Popular Products > Digital Cameras > Lens Filter

A lens filter is an important camera accessory which is great for taking perfect photographs. A lens filter can be either square or rectangular in shape and is fitted in front of the lens. Each lens filter has a unique Wratten number for identification. Lens filters are primarily used for adding some special effects to an image as it is being photographed. A lens filter is an optical filter which is placed in the optical path of a camera lens.

There are different types of lens filters available and these are classified on the basis of their usage. Clear lens filters are considered to be the most basic lens filters. A clear lens filter is a window glass transparent filter and is used as a front lens protector. Another type of lens filter is a UV filter, which is a transparent filter that is used for reducing haziness generated by ultraviolet light. Strong UV lens filters are used to add warmth to pictures taken in the shade.

Colour subtraction lens filters are widely used in the printing industry for clearly identifying primary colours (RGB) in a photographed image. Colour subtraction lens filters absorb unwanted colours and only allow the remaining colours to pass through the lens filter and the camera lens. Contrast enhancement lens filters are used for adjusting contrast colours in an image and are used in black-and-white photography. An advanced form of lens filter, which has the features of both the colour subtraction and the contrast enhancement lens filters, is known as the polarizing lens filter. Polarizing lens filters can be used interchangeably for both colour and black-and-white photography.

A cross screen lens filter is also commonly known as a star lens filter. This filter forms a star pattern of light which is radiated outwards from bright objects. A prism is used in the cross screen lens filter to generate a star pattern and it gives better quality photographs during night-time photography. To take images of a portrait, generally a diffusion lens filter (also known as softening lens filter) is used. Diffusion lens filters reduce the effect of contrast and hence generate a softer image. A split diopter is a type of lens filter which only covers half of the lens filter. Split diopter lens filters allow photographers to take a picture of a very close object against a background that is much further away.

There are a wide variety of lens filters available and therefore some knowledge about them is critical before selecting and using one. The increasing usage of digital cameras has, to an extent, reduced the usage of lens filters. This is because image quality can now be easily manipulated digitally. However, they are just perfect for the thorough professional who knows exactly how he/she wants the image to be.