Screw On Filters vs. Frame + Glass filters?

S

Snapper123

Well-known member
Hey guys, I was at a camera store where I ran across this filter frame that required slide in glass for the filter, and it was only 10$. The guy working there said that the frame needed a different small adapter for each lens, and each glass filter was sold seperately for about $20. There truly were hundreds of creative filters for this particular brand. Alternatively, there are the screw in filters where you generally buy the biggest one and buy step down adapters for each filter (instead of buying the same filter for each lens, of coarse.) Either way, neither really seems like a costly investment over the other, but I wanted to ask if there are any advantages to either over the other. For example, circular polarizers, do they require being a round filter and screws in? Or do they make the equivalent in the slide in glass form?

Also, what is generally higher quality (lack of blur or whatever.)?
 
$20 glass filters? What kind of filters are you looking for?

The set of 8-stop Tiffen ND filters I want costs over $400. Not sure about the prices of specialty/effects filters.
 
Mainly, I'm looking for ND's, I honestly haven't had any problems with any types of filming beyond having to close the aperture outdoors a bit over what I'd like. I also get quite a bit of haze/pink-green colors outdoors, I've never really found out if haze filters really work but I wouldn't mind some clarification on that. I'm undecided on a circular polarizer, reducing glare in water (or other areas) seems like an amazing trick, but I'm unsure if I'd actually use it regularly; I sort of think that shine, in small amounts, tends to make things look more filmic, although reducing by even half may save certain scenarios. Overall, I've heard that some of these filters really help balance a few light issues indoors as well, which is interesting. I'm not really interested in spending a whole lot on these filters, since it seems that using them for video gives a bit more free-way for slight quality issues *though if that is wrong, I'd love to see a test that shows the importance*. Looking around B&H, it seems they have some amazing used deals on filters, and generally, my first instinct would be to snatch up a $30 Tiffen Circular Polarizer in the biggest diameter I can find, as even the Polarizers seem to serve as a bit of ND.

Basically, I'm looking for advice on what truly is the best route for a beginner who, as much as it may be a good investment, truly doesn't have much money to spend and only wants the most important filters that truly help out, and wants whatever's best for price and ease. For instance, if a circular polarizer serves as a good ND too, then the type of "Make sure to get the polarizer first." is the type of hints I'm looking for, if it's true. And just anything like that, beyond the main goal that I already know to buy the biggest filters and buy the step down rings. Admittingly, the slide-in glass filters seem really cool as a professional touch, yet instead of making things easier, even the holder for the glass needs a set of step down rings so it's like...eh, nothing seems better over the other.
 
for a beginner with low budget, I'd say, go for an ND fader; it's a totally different world in terms of agility while filming, and quality is OK (some purists with better eyes than mine might not agree, but on my tests I couldn't see any loss in picture quality)
 
I bought a set of 3 ND filters (ND2,4, and 8) for £17 on ebay. Yes, the more you spend on ND's the better glass you're going to get, but unless you're shooting 4k (which you're not) then you will never see the difference. As far as cheaper ND glass tinting the image, you should set the white balance using a grey card every time you put a filter on anyway, more so with cheap ND's.
Haze, UV, and all the other filters are pretty much a waste of time and will cause you more problems with flares and whatnot. A circular polarizer is really bloody useful though
 
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