What is your favorite basic filter?

I am looking for a basic filter for my D60. Nothing to fancy, just talking the basics here. I do a lot of outdoor shooting. I only have 70-200 mm lens. I am curious to see what you all recommend for filters. Thanks.

Get a good lens hood instead. A filter degrades the image and a hood improves it.

I already have a hood.

MLKstudios wrote: Get a good lens hood instead. A filter degrades the image and a hood improves it.

a hood and a filter are two different "tools" and do two different things to the shot...do you know that?

To answer the question..
My favorite is a circular polarizer filter.

A filter is useful around salty air and sand (beaches). The best are made by B+W. Though Lee and Hoya also make good filters.

A basic filter is a 1A or UV filter. Either will work.

dwi3x4 wrote:

MLKstudios wrote: Get a good lens hood instead. A filter degrades the image and a hood improves it.

a hood and a filter are two different "tools" and do two different things to the shot...do you know that?

No, I didn't. Thank you.

Why are you looking for a filter? Is there something about your current images that you are unhappy with that a filter will help improve? That's the real issue. What do you want to do that a specific filter will help with? Identify the problem then get the filter that helps. If you can't identify a specific issue then I'd suggest reading up on types of filters and their uses and learn more before buying. Each type of filter serves a different purpose. Filter purchases should be deliberate with a particular goal in mind.

Common filter types include;

• UV and plain glass "protective" filters. I'm with Matthew on that one. Digital sensors are rarely affected significantly by UV light. A hood is better protection than an otherwise unnecessary extra piece of glass.
• Polarizing filters help reduce reflections and are good for darkening skies and improving colours on foliage and similar things. For general outdoor photography I would suggest a polarizer as a first filter.
• Graduated neutral density filters improve contrast between sky and land in landscape photography but you would probably want to be working from a tripod to get the best out of them.

Here is a good article about choosing filters.

However, improve means a graduated ND "lowers" the contrast between land and sky. Used when the contrast is too high.

Just to be 1A.

A circular polarizer is my favorite, most used filter......

effron wrote: A circular polarizer is my favorite, most used filter......

If I have to choose only one, this would be it.

At this point I never use a filter. I need to get a circular polarizer, but I never use any of the filters I do have. I have a brand new ND I have not even played with.

fotozone wrote: At this point I never use a filter. I need to get a circular polarizer, but I never use any of the filters I do have. I have a brand new ND I have not even played with.

If you ever visit a waterfall or an ocean beach, the ND can work magic.

Baydream wrote:

fotozone wrote: At this point I never use a filter. I need to get a circular polarizer, but I never use any of the filters I do have. I have a brand new ND I have not even played with.

If you ever visit a waterfall or an ocean beach, the ND can work magic.

I got a discount on it when I ordered my macro lens. I never pass up a deal, especially on photo equipment.

Honestly you only really need the following:
Circular Polarizer.
Grad ND of some kind (you can try different ones)
ND (different stops for different effects).

Everything else can be done in post.

Stealthy Ninja wrote: Honestly you only really need the following:
Circular Polarizer.
Grad ND of some kind (you can try different ones)
ND (different stops for different effects).

Everything else can be done in post.

I would add an IR pass filter like a Hoya R72 as the IR in photoshop just doesn't cut it (provided you don't have a DSLR with a strong anti -aliasing filter that is...)