85mm f/1.2L II - what filter?

[t5Nitro]

I think I'll be placing my order for this lens within the next week or two.

This would be my most expensive lens. Is it worth getting a really nice UV filter for it?
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/11993-REG/B_W_66_070243_72mm_UV_Haze_010.html

I'd also like to use it for other purposes instead of portraits.

I'd like to use it outdoors for certain applications. If I want to shoot at f/1.2 outside in the sun, which ND filter do you think is appropriate?

Is a 3 stop like this pretty good for this use?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...093_72mm_103_Neutral_Density.html#accessories

I have a B + W CP for my 24-70 and I really like the quality of their filters. Point me out in another direction if there is a better one or if these are fine.

Are what I picked out sufficient or do I need something different?

 

[Tremont]

>This would be my most expensive lens. Is it worth getting a really nice UV filter for it? http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._Haze_010.html

It's such a nice lens - not worth degrading the quality with a UV filter imo - just be careful with it...it's a big slippery sucker so, be really careful when putting it on or taking it off

For shooting the sun I think you want to be at high f-stop as possible - like F16 on this lens always. I've heard of people messing up their sensors this way, but I've made some pretty big mistakes in my time that didn't mess up the sensor (like switching on manual cleaning mode and pointing this lens straight at the sun).

> ND filters etc...

What are you trying to do? To get cars in daylight to blur how I want them (at least 0.6 sec exposure), I have to use one of these http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000IZ7DIY + a graduated ND on a cokin adapter.

I don't know if my solutions are better than anything else out there, this is what I've tried and it works for me.

 

[Tremont]

Even the nice ND filters seem to muck with colors.

w/o ND:

w/ ND.9x:

 

[BlueCorn]

Even the nice ND filters seem to muck with colors.

Part of the problem, especially with the darker ND filters, isn't that they change the color but it's that they don't block infrared. They will often cause a bit of a red cast and general flattening of colors on long exposures in bright sunlight because of that.

I don't use a UV filter because I've never seen any value in them. My rule of thumb for filters is to buy the best that you can afford. It seems silly to me to drop $2000 on a lens and then stick a $50 piece of glass in front of it. B+W, Heliopan and Rodenstock are all good brands generally.

 

[tyoberg]

Part of the problem, especially with the darker ND filters, isn't that they change the color but it's that they don't block infrared. They will often cause a bit of a red cast and general flattening of colors on long exposures in bright sunlight because of that.

I don't use a UV filter because I've never seen any value in them. My rule of thumb for filters is to buy the best that you can afford. It seems silly to me to drop $2000 on a lens and then stick a $50 piece of glass in front of it. B+W, Heliopan and Rodenstock are all good brands generally.

You can probably fix the red cast with a hot mirror, but we're getting into a lot of glass stuck in front of a good lens. I don't think they're cheap in the bigger sizes either.

I avoid UV filters as well unless I'm going someplace where I can't keep the front element from getting dirty/wet or whatever.

 

[t5Nitro]

I'll just order the lens itself and see how it does first I guess.

Oh yea Doug, I asked you about lightroom 2 a while back. Finally bought it! Should be here within the week I'd assume.

Thanks.