Beginner Cheap filters for a beginner?

Nathan628426

Nathan628426

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Nathan
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OK so I recently bought a Nikon D3300 with the 18-55mm lens and I purchased a Tamron 70-300mm lens as well for distance photography.

I am very new to photography and have been doing a lot of nature photography and landscapes (I live in the countryside so it was inevitable).

Anyway I know very little about camera equipment and was wondering what filters would be worthwhile purchasing. Also recommendations for any other equipment that could be useful would be grand. I've got batteries and memory cards, bag and tripod etc. but I have no clue when it comes to lenses/filters.

Are there any filters/lenses that anyone could recommend? Ideally I'd like them to be relatively cheap as right now I'm playing about more than anything and would only like to spend more when I'm doing it a little more seriously.
 
For landscapes graduated filters can be very useful. I have a 3 stop hard grad, plus the holder and adaptor ring, from here http://srb-photographic.co.uk/ which is good (and relatively cheap) but I'm thinking of getting a soft grad too for the times the horizon is not straight. A polarising filter is also very useful.

Dave
 
Normally I recommend Lee filters but they are expensive but will stand you in good stead as you progress. A set of Lee filters plus holder will cost as much as your currrent gear. Your 18/55 is a bit small (52mm thread) to use such large filters.

You may find a cokin set more suitable to start out with
 
My view is that buying Lightroom would be far more useful than filters as, except in extreme situations, shooting in raw and using software grads is just as good if not better. Or if it is very high contrast you can bracket the shots (not sure if the D3300 can do that automatically?). The only filters you can't replicate in software are polarisers and strong ND filters.

I guess the proper answer is that if you don't know what you want or why you need it you probably don't need to buy it yet. When you find you want to do something that your current kit doesn't allow, that's the time to spend more money.

The other thing with filters is that you really get what you pay for and using cheap filters can put you off using them at all so it might be wise to buy one good one rather than a few cheaper ones (but still with the above advice in mind).
 
Hi, Buy one at a time, the best you can afford and if it is landscapes you want to photograph then the first filter is a polarising filter not only for the sky but also for brining out the greens and other colours in foliage. You don't need grade ND filters to start as most of what they can do can now be done in PP but a polarising filter cannot!!
I agree with Ned better to put your money into software like L/R or Photoshop Elements.
Russ
 
Something like this will get you started and all the fittings will be useful if you want to upgrade the filters at a later date:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/XCSOURCE-Co...=sr_1_6?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1452693424&sr=1-6

The filters themselves are not of the best quality, as you would expect for the price. They do have a bit of a colour cast as many do, even some for a lot more money. Once you learn which are most useful, you can replace the filters individually with better quality, my choice in this size are from Kood, which are around £10 each.
 
Steve B said:
Something like this will get you started and all the fittings will be useful if you want to upgrade the filters at a later date:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/XCSOURCE-Co...=sr_1_6?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1452693424&sr=1-6

The filters themselves are not of the best quality, as you would expect for the price. They do have a bit of a colour cast as many do, even some for a lot more money. Once you learn which are most useful, you can replace the filters individually with better quality, my choice in this size are from Kood, which are around £10 each.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what i have done Steve - I wanted to get a filter(s) and had some recommendations on here, but were all a tad too pricey when I was new to using filters and didn't know i would use them enough to justify that cost. So i stuck this set on my xmas list and figured (whilst bearing in mind the low quality) i could have a play and see what kind of filter I got the most use out of and liked and could see myself using a lot and then think about buying something of better quality
 
dan_yell said:
This is exactly what i have done Steve - I wanted to get a filter(s) and had some recommendations on here, but were all a tad too pricey when I was new to using filters and didn't know i would use them enough to justify that cost. So i stuck this set on my xmas list and figured (whilst bearing in mind the low quality) i could have a play and see what kind of filter I got the most use out of and liked and could see myself using a lot and then think about buying something of better quality
Click to expand...

Glad I'm not the only one that thinks this way, the basics of these sets are very good value. I started with one about 3 years ago and still use the holders and mounts, even the filters still get used sometimes :)
 
Nawty said:
My view is that buying Lightroom would be far more useful than filters as, except in extreme situations, shooting in raw and using software grads is just as good if not better. Or if it is very high contrast you can bracket the shots (not sure if the D3300 can do that automatically?). The only filters you can't replicate in software are polarisers and strong ND filters.

I guess the proper answer is that if you don't know what you want or why you need it you probably don't need to buy it yet. When you find you want to do something that your current kit doesn't allow, that's the time to spend more money.

The other thing with filters is that you really get what you pay for and using cheap filters can put you off using them at all so it might be wise to buy one good one rather than a few cheaper ones (but still with the above advice in mind).
Click to expand...

I'd go along with this advice. As a beginner you can easily become convinced that you can only improve by adding equipment and whilst it's true that some effects/looks can only be achieved with filters (polariser mainly), I think its better to work up a point where you realise what you need and why you need it.

I'd generally recommend a polariser as a good addition but bear in mind that the filter thread rotates on the 18-55 which means that you'll have to do all your focusing and then lock it off before adjusting the polariser and then try very hard not to move the focusing while you do so. To be honest, I find that a pain in the arse, you may or may not.
 
Nawty said:
My view is that buying Lightroom would be far more useful than filters as, except in extreme situations, shooting in raw and using software grads is just as good if not better. Or if it is very high contrast you can bracket the shots (not sure if the D3300 can do that automatically?). The only filters you can't replicate in software are polarisers and strong ND filters.

I guess the proper answer is that if you don't know what you want or why you need it you probably don't need to buy it yet. When you find you want to do something that your current kit doesn't allow, that's the time to spend more money.

The other thing with filters is that you really get what you pay for and using cheap filters can put you off using them at all so it might be wise to buy one good one rather than a few cheaper ones (but still with the above advice in mind).
Click to expand...
I've got Photoshop I don't think I'd need lightroom. I know that you can replicate many filters effects with software (excluding polarising filters) but I still feel like experimenting with filters would add to my photography knowledge/enjoyment though I may be mistaken.
 
Steve B said:
Something like this will get you started and all the fittings will be useful if you want to upgrade the filters at a later date:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/XCSOURCE-Co...=sr_1_6?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1452693424&sr=1-6

The filters themselves are not of the best quality, as you would expect for the price. They do have a bit of a colour cast as many do, even some for a lot more money. Once you learn which are most useful, you can replace the filters individually with better quality, my choice in this size are from Kood, which are around £10 each.
Click to expand...
Interesting. I'll take a look at these thanks
 
Steve B said:
Glad I'm not the only one that thinks this way, the basics of these sets are very good value. I started with one about 3 years ago and still use the holders and mounts, even the filters still get used sometimes :)
Click to expand...


I did get a polarizer though :)
 
I was more looking at the circular filters and have another thread about this. Someone has said buy larger thread size circular filters and buy adaptor rings to suit each lens size. Can anyone advise if this can be done and is good advice?
 
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