Due to budget my recent purchase for a camera limited me to a Sony Cybershot Exmor Point and Shoot. I've seen some neat effects by photographers using different filters. Is there any way to manipulate a filter for my camera, other than after the fact editing? Or some Filter Effects for your P&S for Dummies literature out there I can read? Thanks for your thoughts and feedback.
Unless it's a polarizer or neutral density filter, everything else can be done in editing and won't require you to spend money on a filter. So I guess it depends on what type of effect you're going for. If you want to enhance your skies in landscape shots, reduce reflections on water, or be able to properly expose high contrast scenes (stuff you can't really replicate after the fact) you're probably better off reading up on some editing tricks as opposed to getting filters.
I don't know of any books specifically that tackle this subject, but most PS books for photographers cover a lot of various effects and techniques.
@marubozo@moncooga Thank you both! I'll continue to read my manual and play with my camera and I'll looking in the recommended read.
I have a friend who uses a filter to enhance the "sparkle" on a glistening, glittery object. Such as glitter in the sun light, I haven't yet figured out how to recreate without the filter... I will persevere!
@icywarm EXACTLY! Star burst..'k got the technical term... we girls just like anything sparkly.. But can I get this effect with a point and shoot? Or keep playing?
@celticmystyc
you can get a starburst effect without filters, if your camera has a high enough fstop f/22, should do some good, the smaller and stronger the point of light the better (ie a halogen will work better than an incandescent or floro bulb) at giving you a starburst.
polarizer is good cause it'll give you the depth of color that you just cant really get back in post. Anything else you can pretty much achieve in post, in fact after spending a few days shooting with my gradient filters, something I'd have loved to have had back in my film days, I realized what a hassle they are. First ended up with dust on them, then had all sorts of focus issues when the morning dew began condensing on them, of course there's also my constant battle with gravity and one or two ended up in the sand. Of course the smallest bit of dust on them will show up in the image and you'll end up spending more time rubber stamping dust specks out than you likely would have in the first place applying the filter in post.
I have a couple of filters from a company called Cokin. I just had a look in their book and it appears that they make a magnetic filter holder to fit on the front of a compact camera. You can the just slot the filters straight in. I have two gradient filters (mauve and neutral grey) and the have some really nice effects, especially on sky. I also found I could use the grey one to stop some of the glare on snow when I was skiing.
*EDIT* Here's the link to the webpage. http://www.cokin.com/ico15-B.html?#b I just thought that if you use that system as well you'd be able to use the filters if you ever upgrade your camera and get an SLR or something like that. Yo'd just need to replace the filter holder.
@neda yeah - been shooting with grad ND at the beach and with and without a polariser and it's a huge pain .... can the same effect be gotten in PShop? I suck at editing and would rather get the technicalities correct but am heading to editing more now I'm shooting in RAW all the time. (have a range of cokin and screw in filters - star burst for GC camera just arrived so will play with them before passing them on but I like your idea of doing it w/o a filter, will try that to.)
@misschuff IMO/E nothing really replaces the color in post that you would get back from using a polarizer to start with. That's the one I use the most, and will continue to use. It's physics and unless you want to be hand painting your photos in PS I'd say keep using the polarizer.
I've been having a bit of a love hate relationship with grad ND and grad color filters. With really high contrast it just tends to make the sky drab and dark.
Just got back from Uluru/Ayers rock where I shot with ND's and bracketing, and each separate. Will have to get to the post production see how well photoshop can do an HDR with the bracketed shots.
@neda ohhhh can't wait - I remember now you saying you were heading there ... I have a love/hate relationship with the polarising .... just can't seem to make it 'work' for me! and some excellent results with the grad nd's. I've taken to doing exercises and documenting every shot with every filter so I can critically assess what works and what doesn't so I don't get so many misses for the 'real thing'.
@misschuff I'll get to them eventually I'm sure! It was a good trip, just rushed and hurried and rather hot. Must remember to get images off husbands laptop, had to dump my 4gb card onto his (after making space!) a few hours after we flew in!
graduated filters are easy enough to understand, but in case you don't understand exactly what a polarizing filter does wiki has a pretty good write up. I had it covered in one of my physics classes in uni, specifically took the 'light and color' course that was offered that semester to help understand photography a bit better. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polarization_%28waves%29
Also for anyone else that might wish to have a look at the link
@celticmystyc it's always worth it to have a look at ebay to see if anyone is selling used. Cokins are good since they fit a holder instead of a lens size (ie I have different adapters that screw to the front of my lenses then attach the filter holder then slot the filters in)...so you can always simply hold them in front of your P&S (been there done that!). Even if you find some that are being sold as slightly scratched, so long as they're cheap you may be able to work around any scratches since the lenses of many P&S's are smaller than an SLR's lens (don't know what the case is with yours).
@neda Another awesome tip/suggestion! I've also since learned there's a fella in the UK who manufactures filter adapters for my P&S camera! Who knew? So, doing more research and reading. Spent yesterday reading on my camera's aperture settings and the like...
@celticmystyc wooo-hooo non made in china! well at least part of it anyway. Love that.
Always useful to read the manual *thumbs up!* Usually I'll play around with something, then read the 'directions' then play around some more, then ask questions. Have fun with your new found knowledge!
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I don't know of any books specifically that tackle this subject, but most PS books for photographers cover a lot of various effects and techniques.
I have a friend who uses a filter to enhance the "sparkle" on a glistening, glittery object. Such as glitter in the sun light, I haven't yet figured out how to recreate without the filter... I will persevere!
of course I can get these before with a filter, but adding it in PP (post proc or editing is good too)
you can get a starburst effect without filters, if your camera has a high enough fstop f/22, should do some good, the smaller and stronger the point of light the better (ie a halogen will work better than an incandescent or floro bulb) at giving you a starburst.
polarizer is good cause it'll give you the depth of color that you just cant really get back in post. Anything else you can pretty much achieve in post, in fact after spending a few days shooting with my gradient filters, something I'd have loved to have had back in my film days, I realized what a hassle they are. First ended up with dust on them, then had all sorts of focus issues when the morning dew began condensing on them, of course there's also my constant battle with gravity and one or two ended up in the sand. Of course the smallest bit of dust on them will show up in the image and you'll end up spending more time rubber stamping dust specks out than you likely would have in the first place applying the filter in post.
*EDIT* Here's the link to the webpage. http://www.cokin.com/ico15-B.html?#b I just thought that if you use that system as well you'd be able to use the filters if you ever upgrade your camera and get an SLR or something like that. Yo'd just need to replace the filter holder.
I've been having a bit of a love hate relationship with grad ND and grad color filters. With really high contrast it just tends to make the sky drab and dark.
Just got back from Uluru/Ayers rock where I shot with ND's and bracketing, and each separate. Will have to get to the post production see how well photoshop can do an HDR with the bracketed shots.
graduated filters are easy enough to understand, but in case you don't understand exactly what a polarizing filter does wiki has a pretty good write up. I had it covered in one of my physics classes in uni, specifically took the 'light and color' course that was offered that semester to help understand photography a bit better.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polarization_%28waves%29
Also for anyone else that might wish to have a look at the link
@celticmystyc it's always worth it to have a look at ebay to see if anyone is selling used. Cokins are good since they fit a holder instead of a lens size (ie I have different adapters that screw to the front of my lenses then attach the filter holder then slot the filters in)...so you can always simply hold them in front of your P&S (been there done that!). Even if you find some that are being sold as slightly scratched, so long as they're cheap you may be able to work around any scratches since the lenses of many P&S's are smaller than an SLR's lens (don't know what the case is with yours).
Always useful to read the manual *thumbs up!* Usually I'll play around with something, then read the 'directions' then play around some more, then ask questions. Have fun with your new found knowledge!