Although filters for lenses are not a mandatory part of the photographer’s arsenal, they can greatly diversify creativity and solve a number of pressing problems. Their main task is to optimize the luminous flux, in other words, to delay "unnecessary" light, which should not be displayed in the frame. And besides, they perfectly protect the main lens of the lens, literally exposing themselves to a blow. The variety of filters is quite large, so let's look at their main types in order to better understand what it is.
Polarizing filters
Such filters for lenses are perfect for shooting landscapes. They trap and transform polarized light.
ND filters
Neutral gray filters are needed for those moments when it is simply impossible to raise the aperture even higher. These devices reduce the amount of light entering the matrix. An example is the need to take a waterfall in bright light. Without a filter, most likely, it will turn out to be just frozen, immobilized water.
Gradient ND Filters
The main difference from the usual ND filter is the ability to darken gradiently, from dark to almost transparent. Such filters for lenses are good when you need to make the sky more expressive. Most gradient devices are rectangular in shape and are attached to the lenses using special holders.
Gradient Filters
Color filters for lenses are not used so often. Often they are used for black and white shooting in order to manipulate the contrast of the image. For example, a red filter that allows you to increase the contrast between clouds and sky.
Macro filters
This is not to say that macro filters are ordinary - they are more like an additional lens. Many of them can be completed by winding on each other. They expand the possibilities of shooting close-ups. Of course, they do not compete with macro lenses, but are great for various creative experiments. But their price is much lower than that of lenses, and they can become a real find for a novice photographer.
Ultraviolet filters
Ultraviolet is invisible to the human eye. UV filters are often used to reduce nebula and haze, for example, in the mountains. On digital cameras, they are not as relevant as for 35 mm film, because the matrix is much less sensitive to UV light. However, UV filters are widely used to protect the main lens of the lens from mechanical damage, dust, moisture.
How to choose a filter for the lens?
In the variety of filters presented on the modern market, it is easy to get confused. The determining factor should be the personal preferences of the photographer, as well as the goals that the device should solve. The consultants of specialized stores can also help choose filters for lenses. The ideal option is to make a purchase in those stores that enable pre-sale testing. When choosing, it is imperative to consider the lens model, that is, the size of its front lens. This, not the camera manufacturer, is the main thing. For example, filters for Nikon 52 mm lenses are suitable for both Canon and Pentax with the same lens diameter, but at 49 they will not “sit down”.