Cheap Filters FTL :D

[Keydogg]

Just got my cokin P series holder + adapter and I also bought an ND4 grad filter from ebay for £7.

Well you get what you pay for put it that way! I thought I would take some photos for examples of the compromise in image quality.

All shots were taken with my Sigma 70-300 APO f/4-5.6 at f/8.0 and all shots are straight out of the camera

200mm Macro no filter

100% Crop

200mm Macro with Filter

100% Crop

300mm Macro no filter

100% Crop

300mm Macro with filter

100% Crop

Now obviously this kind of filter wouldn't normally be used in a macro shot like this so to make it a fair comparison I have done some bog standard shots.

70mm no filter

100%

70mm with filter

100% Crop

300mm no filter

100% Crop

300mm with filter

100% Crop

So there you have it folks, as you can see the filter really seems to have an effect at full focal length, but at 70mm no real IQ decrease is evident. I took some photos yesterday of our PGA Pro hitting golf balls and anything upto about 250mm was fine with the filter on (without pixel peeping) but beyond that wasn't really useable.

Discuss!

 

[JJ!]

I have B+W single coated filters on my lenses and have noticed no difference in quality so far... there not the cheapest, but not high on the expense list either! Plus they are brass, making threading them far harder!

 

[Nigel]

You need to get a decent grad ND4 and test again at 300mm, see if theres any difference.

 

[ukaskew]

Were these taken with a tripod? Surely an ND4 is going to lose you a fair bit of light, meaning if all were taken at f8.0 you need a slower shutter speed to get an equivalent image...?

 

[McBunny]

as pointed out on POTN you need to retest properly first

 

[Keydogg]

as pointed out on POTN you need to retest properly first

Aye, me = owned

 

[McBunny]

hehe its not a big deal filters will always affect the image ever so slightly but some do it more than others


that reminds me im over in hull tonight

 

[Keydogg]

Over in hull eh? Why would you want to go there hehe

I'm working all night

 

[McBunny]

well to beverly first to pizza express i have a 2 for 1 voucher to use then over to kingswood cineworld for a film

 

[Keydogg]

Cool man! I need to get my arse into gear and try the 2 new cinemas in hull, the one above princes quay and the one in st. stevens.

 

[Marky_]

Ah, interesting test. I'm gonna have to try that out with my hoya filters from ebay.

 

[Tigger]

I got my Hoya filters on Ebay too
Some testing to be done soon!