Lens Filters!

What is a filter?

A fantastic addition to any camera kit is a filter – and no, we don’t mean the Instagram kind – a piece of glass that goes in front of your camera lens. There are a variety of different filter types, some give your lens protection, others will allow you to take milky smooth, flowing water shots, there are even filters for photographing the sun! Filters are an essential tool that allows photographers to get the most out of their image, let’s dive into what they do and why you need one!

Why do I need one?

Everyone needs a filter, and there are filters for everyone. A filter is a relatively cheap investment that gives you drastically better results, as well as providing peace of mind for your lens elements. Screwing into or dropping in front of your lens, filters allow you to take photos that you otherwise would not be able to get straight out of the camera, acting as the first line of defence against scratches and impacts. Think of it this way, if you have an expensive lens, what’s easier to replace, a $2000 lens or $80 filter?

Common Types of Filters

UV

UV filters are the most common type of filter as they are generally the cheapest and are meant solely for lens protection on modern cameras. These filters do not alter your image quality in any noticeable way and act as a barrier for your lens’ front element. Check out our range of UV filters.

Circular Polarizer

Circular Polarizers are fantastic for adding/removing glare from objects, blocking light emitting from screens, and adding contrast to your photos – they can make certain colours pop. Circular Polarizers are a fantastic investment for landscape and urban photographers as they add/remove reflections from surfaces such as water and glass, allowing you to reflect surrounding landscape/buildings or shoot straight through! Check out our range of Circular Polarizer filters.

Neutral Density

Another popular choice among landscape photographers are Neutral Density filters which are essentially sunglasses for your lenses. These filters limit the light entering your lens, darkening your image, allowing you to expose for a longer duration. The advantage this provides is movement for subjects such as water or moving lights, creating a smooth flow over repeated areas. There are also Graduated Neutral Density filters which are gradients going from dark to clear, these are great for photographing two drastically opposing exposures such as a bright sky and dark foreground. Check out our range of Neutral Density filters.

Notable Mentions

There are many other filters that fall into niche categories, notable ones include close-up filters for macro work, infrared filters for capturing bands of light otherwise invisible , special effect filters for adding fog or stars to lights, and solar filters for photographing the sun.

Conclusion

Filters are a fantastic investment that will help boost your photography and broaden your creativity as well as providing great protection for your lenses. They’re a great tool to have in your bag and we encourage you to pick up a few if you haven’t already!

Get in touch with us to find out which filters would work best for your subject matter and equipment!