Budget basic filters kit - what to buy?

Echoii

Echoii

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Name
Jack
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi Guys,

I'm looking into getting some filters to learn what they do to the image. This is entirely a learning exercise, if i manage to take a great imagine whilst learning great! But its primarily none image quality dependant.

Do you guys have any kits you would recommend as i've seen this on amazon and was wondering if it will work for learning or be a waste of time?

I understand most people are going to say get something better - but i have neither the money or the willingness to speand alot on this at this point. I will buy the better filters once I've worked out which ones i would and would not use.

Thanks guys,

Jack
 
A basic kit could include the following

UV but only if you do a lot of landscapes
Polarizing, for deep blue skys and removing reflections
ND filter 2 or 3 stop to allow wide apertures on sunny days or a 10 stop for creative blurred water and cloud images
Grey Grad, although these are not so important in the digital age.

So really only two needed as a basic kit Polariser and ND
 
Assuming that you have a decent camera (even if its a budget one), and a half decent lens, why would you want to put some low grade plastic in front of the lens, which will turn your sharp images into mush!!

The reality is that a lot of traditional filtering techniques can be done in post processing, etc.

In my opinion, you are best off just looking at a handful of filters, a polarising filter (as this can't be replicated in software), a couple of ND filters to get that blurry water shot and to enable lenses to be used wide open in bright light. Then if you are into landscapes than a couple of ND grad filters might be useful, enabling you to darken the sky in order to effectively bring up the brightness of the foreground without clipping the image.

Buy just a few, there are plenty of suppliers out there, I like Hoya filters, but there are plenty of happy users with Cokin, SRB, Hitech, Lee, etc.

On your budget I'd buy something like this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hoya-Filter...TF8&qid=1434124070&sr=8-7&keywords=filter+kit obviously at the right lens diameter (the example kit is a 58mm), as that gives you the two key filters the polariser and an ND8 (3 stop) filter.

For what it is worth CameraKing (the seller) sells cvast ranges of filters at good prices both on Amazon and on eBay. I have bought quite a few from them.
 
Personally I don't see the point in buying 58mm screw on filters because you're stuck with that size if you change lenses and if you're shooting landscapes a grad and polariser combined will be more useful. I'd recommend you pick up a Cokin P style filter holder and relevant ring (58mm currently I assume) and a selection of Kood or Cokin P sized filters. You'll pay less than £50 for that and will have the start of a useful set.

http://www.crookedimaging.co.uk/camera-filters-p-series-(84mm)-holders-and-adapter-rings/ -Filter holder and adaptor ring for under £10
ND2/ND4/ND8 grads for around £10 each
CPL - £19.99 on Crooked-Imaging but cheaper elsewhere
 
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