After the post earlier today, I kept thinking about how much of filters do I use and would I use (provided I had more).
Short answer is, other the MC UV and CPL, I don’t really use filters. I generally do the equivalent to the filters in post-production (Lightroom). The gradient, reducing exposure (ND filters)… everything is post-production.
That got me thinking that maybe I should invest more in filters and doing everything right during the shot (the right way to photograph). With that, I decided to use my Nikkor 24-85mm, which I have a number of filters for, with a warming filter when I was walking our dog this morning.
Throughout our walk, I often stop and train him (sit, stay, hi-5). At some point I was training Hughey (our dog) to stay and decided to take photos of him staying. During the exercise I decided to remove the warming filter. Below is a comparison of a photo with the warming filter and one without. The image on the left is using the warming filter and the one on the right no filter (decided to do the exercise the last minute, so didn’t even have a MC UV filter). The only edit on the photo for these photos was pressing “Auto” on the Basic edits in Lightroom, having selected the lens and asking for a medium contrast tone curve. That means the warmth and tint were not moved in the process.
Both photos came out great, but if I had to choose which one of the the two “colorations” I would want for my photo, in this case I would have to say the photo with the warming filter. Below is the same photo, with me moving the Temperature (more to yellow) and Tint (more to magenta) slides in Lightroom to make the photo more like what it would if it had the warming filter.
Have I reached a conclusion in regards to filter?
I would say that I have. I’m not ready to go Square filters yet, I don’t use them enough yet. I will buy warming filters for my Nikkor 50mm and for my Nikkor 18-35mm. Once I really start taking advantage of having these extra filters, then I can think of taking the next step and start buying gradient filters – I have not yet made a determination if it is going to be square or circular.
Price wise, the filters I have been buying (polaroid etc) are entry-level filters, as I am not a professional, they are a lot cheaper. Which ever one I choose to do the gradients (GND), only professional grade lenses are available, which are significantly expensive.