A simple guide to Camera Lens Filters and their Usage

Camera Lens Filters are widely used in photography for several different reasons such as to enhance contrast, reduce reflections, changing the exposure or capturing beautiful shots even in difficult lighting conditions. Most of the camera lenses have the ability to add filters, by mounting them on in front of the lens but there are some lenses, which require filters to be attached at the rear end of the lens. There are different types of filters available such as UV filter, Polarizer, ND filters etc and each serves a specific purpose.

UV Filter- UV stands for Ultra Violet and main purpose of these filters is to protect the front of a lens from dust, moisture, scratches and block the ultra violet radiations. Due to advancement in technology, now cameras are not really sensitive to ultra violet rays and that is why UV filters do not enjoy much prominence in digital photography. Their function is now mere limited to protecting the lens of camera as they are easy to clean and cheaper to replace.

ND (Neutral Density) Filter- These filters are used to reduce the amount of light that reaches the sensor, thus resulting in decreased shutter speed and increased exposure time. Without a ND filter, most lenses would not be able to use a larger aperture for a longer period. That is why ND lens are considered effective for capturing stunning shots of flowing waterfalls, rivers or moving people, in simple words useful for situations where motion blur needs to be created. They are most preferred filters for Landscape & flash photography.

Graduated ND Filter- These filters work great in high contrast situations, where the sky is much brighter than the foreground and the horizon is flat. These filters have same principle as ND filters, the only difference is, they do not have natural density effect on the glass. They are used for Landscape Photography. GND filters can be further divided into 2 categories such as Soft-edge GND filters and Reverse GND filters.

Polarizer Filter- Polarizing filters are favorite of photographers as it has the brilliance to dramatically improve the image quality. These filters reduces reflections, harsh glares and give better color intensity especially when shooting in sunny weather it gives bluer skies, greener foliage etc. They filter out polarized light and color saturation is significantly enhanced. There are two types of polarizing filters available Linear and Circular.

Macro Filters- Macro filters also known as close-up filters, allows a lens to focus closer on subjects. Technically they are not ordinary filters but accessory lenses. The insertion of a converging lens in front of a taking lens reduces the focal length of the combination. These filters are used for close-up or macro photography.