Lens Filters question

[fenderbelly]

(1)has anyone tried or has/have the close up lens filters=+1-=+2 =+4 =+10.

are they worth it as in value for money, do they make a big difference or can you not tell the difference.
(2)any thoughts on ND filters

(3) thoughts on colour polarizers. IE the red green orange yellow

Cheers Fred

[Big Shed]

Close up lenses are really not that relevant today, with the availability of macro on most modern lenses. They were useful to reduce the minimum focus distance of lenses, "reading glasses for your standard lens" if you will.:D They also introduce a fair bit of barrel distortion to you lens.

ND filters are more useful, although again with the abailty to change ISO speed on digital cameras, not quite as necessary today. Here is an article (http://www.cs.mtu.edu/%7Eshene/DigiCam/User-Guide/filter/filter-ND.html) on their use.
Graduated ND filters are much more useful, particularly in landscape photography, where you can manipulate the sky etc. Cokin make a very good range not only neutral, ie grey, but various colours as well.

Haven't used the colour polarizers, so can't comment, they do give some interesting effects though.

[unixbigot]

Supplemental close up lenses are handy if you don't have interchangeable lenses, or can't afford a macro-lens.

In the single-element filters, quality is from fair to lousy. The weak ones are mostly Ok, but the strong ones cost a fair bit for quality---a cheap one (eg. mine) will give overall softness and hideous barrel distortion. Don't use them wide open, stop down a fair bit. The better multi-element diopters (eg from raynox) are reputed to be really good, (maybe search on flickr.com for your camera model + raynox, to find examples).

ND filters have their place, when you want to increase shutter time or use a wider aperture for selective focus.

Polarizers are handy, but coloured effects I'd just do digitally nowadays.

--chris

[joe greiner]

Close-up lenses can enable extreme close-up, beyond the macro capability, even to the extent of allowing the object distance to be within the lens (theoretically) - which is physically impossible.

Anything you add to the optical path will generally reduce depth of focus. To regain depth of focus, you must reduce the aperture; the same as when you squint your eyes in darker environments. To compensate, you may be able to increase the exposure time, which could be awkward for action shots or a poorly-mounted camera. Massaging the ISO setting should sort out the optimum for each condition.

Cheers,
Joe

[fenderbelly]

Thanks for the replies guys and the links, did a google search as well
and have ordered a Grad ND filter for starters.

Cheers Fred

[Allan at Wallan]

I once took an extreme close up of a lady bird sitting
on a branch of thistle and used a +1 filter.

The lens was within one inch of the lady bird which did
not fly away. Great result on the lady bird but understandably
the depth of field was very blurry. Good fun.

Allan