FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

As you probably know Tiffen manufactures an extensive line of photography filters for mptv and dslr cameras, we’ve started our latest lines of aerial drone filters with some of the basics like a CP filter and ND filters in our starter kits. One special effect that naturally occurs in drone video is the dreaded Jello Effect or Rolling Shutter, you can learn how to reduce camera shake while filming by using ND filters, check out our page on filters for aerial drones, you’ll get the latest drone video tips and news there. I think you’re onto something as far as special effect filters for drones…

Good question, you’ll have more creative choices for a start. There are actually a number of reasons to get our Pro100 Series Camera Filter Holder System the first is that Tiffen makes some 4×4 filters that are only available in square format (including 4×5.650 filters) such as the Twilight filter and some of the diffusion filters. One creative use of camera filters is that you’ll be able to move gradient filters up or down, which can’t be done with a round gradient filter. It’s also good to note that you’ll get no vignetting when using multiple filters, the Pro100 holds up to 2 filters.

The Tiffen Circular Polarizer is not multicoated at all. Multi-coating is a proprietary process, and we seriously doubt that any lens or filter manufacturer will tell you the exact nature and composition of their coating layers. Tiffen Digital HT filters are a state-of-the-art technological breakthrough in multi-coated photo and video filters. Digital HT – High Transmission – filters offer the strength of a Titanium coating combined with the purest optical quality glass and Tiffen’s Academy-Award-winning ColorCore™ technology. They present unmatched scratch-resistant durability and worry-free cleaning while other coated filters on the market today cautiously suggest delicate, if any, cleaning procedures, in fear of destroying the coating (and thereby the filter). Learn more about Tiffen Digital HT camera filters and what they do by clicking here.

Yes we have a line of close up filters, or diopter filters, great for nature photography. They come in a set of three filters or you can buy them individually in strengths of +1, +2 and +4. Each close up filter has dual threads so they can be combined with other types of filters giving you the creative edge for doing some very unique macro photography without getting a specialized lens.

Yes, you can. Our screw in filters (except for the the WID types), are double threaded and can be screwed together. Stacking filters in general can create different effects and bring out your creativity. The only caution is that as you put more filters on the lens you can create vignetting or the cutting off of the corners of your picture. This can happen more with wide angle lenses. You’ll also get vignetting by stacking neutral density filters, depending upon which ones you stack and the order you stack them you’ll get varied effects. We don’t recommend stacking a VND filter, but if you do, make it the last one because of the threads. Feel free to experiment and remember you can always stack filters for storage reasons.

The unique Tiffen Enhancing Filter is a sure-fire way to improve landscape photography, it’s designed to make reds, rust browns, and oranges “pop” and is great for bringing out fall foliage while keeping other color looking natural. It is not specifically designed to intensify yellow, but it does bring it out to some extent if the foliage includes other colors. We think you will be pleased with the results with fall foliage, especially if you use the Enhancer in conjunction with a Tiffen Circular Polarizer.

Yes. We believe the filter you are referring to is the Tiffen UV Protector, essentially a clear filter that protects your lenses and provides basic UV protection that minimizes the bluishness you sometimes get when shooting on overcast days, in open shade, or taking pictures of distant scenes. This filter is included in all Tiffen filter Kits and can be left on your lens at all time to protect it from physical damage.

You can probably find the size you need in your instruction manual or on the outer ring of the lens, and in the worst case, you can measure it with a calipers or metric ruler. In any case, we suggest that you get a Tiffen Circular Polarizer, perhaps the most useful filter overall because it can eliminate or minimize reflections on water or glass, intensify colors, or bring out clouds, and its effects are variable and observable in your camera’s viewfinder and on the LCD. So far as a UV filter is concerned, the most popular is the Tiffen UV Protector, which provides basic UV reduction, and the Tiffen Sky 1-A filterthat absorbs about 50% of the UV and adds a bit of warmth, which is useful when shooting outdoors in open shade and on overcast days. Either of these can be left on the lens at all times to protect it from physical damage.

Maintaining pure white tones in the building, walls, tables, etc. while capturing the ambience of a candle-lit wedding is a pretty tall order. You don’t mention whether you are shooting with a digital slr or film camera, if it’s digital, you’ll probably get the best results by setting your White Balance control to Tungsten or a manual setting somewhere between 2500K and 2800K. If there is any way of doing so, shoot some test pictures before the event under the same lighting conditions to see which setting gives you the results you want. In any event, you may have to color correct in post-production–generally its better to err on the reddish side to maintain the atmosphere and let the whites go a little warm if need be. With film, you can reduce unnaturally red tones with a Tiffen 82A filter, which should maintain natural skin tones while preserving the candle-lit mood. You can also try this as a digital slr filter, but be sure to set your White Balance control to the Daylight setting. The main point: Take a series of test shots before the event and see what works best for you.

Since you are shooting nature as well as weddings with your Canon 20D we would recommend a sturdy but easy-to-carry compact travel tripod such as the Davis & Sanford Traverse 553-P228. Your best bet in a filter kit would be the Tiffen Deluxe Enhancer Kit that includes a UV protector filter, a circular polarizer, an Enhancing filter, and Tiffen’s unique 812 warming filter.

Tiffen offers a variety of Neutral Density filters – Solid Neutral Density, IR Neutral Density, Graduated Neutral Density and the Attenuator/Blender in densities ranging from .3 (1-stop) to 3.0 (10-stop) learn more about them by clicking here. Neutral Density filter kits are also available.

The most useful filters for black-and-white photography in film or digital are the Tiffen Yellow 8, which is best for natural looking clouds against blue skies, the Green 11, which yields more pleasing skin tones outdoors and reveals the details in foliage, and the Red 25 which creates dramatic cloud effects. Once you have these we would strongly recommend a Tiffen Circular Polarizer, a variable effect filter which can be used to alter contrast, bring out clouds, and minimize reflections on glass or water when used in bright sunlight.

The Tiffen Color-Grad Sunrise filter is tailor-made for creating dramatic orangey sunrise or sunset shots and it is available in the 62mm size. This is a graduated filter designed to make the sky orange, but leave the rest of the scene unaffected when it’s properly positioned. Most people prefer this to an overall orange result, and it certainly looks more realistic. If, for creative reasons you prefer an overall orange effect for both sky and water, you can try aTiffen Orange 16 filter that’s usually used for dramatic effects in black-and-white. You can opt for a Tiffen Enhancing filter which creates brighter, more saturated reds, browns and oranges, and can be used with a Tiffen Circular Polarizer for dramatic outdoor effects. All of these work equally well as a digital slr filter or film filter.

The most common advice for stacking close-up lenses is to mount the one with the highest magnification closest to the lens, and in descending order toward the subject. However, stacking more than two close-up lenses at a time can have an adverse effect on image quality, so take a few test shots to vet your setup before shooting anything critical using this method.

Yes, the effective angle of view gets wider as the numbers decrease because you multiply the focal length of the lens by the numbers you list (which are magnification numbers) to calculate the effective focal length with the converter in place.

Yes indeed–it’s called the Tiffen Enhancing Filter and it’s ideal for making reds, oranges, browns, and rusts “pop”. For even more dramatic effects with fall colors you can use it with a Tiffen Circular Polarizer.

There are a number of excellent Tiffen soft-effect filters that tone down the harsh sharpness you get with many digital cameras. The Glimmerglass is an exclusive Tiffen filter that gives a very subtle softness in portraiture, and the Black Pro-Mist is also popular among pros. The Soft/FX filters are available in increasing strengths from 1 to 5 and we would start with the lower numbers to see which works best for your applications.

There is no reason that you can’t use a Vector Star filter on a digital camera provided it is mounted correctly. What you see on the LCD is what you should get in the final image. Of course 12X is a very wide zoom range indeed, and at certain focal lengths and focusing distances is it possible that you will get some odd-looking effects due to internal lens reflections, etc. If you are getting unsatisfactory results all the time, there is probably something amiss with the mounting, presuming the filter is not damaged or contaminated. We suggest you try shooting some images at a normal focal length about 1/4 to 1/3 of the way from the wide-angle position toward the tele end to see if you can get a star effect you like.

No. In general, digital sensors respond to filters very much like film, and it definitely is not necessary to change the filters you use with your Nikkors when going to a DSLR. However, if you don’t have a Tiffen Circular Polarizer, we would suggest that you try one of these since it is the most useful all-around filter for both digital and film.

We don’t think that using the Tiffen 812 Warming Filter with a circular polarizer will give an overly warm effect. The polarizer may enhance colors under certain circumstances but it does not provide any additional warming. Indeed, many people have used these two filters in tandem with outstanding results. Stacking two good quality filters should have no visible effect on picture sharpness, but stacking more than two can compromise sharpness a bit.

The Tiffen filter that corresponds to the filter you’re asking about is the Sky 1-A, a skylight filter that absorbs almost 1/2 of the incoming UV radiation. This popular filter is pink tinted and gives a touch of added warmth and is helpful when shooting outdoor in open shade or on overcast days. It works with any film but is most effective with slide film.

The exclusive Tiffen Enhancing filter makes reds, oranges, and rust browns “pop” with minimal effect on other colors. It would be a great choice for shooting fall foliage, especially when used in combination with a Tiffen Circular Polarizer. The exclusive Tiffen Enhancing filter has a filter factor of 1, meaning that you open up one f/stop from the indicated reading when using a separate handheld exposure meter. Through-lens metering systems adjust automatically to compensate for the exposure.

Tiffen lists a wide variety of filters in the 86C size, but not a UV Protector. The closest filter available would be the Sky 1-A, a popular general use filter that will also protect your lens while absorbing about half the UV radiation, a bit more than the UV Protector. The Sky 1-A has as slight pinkish tint that adds a touch of warmth that’s especially helpful when shooting in open shade or on overcast days. You might also consider the Tiffen Haze-1 filter that absorbs about 3/4 of the UV, and the Warm UV which adds more warmth than the Sky 1-A. All are available in the 86C size.

The Tiffen adapter you cite is the correct one for your application with your HP Photosmart 945 camera, and we are not able to state with certainty why you are getting fuzzy results. However you could be using the wrong tele-converter for your camera. Is it a Tiffen or HP unit specifically recommended for your camera model? Also is the tele-converter clean, in good condition, and screwed all the way in?

Mercury vapor lighting is tough to correct. Usually it is done with a couple of color correction filters, in this case, to correct for daylight-balanced capture a CC40M and a CC20Y would be called for. Of course a color-temperature meter is the best way to get a precise reading on the color output. The average person is not going to have all this, so what we suggest is a CC30M (magenta) filter or even the FL-D (daylight fluorescent) filter. Neither of these will provide perfect color balance but either does a decent job. The easiest solution would be to use one of the filters mentioned last and then fine-tune the results with computer color balance program.

The Tiffen ColorCore technology is a secret proprietary formula so we cannot tell you the exact composition of the material used. However, most Tiffen filters are laminates, which has the advantage of providing uniform color and density even after the filter is polished to our exacting specifications. This system has proven extremely reliable and consistent over many decades of filter production

A Circular Polarizer is for all cameras, especially still cameras with autofocus or cameras with “Beam Splitting “ metering systems. The circular works just like a linear, except it doesn’t adversely affect the function of these systems. For more info about different types of Polarizer filters, click here.

We do not make every filter for this purpose. In sizes 58 to 77MM, we make the Circular Polarizer, UV Protector, Skylight, Haze and Enhancing Filters in a very thin ring, so thin there are no threads for stacking filters.

Actually, you do not have to adjust the lens at all. Since you have thru the lens metering, your exposure system is reading the light coming thru the filter and is already adjusting for the loss of light due to the density of the filter.

We would suggest a Tiffen Circular Polarizer as your first choice, and the Tiffen Photo Essentials Kit if you prefer the most useful set. The Circular Polarizer is a very useful variable-effect filter that can eliminate or minimize reflections in water and on glass, bring out clouds against a blue sky, and intensify colors. The Kit includes a Circular Polarizer a UV Protector filter that protects your expensive lens from damage and cuts the excess blue you sometimes get when shooting landscapes of scenes over water, Tiffen’s unique 812 Warming Filter and a 4-pocket filter pouch.

Since it is impossible to conjecture what the ambient lighting would be in the museum, we suggest you use the clear glass Protective Filter when shooting with or without flash. If the lighting is cool white fluorescent (common in museums) a Tiffen FL-D filter would be best for shooting non-flash pictures. If the lighting is standard incandescent bulbs, set your white balance control to Tungsten for the best color balance.

Assuming you know how to mount the filters on your camera, the UV protector removes some UV radiation that sometimes shows up as excess blue in distant scenes and pictures taken over water, and it also protects your lens from physical damage caused by dust, sand, rain, etc. You can leave it on your camera at all times except when using the other two filters. The 812 is a warming filter that improves skin tones in picture taken on cloudy days of in the shade on sunny days. The Circular Polarizer is a variable filter that you control by turning the front ring and looking at the image on the LCD. It can be used to eliminate reflections on water or glass, to make clouds stand out against a blue sky, or to enhance colors. The Tiffen Circular Polarizer is probably the single most useful filter you can own.

The Tiffen UV Protector filter is the best all-round filter for protecting your lenses from physical damage. It also provides basic UV absorption and will reduce the bluish casts you sometimes get when shooting distant scenes or over water. If you want additional UV absorption, you can use the Tiffen Sky 1-A, another popular general use filter that cuts UV by nearly 50% and is helpful when shooting in open shade or on overcast days. We would use a Haze-1 or the stronger Haze 2A filter when shooting under hazy conditions, especially aerial shots and mountain scenes. There are some photographers who use a Haze filter at all times, and none of these filters require an exposure increase. The choice is yours.

As for Polarizers, by all means get a Tiffen Circular Polarizer for your D50 with 18-200mm Tamron lens. This adjustable filter will eliminate reflections on water or glass, bring out clouds against a blue sky, and enhance color saturation. As you will appreciate after using it, the Circular Polarizer is the single most useful filter you can buy.

You can certainly stack a Tiffen Warm filter or a Circular Polarizer with a UV Protector or a Sky 1 filter, but stacking filters can reduce image quality slightly and we wouldn’t recommend it as the ideal solution, especially with the Circular Polarizer. In general, whenever you use a filter to obtain a specific color effect, set the white balance first, and then apply the filter. If you do it the other way around, the AWB will cancel the effect of the filter. To be on the safe side, we suggest you use the same procedure with UV Protector or Sky 1 filters, but the Circular Polarizer will do its job irrespective of when or you set the balance control.

If you have an instruction manual for your Panasonic DMC-FZ30, the filter sized should be listed in the specifications. Sometimes it’s listed on the lens identification ring or barrel as a circle with a line through it followed by a number, which is the filter thread diameter in millimeters. As a last resort, you can measure the diameter yourself with a millimeter rule or calipers. Unfortunately, this spec is not listed on the Panasonic website or in posted test reports on this camera or we would have given it to you directly.

If you are going to keep the filter on at all times to protect the lens, we suggest you get the Tiffen UV Protector, which provides basic UV reduction as well. It will reduce the excess bluishness in images shot at high altitudes, of distant scenes, or when shooting over water. The Tiffen Skylight 1-A filter is also suitable for this purpose and many photographers leave it on the lens at all times. It absorbs almost half the UV and is pink-tinted to add a touch of warmth. It generally produces more pleasing skin tones when shooting outdoors in open shade or on overcast days. In short, either filter will suit your purpose and the choice really depends upon whether you want a touch of extra warmth or not. Of course, you can also get both filters and tailor your choice to your requirements and shooting conditions.

We would suggest a Tiffen UV Protector filter in 67mm size. This filter is primarily designed to physically protect your expensive lens from damage, but has the added benefit of reducing the excess bluishness you sometimes get when photographing distant and high-altitude scenes or shooting over water

The good news is that the Tiffen step-up adapter you need is a Nikon 900AD. The bad news is that this is a discontinued item and we have none left in stock. However, you can probably locate one by checking around with local camera dealers or online at larger stores.

A Tiffen UV Protector filter can be kept on your lens at all times to protect it. It provides the added benefit of removing the excess bluishness often seen in distant scenes or shots taken over water, etc. You can mount a Tiffen Circular Polarizer on top of your UV Protector if you wish, or you can remove the UV and replace it with the polarizer if you prefer–the results will be virtually the same.

Essential filters for your HVX200 in South America and elsewhere would include: A Tiffen Circular Polarizer which can enhance color intensity, bring out clouds against a blue sky, and control or eliminate reflections on water and glass; a Tiffen UV Protector filter which will physically protect your lens and reduce UV radiation which often shows up as excessive bluishness in distant scenes and shots taken over water; a Tiffen Haze 2A filter which maintains color and image clarity at high altitudes, and in mountain scenes, aerial shots and marine scenes; a Tiffen Enhancing Filter which makes reds, oranges and rust browns “pop”‘; and Tiffen Color Grad half clear, half colored filters (take a look at the Blue 3, Tropic Blue, Sunrise 3 and Sunset 3) which can give spectacular skies and sunrise/sunset effects without altering the rest of the scene.

To use Tiffen filters on your Canon PowerShot S2IS you will need a Canon conversion lens adapter. This will allow you to mount any Tiffen 58mm filters such as the UV protector or the Circular Polarizer on your camera. Tiffen filters are of excellent quality and are used by many leading professional photographers and Hollywood movie studios. We regret that we have no side-by-side comparison shots made with an S2IS both with and without a Circular Polarizer, but you may rest assured that the effects, such as bringing out clouds against a blue sky, intensifying colors, and eliminating reflections on water or glass, are dramatic and effective. In short, filters will produce the same kinds of effects with your S2IS as they will on a digital SLR.

In order to mount any kind of filters on your Canon S2IS you need a Canon conversion lens adapter (about $15). This will allow you to mount any Tiffen 58mm filters such as a UV Protector or a Circular Polarizer. Tiffen does not supply macro lenses for this camera, but Canon does offer a telephoto conversion lens.

By all means get a Tiffen Circular Polarizer! This outstanding filter brings out clouds, enhances color contrast and controls many reflections. Other Tiffen filters you might consider are a UV Protector filter to protect your lenses and removed some of the bluishness in distant landscapes, and the Tiffen Enhancing filter which creates brighter, more saturated reds, rust browns and oranges, and provides dramatic outdoor effects when used along with a polarizer. Get all filters in the size of your largest-diameter lens and use a step-down ring to mount them on the smaller diameter lens.

Unfortunately there is no general list of all possible lenses and their filter sizes. Assuming your Fujinon lens has a threaded filter ring at the front, you have to measure its diameter with a calipers or metric ruler to find out the correct diameter in millimeters of the Tiffen filter you need. The best one for your stated application is the Tiffen UV Protector. Prices vary with size and type and are set by the dealer.

Practically any Tiffen filter is usable on your Nikon D50–the size depends on the diameter of the filter ring on the front of your lens or lenses (they’re listed in the specs or you can measure them will a millimeter ruler). Essential filter for digital SLRs include the Tiffen Circular Polarizer, a variable filter than can be used to intensify colors, bring out clouds, and eliminate reflections on glass or water, and the Tiffen UV Protector filter, which will protect your lenses from physical damage, sand, and dust while eliminating the bluishness you get when shooting distant landscapes or over water.

Yes, if you’re using a Tiffen 58mm UV Protector, a 58mm Tiffen Circular Polarizer is the way to go wth your with your Elan 2 and 28-80mm lens.

The Tiffen Sky 1A filter is a popular general use filter that absorbs about half the UV radiation in the scene and adds a touch or warmth due to its slight pinkish hue. It’s especially helpful in shooting outdoors in open shade and on cloudy days but you can also leave it on the lens as a lens protector since it does not alter the exposure.

Your Olympus e500 is a DSLR so you have a great choice. Essential filters for your system would include a Tiffen Circular Polarizer, the most useful all-around filter, Tiffen UV Protector filters to protect your expensive lenses and reduce UV, and Tiffen Color Grad filters (such as the Sunset 3 and Blue 3) to perk up areas of sky without affecting the foreground.

Yes we do. We would suggest you get the 37mm 3-Lens Close-Up Kit, which includes +1, +2, and +4 filters that can be used in combination to yield a variety of strengths, plus a carrying pouch. To maintain optimum image quality, do not stack more than two of these lenses at a time.

Assuming you know how to mount the filters on your camera, the UV Protector removes some UV radiation which sometimes shows up as excess bluishiness in distant scenes and pictures taken over water, and it also protects your lens from physical damage caused by dust, sand, rain, etc. . You can leave it on your camera at all times except when using the other two filters. The 812 is a warming filter that improves skin tones in picture taken on cloudy days or in the shade on sunny days. The Circular Polarizer is a variable filter that you control by turning the front ring and looking at the image on the LCD. It can be used to eliminate reflections on water or glass, to make clouds stand out against a blue sky, or to enhance colors. The Tiffen Circular Polarizer is probably the single most useful filter you can own.

So long as you are shooting on a sunny day, a Tiffen Circular Polarizer has the potential of enhancing colors and deepening a blue sky. The effects you can achieve is also dependent on your shooting angle with respect to the light source–google “using polarizers” or go to www.tiffen.com for complete info on how to employ these fantastically versatile filters. A Tiffen Enhancing filter can also be used with a Polarizer to create dramatic outdoor effects, particularly in making reds, oranges, and browns “pop.”

No. In general, digital systems respond much like film in terms of color capture. Indeed, the best digital systems are superior to film in terms of color accuracy. No system responds “evenly” to all colors–even the human eye’s sensitivity peaks in the green, and is less sensitive at either end of the spectrum. A polarizer, and virtually all filters respond quite similarly with film or digital, and you can use black-and-white filters when shooting digital black-and white as well.

A 58mm Tiffen Circular Polarizer will certainly do what you want on your Canon GL-2, but using it in conjunction with the Canon WD-58H adaptor will be tough. Certainly the ideal location for such a filter would be at the front of the lens, or at the front of the adaptor. It is not clear how you would turn the control ring of the polarizer if you mounted the filter in between the lens and the adaptor, and this is not the ideal location optically. That being said, you could try this setup, and it may work satisfactorily for your purposes. However, you may have to rotate the WA adapter, or remove it and rotate the ring, to vary the polarization effect.

The nice thing about a circular polarizer is that it will work in all applications where a linear polarizer can be used, so yes it will work just fine on your FM10.