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Aurora’s new drop-in mirrorless filters save time in the field and space in your bag

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Although many filters are no longer required with digital photography, thanks to the power of applications like Lightroom, Capture One and Luminar, there are some that can still be very useful. Particularly neutral density filters. But filters that go onto the end of your lens can be a pain, especially when it comes to keeping them clean.

California-based Aurora, though, has developed a drop-in filter solution for mirrorless camera lens adapters that not only keeps the filter clean and protected but also means you don’t have to swap it out when changing lenses. They kicked off recently on Kickstarter, and have already more than doubled their goal.

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Why you might want to use red or other coloured filters with your digital camera

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Coloured filters have been popular amongst black & white film photographers for decades. Typically, these are blue, red, orange, yellow and green. They help to increase contrast in skies and reduce the appearance of blemishes on skin, but are they still useful today with black & white digital?

That’s what photographer David Bergman explores in this video. He thinks that they are still valuable.

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Irix expands its product range with a new 100mm filter holder for wide angle lenses

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Irix, the Swiss lens manufacturers are branching out into new products besides lenses. The natural extension to lenses is filters. While Irix lenses do come with rear filter holders, you often need them on the front. Things like polarisers and graduated NDs are impossible to work with when sandwiched between the lens and body. So, to tackle this issue, Irix have today announced a new 100mm filter holder system.

The Irix IFH-100 is a dedicated adapter designed to hold 100mm wide filters. The filter is made of aluminium alloy, allowing for a compact size with a lot of strength. The front side of the filter is also lined with light absorbing fabric to prevent internal reflections. Irix have also announced a range of 100mm filters to go along with the new holder.

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DIY solar filters for the great American eclipse

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With the Great American Eclipse on Aug 21 only a few weeks away, I decided to put together some solar filters.  With the high travel costs to get to the eclipse from Southern California, I saved some money through purchasing the solar filter sheets instead of the pre-made filters.  To facilitate a fast detachment during totality, compared to a screw on filter, I made some cardboard holders that fit into my Lee filter holder.

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Should you really use UV filters on your camera lenses?

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Are protective lens filters a necessity or a nuisance? Every photographer has their answer to this question, with their own reason to use (or not to use) them. If you still didn’t come up with your decision whether to use filters or not, Photographer Phil Steele could help you with this comprehensive, objective video.

First of all, he discusses which type of filter could be the best for you, and how to determine the ideal price. But also, he deals with an eternal debate – should you use the filter or not?

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4 super-cheap DIY Lens Filters for photos and video

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Some types of lens filters can be pretty expensive, and when we’re on the budget, it’s time to go DIY. Ryan Connolly from Film Riot shows us some of the cheap and easy filters you can make at home. They work for video, but for photography as well. You probably already have most of these things lying around the house. And even if you don’t, you can get them for a few bucks and start your little filter experiment.

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Are cheap ND filters really any good?

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Using ND filters is a great way to get creative with your photography, creating motion in your images with long exposures, being able to shoot wide open in full sun, producing smooth silky waters are just a few ways to have fun with them. In this blog I show you how I used a cheap eBay variable ND filter to produce these images below and then compare the images using more expensive and excellent quality B+W filters.

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How a Mythbuster removes a stuck on filter with a bandsaw

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We’ve all come across a situation where we’ve had a filter on a lens that just wouldn’t come off. If you haven’t, you will one day. Switching environments, or just leaving your filter on there for too long can cause it to pretty much become embedded into the front lens element. At other times, cheap filters, or the wearing down of coatings on the metal lens ring or filter itself can lead to galvanic corrosion.

In a recent podcast at Tested, former Mythbuster Adam Savage recounts the story of how he removed a shattered filter. How did it become shattered? Well, Norm’s Canon 24-70mm f/2.8II lens fell to the ground along with his shiny new Canon 5D Mark IV after his hand got knocked walking into The Cave. After much panic to determine whether it was just the filter or the lens elements had cracked, the plan began to get it off. A task which turned out to be easier said than done.

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A Metal Ball Bounces off The SIGMA WR Ceramic Filter; Said To Be 1000% Stronger Than Other Filters

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A few years ago I broke the filter on my 24-70 2.8 Nikon lens. I felt quite the lucky guy, as that lens is about $1,800. The comments on the usefulness of that filter were mixed. I think the comments on how the new Sigma filter protects a lens will be different.

On December Sigma announced that they are developing a new ceramic glass filter that will be stronger than any other filter you know.

Sigma released a video that was very slick (we will link it below) but did not show much of the action. Now Sigma released another movie showing how a 49 gram metal ball is dropped from 127 centimeters onto the filter and the filter survives. (None of the other branded filters do… ). Why 127 centimeters, and why 49 grams? I don’t know. Maybe it those symbolize the first and last names of Sigma founders.

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