Filter

- UV/Skylight Filters -


Q1: What does an UV or skylight filter do?

A1: Both of the filters filter out the UV light that can cause a blueish haze
  on your pictures, since normal film is not only sensitive to visible light,
  but also to UV.
  A skylight filter is also slightly coloured (pink or yellow), to give your
  pictures a 'warm' appearance (not so much blue).


Q2: What is the difference between a normal UV and a skylight filter?

A2: As mentioned above, the skylight filter is slightly coloured to give your
  pictures a 'warm' appearance.


Q3: In what situation do I use an UV filter?

A3: UV and skylight filters are useful when you are taking pictures in the
  mountains or at sea or any other place where there is a lot of UV light.
  It will filter out the blue haze that normally blurres the background of
  your picture. It is also very useful when taking pictures in the snow,
  since snow is a very good UV reflector.


Q4: Can I always leave the UV filter on the lens?

A4: About half of all the photographers keep an UV filter on their lens perma-
  nently, for it prevents your lens against dust, scratches and perhaps
  damage due to accidentally dropping the lens. A filter is much cheaper than
  a lens, so ruining your filter will not be as bad as ruining the front part
  of your lens.
  On the other hand, some photograpers (the other half) think it unneccesary
  to keep the filter on the lens, since everything between the original
  picture and your film, including filters, can cause blurrs or errors in the
  image, and that's one of the things we don't want to happen.
  It is just a matter of personal preference. I must admit I always have a
  filter on my lens, and I take it off only for cleaning.


Q5: What effect does an UV or skylight filter have on taking pictures?

A5: First of all, it will filter out most of the UV light. A skylight filter
  will also colour your pictures a little. Because the UV is filtered out,
  you may notice the sky in your pictures is not as deep blue as it used to
  be. This is because the UV component is now missing, resulting in another
  kind of blue on your pictures. Just try a few piCreatectures with and without
  filter and see what you like best.
  An UV or Skylight filter doesn't have any effect on the amount of visible
  light falling through the lens, so you won't have to correct for it.