How to Choose a Lens Filter
Improve clarity and provide lens protection., Reduce glare and improve saturation., Extend exposure time., Change white balance.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Improve clarity and provide lens protection.
Try a UV filter.
UV filters are mostly used to protect the camera lens.
It’s much cheaper and easier to replace a UV filter than to replace a broken glass. -
Step 2: Reduce glare and improve saturation.
Try a CPL, or circular polarizer, filter.
CPL filters can darken skies, manage reflections, and suppress glare from water bodies.
Rotating a CPL filter on your lens can make dramatic changes to a simple image. , Try an ND, or neutral density, filter.
ND filters reduce the amount of light entering the lens.
This makes it easier to achieve effects such as a shallower depth of field or blurred motion. , Try a warming or cooling filter.
These filters adjust the white balance by compensating for different light sources.
By adjusting the white balance, the image will appear different in color than what they actually look like.
Managing white balance can be easily done during post-processing, especially with digital cameras. -
Step 3: Extend exposure time.
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Step 4: Change white balance.
Detailed Guide
Try a UV filter.
UV filters are mostly used to protect the camera lens.
It’s much cheaper and easier to replace a UV filter than to replace a broken glass.
Try a CPL, or circular polarizer, filter.
CPL filters can darken skies, manage reflections, and suppress glare from water bodies.
Rotating a CPL filter on your lens can make dramatic changes to a simple image. , Try an ND, or neutral density, filter.
ND filters reduce the amount of light entering the lens.
This makes it easier to achieve effects such as a shallower depth of field or blurred motion. , Try a warming or cooling filter.
These filters adjust the white balance by compensating for different light sources.
By adjusting the white balance, the image will appear different in color than what they actually look like.
Managing white balance can be easily done during post-processing, especially with digital cameras.
About the Author
Richard Gibson
Writer and educator with a focus on practical home improvement knowledge.
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