Hi All

I know there are a few photographers on the forum and was hoping to get some advice after I rang Jessops for advice and they said they didn't know the answer!

I have a Nikon D50 with a Nikkor 18-70mm lense and also a Sigma 105mm DG EX F2.8 Macro lense.

I need to get a circular polariser - since they can be pricey I'm thinking to get just one, and then purchase a skylight filter for the other lense.

Does anyone know which circular polariser fits the Nikkor 18-70mm?

Tried Nikons site which is less than helpful.

Appreciate your help :)

Thanks

Many makes will fit, just needs to be 67mm for the Nikon 18-70. Personally I use this one and I got it from SpeedGraphic, but strangely they don't seem to show the 67mm filter on the website right now.

Thanks Richard, that's solved the question for sure - as you say it's not listed on their website, I might go for a Hoya CP for the 18-70mm lense.

Do you know which would be more appropriate for the my macro lense - either a UV filter or a Skylight filter, it'll be used in the alps.

And one final question.. sorry :)

What is the most popular Telephoto lense for the Nikon D50 right now?

Thank you

Hi,
I have the Nikon fit Sigma lens and I do not know if you know or not, but it takes a 58mm filter.

With this being a different size to the Nikon lens if you can possibly do so I would suggest trying to go for something like a Cokin P system (or similar) so you can buy different sized attachment rings for each lens, which are about £10.00 each (I think).Therefore you only need to buy one polariser which may work out cheaper in the long run.

I use the Sigma for Portraits and Macro. I have a Skylight on it but don't know if this is better than the UV. If I can find out which is best I'll post again.

I keep it on for portraits but for macro I remove it as the actual lens is recessed inside the housing so there is less chance of damaging it. This is usually okay as with macro I am usually in a controlled environment, ie inside.

I prefer less glass in front of the lens to remove the possibility of it influencing the picture (the more glass in front of the lens, the more chance of the picture being less sharp etc).

This is personal choice, I don't know for sure if it is the right way to do it but it woks for me. More experienced people may have different ways of doing things - no doubt they will let you know if I am wrong.

PS - Have only had the Sigma for a while but I love it. It opens up a whole different type of photography.

Hi Osbie,

As PGJ says its pointless buying screw on filters, not only will it cost you more in the long run but you may also get vignetting on your photo's, best to go for a Cokin P or Kood Pro filter system.

Dont go for Cokin A size or you sure as hell will get vignetting at wide angle on your 18-70 lens.

I use screw on filters with my 18-55 and 11-18 lenses and don't get vignetting. If you stack filters - not a good idea anyway - this might happen but it shouldn't otherwise. I also find screw-on filters much easier to use as I can leave them on the lenses when stored in their padded cases. I only use filter holders (Cokin P) for graduated neutral density filters as it's necessary to be able to move the filters up and down.

Chris - yes but if your lenses are different sizes then you will need a seperate Polariser for each one, and they are not cheap.
And if there is hardly any cloud about (i.e. mainly just summer in the UK) or you point your lens at the ground then you will find you need an ND Grad filter 95% of the time, unless of course you dont mind highlights with no detail.

I only use an ND grad 5% of the time and I don't burn out highlights. I check the histogram to make sure of this. If there are no clouds about I minimise the amount of sky in the picture or cut it out altogether anyway as too much plain blue sky is dull. Digital cameras have wider latitude than transparency film and I shot that for years and rarely burnt out highlights.

I habitually carry 3 lenses and I do have separate polarisers for each one, which is more expensive than using the same one with a filter holder and lens adapters.

osbie, if you plan to use filters on several lenses it can be cheaper to use a full-on filter system, like the Cokin, but if you just want something to protect the glass then obviously the screw-ons are what you want. Skylight and UV seem to have very little effect on your pictures to be honest, so either of these is fine for protection, although you will also hear from people that it's mad to put a cheap filter on the front of an expensive lens, which is true.

Telephoto for the Nikon, right now I'd have to say the 18-200 VR. I've had one on order from two places since March and still can't get my hands on one though, so might not be a good option if you need it in a hurry. Also, this effectively makes your 18-70 redundant, so might not be the best option. FWIW I have a Tamron 70-300, which is fine, but I'm not seriously into widlife photography, so it serves my purpose. Took this shot with it a couple of weeks ago, which I think is OK for a cheap lens.

Hi again,

Good point Neil about vignetting - I forgot about that. Using the Cokin P system I can still have problems with vignetting at times.

I still use film so I don't know if exactly the same will apply on your system but I find that on a 28-105mm lens, 62mm filter thread, at 28mm - which is about the same as 18mm on your lens, with a screw in Skylight filter on the lens and a Cokin P filter on top of that I get vignetting.

There is no vignetting once the Skylight filter is removed. Annoying as the shop I bought the Cokin P filter system from told me it would not happen.

If you decide to go down the Cokin P (or similar) route and expect to take photos at 18mm I would suggest trying some test shots with the Skylight on the lens and the Cokin P (or similar)on top to see the effect- being digital you're lucky in that you won't be wasting film!

If you find that you have to remove the protecting Skylight when shooting at 18 mm to avoid vignetting, take care when screwing the filter adapter ring directly onto the lens as it can sometimes be a little fiddly (or maybe I just have clumsy hands).

Another tip I have read is that a polariser can make your pictures look slightly cool, particularly when shooting under blue skys. To counteract this also use a warm up filter as well as the polariser - 81A, 81B or 81C depending on the effect you want. I usually use an 81B when using a Polariser in these conditions.

Alternatively you could warm it Photoshop etc afterwards if necessary.

Hi osbie,
Why not use the larger size screw fit polarizer with a step down ring. The Cokin P system is useful but a bit more bulky. UV filters will work with colour or B/W and absorb UV above 2000m or by the sea. Skylight filters can be used with colour to reduce UV and correct blue bias when the sun is high. I'm pretty certain that I've read somewhere that you don't need to use a UV/Skylight filter as well as a polarizer as the pol. will absorb UV, but I can't be 100% on that. The 81C Amber will remove the blue bias and the 82C will correct the red early morning or late evening.

You certainly don't need to use a polariser with a UV or skylight filter and if you do vignetting may occur, as PGJ pointed out. I don't use UV or skylight filters in the UK - nowhere is high enough - and not always abroad. I don't like filters other than polariser and ND grads as it's too easy for images to start to look artificial.

Chris,

Don't know what you shoot, but even in the Lakes at low level you will encounter problems on distance shots on positive film. As a bit of a purist when it comes to photography, I never use filters unless absolutely necessary. Believe me, a Skylight/UV will improve distant detail significantly, this combined with a lens hood. I'm an old fashioned transparecy fanatic, and yes, I have tried digital, but pound for pound, they are not in the same league - yet! All of the lenses I own each have a UV/Skylight filter attached, not least to protect the front element from damage. In landscape photography the results are, on most occasions, improved, by the use of a pol. filter.

I mostly shoot digital now, occasionally still transparency. I changed to digital because that's what publishers wanted and most of my photography is with publication in mind. I've just supplied over 100 images - mixed digital and transparency - for my next book. I have UV/Skylight filters for all my lenses, mainly for protection. I have not found that removing them makes any significant difference to distant detail with digital or transparency film.

A polarising filter is only of use if you're at right angles to the sun and with wide angle lenses there is a danger of only part of the sky being polarised, which looks unnatural. I use a polariser when it has an effect but not most of the time.

Take a look here

There's a 'P' system available and individual circular filters on this site too.

By the way, would I be teaching grandma to suck eggs if I say that a lens specific lens cap (i.e. not one size fits all) will have the size you need somewhere on it?

Hi guys, thanks for your help, was going to go down the Cokin route but after reading several complaints about the quality and problems have decided to go for the screw type.

The Circular Polarisers are hard to find at the minute at 67mm but will ring around tomorrow about it.

Thanks Richard for the photo, love the puffin - really good. I have been deciding between the Nikon 70-300 4-5.6G, Sigma 70-300 4-5.6 APO DG, and have to admit I wrote the Tamron off as I saw amateur photos of it on a forum and they weren't so good, but yours turned out really well with it so maybe it could be a contender?

This photography stuff does ones head in...

7DayShop.com has Hama 67mm circ.polarisers at £15.49. I have a Hama 77mm one and it's fine.

7dayshop.com[url]

The Cokin holders are good - I've had one for years - and you can use other square filters with them

Not sure why that last line came out as a link. It wasn't supposed to!

Thanks Chris, I changed my mind back and have placed an order for Cokin - not sure if they are in stock but here's hoping.

Also decided on the sigma 70-300mm APO DG - no idea if it was the right choice but had to choose something as time is ticking.

Thanks for your help.

Go see Jessops new 'pro digital' filters. they are multi-coated to 99.97% transmission, and are thin-framed, beautiful things. They are only available as UV or CP filters. -They are the exact same specs (I wonder who makes them!) as the Hoya pros.