every more or less enthusiastic amateur photographer. The principle of their operation is to cut off the light reflected from non-metallic surfaces. Polarizing filters can remove reflections of the sky from the water surface, unwanted reflections when shooting through glass, emphasize the texture of clouds overhead by eliminating reflections of aerosol particles in the air.

In modern appearance, polarizing filters have a circular design, i.e. they consist of two parts that rotate freely relative to each other. Depending on their position, the degree of polarization varies — from minimum to maximum.

A clear advantage of using a polarizing filter on a bright sunny day.

You will not be able to use "polarics" in the "on a permanent basis" mode. At least because they affect light transmission and lower the exposure of the frame. An interesting exception to the rule is the Schneider line of polarizing filters with a special HTC film that increases light transmission by about 2/3 steps. The filters of the series will be a real godsend for landscape painters who prefer to shoot during the regime time (at dawn or sunset).

Polarizing filters

Neutral

Neutral filters are designed to reduce the intensity of the luminous flux without changing its spectral composition. Simply put, they darken the frame several times without the need to cover the aperture or change the sensitivity. There is no need to go far for examples — together with a neutral filter, it is easy to get a beautiful background blur when shooting with high-power optics on a bright sunny day. Another classic application of the ND filter is to create the effect of flowing water (as in the photo below).

It is almost impossible to achieve such an effect of water flow without a neutral filter.

The key point of the programme when choosing a neutral filter is an indicator of optical density (or transparency). It occurs in the form of a number after the abbreviation "ND" and indicates how many times the amount of light that has passed through the filter will decrease: with ND2, the filter passes 50% of the light, with ND4 — 25%, with ND8 — 12.5%, etc.

Advanced ND filters have a special thread on the outside, so they can be combined, providing the necessary dimming — in this case, the "times" are simply multiplied.

Gradient

A separate subfamily in the category of neutral filters are "gradients". They do not darken the whole frame, but only part of it. This is necessary to equalize the dynamic range of the image with a large difference in exposure between the light sky and the dark bottom (or vice versa). Filters from this group are made in the form of chameleon glasses. One of the filter halves works as the light-absorbing ND filter mentioned earlier, while the other does not change the illumination of the scene.

Landscape professionals prefer to use the services of square-shaped "gradients". The reason for this is the design feature of round light filters: the inability to adjust the position of the interface of the darkened and unpainted part. This forces us to make landscapes with the horizon line in the centre of the image, while the shaded filters do not drive us into strict frames.

The gradient filter is an indispensable assistant in the regime time.

Gradient-type filters are divided into two subfamilies: neutral grey and coloured (they give the sky any shade chosen).

Gradient filters

More "rare birds"

Infrared filters — pass only infrared radiation and are designed for shooting in this range. IR photography can be used both for scientific and technical purposes and for obtaining original artistic effects.

In the infrared spectrum, terrestrial landscapes acquire an alien appearance.

Ray filters — draw beautiful rays in the frame, radiating from light sources. Sometimes they are also called "stellar".

Macro filters are essentially magnifying lenses. With their help, the object will be aimed at the target in macro shooting mode from the shortest possible distance.

Softening (soft filters) — used mainly in the shooting of women's and children's portraits. The smoothing effect they provide is easily modeled in a photo editor, but the nature of the pattern of some filters is simply impossible to repeat. Like the guard of neutral filters, "soft" are classified according to the degree of mitigation.

Soft filters are less common in the era of digital photography, but they still draw a picture of extraordinary beauty.

Light filters of other types are much less common. Their destiny is often stated by the name itself.

Softening filters

Dimensional grid

Filters for optics are selected based on the diameter of the front lens of the object. It ranges from 25 mm to 105 mm. In this case, the diameter of the filter is always indicated in its name. If there is a large fleet of optics with a different size of lenses, the photographer has the right to buy a light filter for the largest of the available objects and resort to the services of adapter rings to install the filter. However, it is better to buy light filters for the "native" size.

Most often, filters for "running" objects in the size of 49 mm, 52 mm, 55 mm, 58 mm, 62 mm, 67 mm, 72 mm, 77 mm and 82 mm are presented on store shelves.

Individual requirements for light filters are some of the kind of "ultrashirks". In particular, many of them are "friends" only with filters in a thin frame (Slim), which is done for the sake of eliminating the vignetting effect. And due to the bulge of the front lens, special slots are provided in the design of individual objects for the installation of a light filter.

Famous "players"

Buying filters-nounames, you risk getting just a piece of glass in a frame. It is much preferable in this matter to see light filters under the sign of solid brands: Hoya, Kenko, Marumi, Schneider (B + W) and, of course, the sharks of the photographic industry Canon, Nikon, Fuji, etc.


Good luck with your shots!