Comments on: Tips for the budding digital photographer

By: Marie Curie High School

Marie Curie High School — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:14:54 +0000

I am a master of Marie Curie high school, I'd like your blog. I will tell my student about your post for them to get more exp Marie Curie high school

By: pinoytaxation

pinoytaxation — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:18:59 +0000

thanks for the great article here…doing one’s passion is a satisfaction and others may not understand y…now i realized how photographers do it and how it should be.

By: argonaut

argonaut — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 04:10:39 +0000

Hello Sir,

I appreciate what you have written… Thank you for the information!

By: admin

admin — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 01:40:02 +0000

Albert,

Thank you for your comment.

i use filters for protection agains the elements.. there are some instances that shooting in the rain is required especially if you out on the field for long periods and it is easier to clean the filter than to clean a front element in not so ideal situations.

The other reason i say it works for me is that …. the lens cap monsters seem to be fond of eating up my lens covers.. but they seem to surface every now and then..

I should have added a section on handling & care.. thanks for pointing that out!

By: Orin - Wedding Photographer

Orin - Wedding Photographer — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 01:37:58 +0000

Good article- I used to think getting your kit was all about the camera. I now agree with your post- its just a link in the chain.

I particularly agree with the camera bag… Make sure it can carry everything- & buy it last! It needs to give all your gear a home.

Wish I had read your article before I bought all my gear!

By: Albert Yan

Albert Yan — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:12:56 +0000

Great article, Anton!

I’d quibble a bit on your advice about filters, though…….while it’s true that putting a filter (typically a UV or skylight 1A) in front of the lens will afford you some protection, it also adds TWO air/glass interfaces, either (or both) of which will inevitably create flare, which can drive a newbie to distraction, lowering contrast, and creating those glare artifacts that some so dearly love (you can tell I’M not terribly fond of them!).

What you gotta ask yourself is how much protection you REALLY get from those filters – if you drop that lens or camera, that filter ain’t gonna do you a whole lot of good! Where it CAN help is buffering an object that comes straight at the lens – but I ask you, how many times has THAT happened to you? And if that object is robust enough, that filter is NOT going to be much protection at all.

What I WOULD advise anyone and everyone is to keep that lens cap on when you are NOT shooting. NEVER store the camera or lens without that lens cap, and NEVER put the camera inthe bag without putting the lens cap on first. Virtually ALL lens damage I hav seen has come from careless handling of the lens WHEN NOT SHOOTING.

Bottom line – I take care to store my camera/lens properly and keep them clean, but I DON’T use filters unless I need them for some photographic reason.