Which Filter for my Ultra Wide Lens?

intotherainbow

intotherainbow

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I'm getting a Siggy 10-20 soon :thumbs:, but I haven't got any idea which filter should I use with it :bang:.

Believe me, I did google it, but there are SO MANY kinds of filters on the market and I just can't figure which is suitable for me :bang::bang::bang:

So, basically, I want something likes this effect (NOT mine!!!):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rasone/2700108823/


Also, the filter will need to stay on the lens forever, I'm very lazy to get it out for a normal portrait photo, or change to another filter for another effect...

So, what should I do now, guys? :bang:
 
intotherainbow said:
I'm getting a Siggy 10-20 soon :thumbs:, but I haven't got any idea which filter should I use with it :bang:.

Believe me, I did google it, but there are SO MANY kinds of filters on the market and I just can't figure which is suitable for me :bang::bang::bang:

So, basically, I want something likes this effect:

2700108823_0006f60818_z.jpg


Also, the filter will need to stay on the lens forever, I'm very lazy to get it out for a normal portrait photo, or change to another filter for another effect...

So, what should I do now, guys? :bang:
Click to expand...

That photo was taken with a combination of filters (and do you have a permission to repost it?). There are some ND grads to darken the sky, and either a CPL or an ND to slow down the shutter.

To be honest you need a whole lot if you are serious and you will definitely have to change them every shot. This is life I am afraid, so better get used to it now.

There is no universal do-it-all filter.

So my short list would contain:
* CPL
* UV (protection)
* ND 2-4 stops
* ND 10 stops
* Lee filters system with ND grads
* a tripod and remote release

At least with digital you don't have to worry about colour correction filters and colour filters for BW.
 
GND would probably be graduated neutral density. I'm sure wikipedia can show you exactly what it is and what it is used for. :)
 
Yeah, GND is probably an ND Grad. Reverse ND Grads are a hard line between the clear and 3 stop areas, in the middle, with it graduating to clear again at the end of the filter.

These are regular grads and these are reverse grads.

Personally I use Cokin filters at the moment. I have a 3 stop ND grad, and two 3 stop NDs. But, I have a B+W 10-stopper on the way. I have a piece of welding glass (it says it's 10, but it's about 12 stops) that fits nicely into a Cokin P holder (thanks to CGeezer), but I'm not sure it's something I'd want to use often.
 
intotherainbow said:
i got it from here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rasone/2700108823/

and he said sth about the filter:
B+W ND3 - 3-stop reverse GND (I don't know what does it means :thinking:)
Click to expand...

The trick there is a very long exposure, 251 seconds, mainly because it's shot at early dawn. That's what's created the milky water and blurry clouds. He has then used the grad to moderate the bright sky with the darker foreground, to get them even toned. He knows what he's doing; that kind of stuff isn't easy ;) Great shot.

In more normal brighter light, you would use a dark ND filter around ten stops to get that kind of very long shutter speed. It looks almost black. You would not want to leave it on!

It's bad etiquette to just lift photos without permission. They are copyright. It's okay to link to them though.
 
He hasn't lifted it, he's not copied it, he's not claimed it as his own, it's still hosted on Flickr, it's merely displayed inline. Something that Flickr allows you to do, assuming you link back to the image on Flickr (which he eventually did).

The person who uploaded the image gave permission by making the image available for download.
 
Kaouthia said:
He hasn't lifted it, he's not copied it, he's not claimed it as his own, it's still hosted on Flickr, it's merely displayed inline. Something that Flickr allows you to do, assuming you link back to the image on Flickr (which he eventually did).

The person who uploaded the image gave permission by making the image available for download.
Click to expand...

It's etiquette to post the photographer's name and a link to the source. That's just good manners. In the OP it looks like his own shot.
 
I think I should remove the picture here, and instead, give the link to that flickr page on my first post then :)


Back to the topic, I think it would be quite essential to get a Protective filter, so I will get it first and think about the others later :thinking:
 
HoppyUK said:
It's etiquette to post the photographer's name and a link to the source. That's just good manners.
Click to expand...
Indeed :)

HoppyUK said:
In the OP it looks like his own shot.
Click to expand...
Except that he's asking how to shoot images like that. If it was his own shot, he'd already know, so I didn't see it as that. :)
 
Not only did he use a combination of filters for this shot, he was also in the right place at the right time, which is half the job in landscape photography.
It is not for the lazy!

For your first "effects" filter, I would definitely go for a polariser. Learn how to use that properly, then maybe go for a ND grad or two, and learn how to use them as well.....

A reverse ND grad is a very specialised filter, no doubt costs a fortune, and is probably only available in (or from) the US.
 
jerry12953 said:
A reverse ND grad is a very specialised filter, no doubt costs a fortune, and is probably only available in (or from) the US.
Click to expand...

Except for the fact that I just linked 'em to a seller in the UK that's relatively inexpensive. :D
 
Aye SinghRays would be nice. I'll have to see if the wife can get me some from B&H while she's over there visiting at the end of the month. :D
 
Indeed. Didn't know about formatt, or that the manufacturer was even in the UK.

Thanks for that :)
 
Kaouthia said:
Indeed. Didn't know about formatt, or that the manufacturer was even in the UK.

Thanks for that :)
Click to expand...

No problem. They're in Wales I think. Very helpful on the phone and they'll try and rush through orders for you if you need anything quickly :cool:
 
naah, she only wants to shoot wildlife. Not sure she'll agree with the pricetag though, even if it is in US$. ;)
 
intotherainbow said:
I'm getting a Siggy 10-20 soon...
Click to expand...

By the way, have you considered the Tokina 11-16mm? I chose it over the Sigma thanks to its constant 2.8 aperture and easily correctable distortion, plus it's built like a tank!

I don't miss the 17-20 range because the whole reason I bought the thing is to get as wide as possible :thumbs:
 
What aperture do you actually shot at though Bert?

I'm usually shooting at f/8 or f/16, so the Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 (make sure you don't buy the f/3.5 version), so a max aperture of 2.8 isn't really all that important to me.
 
Kaouthia said:
What aperture do you actually shot at though Bert?

I'm usually shooting at f/8 or f/16, so the Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 (make sure you don't buy the f/3.5 version), so a max aperture of 2.8 isn't really all that important to me.
Click to expand...

Very true of course. I'm always at f/16 for landscapes, depending on the length of the exposure I'm after, but it is nice to know that f/2.8 is there if you want it, just in case.
 
How sharp is it at f/2.8 though?
 
I know the Tokina 116 is the best, but they're really hard to find :suspect:
And I don't really think I should go with large aperture for the ultra wide lens, already got the 50f/1.4 etc, I don't think I will ever shoot in low light without tripod with the ultrawide lens :thumbs:
 
hi, just realized that some CPL filter are not really working with ultra wide angle lenses, is it ok having one with the siggy 10-20?
 
intotherainbow said:
hi, just realized that some CPL filter are not really working with ultra wide angle lenses, is it ok having one with the siggy 10-20?
Click to expand...

I think CPLs have the same effect on all UWA lenses. The fact that your field of view covers so much of the sky means that you will see the different polarisation effects as you look across the sky.

I still think they're worth using though to give definition to clouds, bring out the greens and have more control over reflections on water, you can always sort out the sky in PS later if it happens to look looks really weird.
 
I have no problem using a CPL on the Sigma 10-20 on a crop body. On a full frame you might have issues, but as it's a crop lens, you won't be using it on a full frame body anyway. :)
 
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