need advice for essential accessories (filters, lens hoods) for Xsi

Hey folks, I am looking for those essential accessories for my xsi. Right now its a prisoner in my house as i didn't decide on a camera bag yet (im close, but i need it not to look like a camera bag) and i don't have filters and such to protect the lens. My question is, how does this stuff all work together- do you need a filter for every single lens (of differing lengths), and can you keep the lens caps on with the filters on? It would be great if someone can just break this all down. there are tons of kits, hoods, and this is what ive been able to pick so far- im definitely a noob so gotta keeps things low budget.

so far on my list i have:

Tiffen 58mm UV Protection Filter - Tiffen

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00004ZCJI/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance
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Fotodiox Dedicated (Bayonet) Lens Hood, for Canon EF-S USM 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 I, II, IS Lens, 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 II, II USM, III, IV, V,& 28-90mm f/4.0-5.6 Lenses as Canon EW-60c

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B002K3Z3DO/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=A2XGFHB09ZZLWN&v=glance
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Precision Design ET-60 Lens Hood for Canon EF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 USM, II, II USM, III USM Lenses and Canon EF-S 55-250mm IS Lens -

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000TTCG8Q/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=A2XGFHB09ZZLWN&v=glance

so are these good choices considering the small amount of coin? what's missing (cleaning cloths- where, which one)

thanks in advance
--
'Only the dead have seen the end of war'

EDWARD ARTISTE said:

Hey folks, I am looking for those essential accessories for my xsi. Right now its a prisoner in my house as i didn't decide on a camera bag yet (im close, but i need it not to look like a camera bag) and i don't have filters and such to protect the lens. My question is, how does this stuff all work together- do you need a filter for every single lens (of differing lengths), and can you keep the lens caps on with the filters on? It would be great if someone can just break this all down. there are tons of kits, hoods, and this is what ive been able to pick so far- im definitely a noob so gotta keeps things low budget.

so far on my list i have:

Tiffen 58mm UV Protection Filter - Tiffen

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00004ZCJI/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance
---

Fotodiox Dedicated (Bayonet) Lens Hood, for Canon EF-S USM 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 I, II, IS Lens, 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 II, II USM, III, IV, V,& 28-90mm f/4.0-5.6 Lenses as Canon EW-60c

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B002K3Z3DO/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=A2XGFHB09ZZLWN&v=glance
---

Precision Design ET-60 Lens Hood for Canon EF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 USM, II, II USM, III USM Lenses and Canon EF-S 55-250mm IS Lens -

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000TTCG8Q/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=A2XGFHB09ZZLWN&v=glance

so are these good choices considering the small amount of coin? what's missing (cleaning cloths- where, which one)

thanks in advance

Click to expand...

hi Edward,

first of all there is debate whether filters (UV) degrade image quality. Some photographers just use lens hoods.. some use both lens hood/UV filter.. if you do want a UV filter , then definately don't go cheap on that. The general consencus is that Hoya and B+W are the leading standard in that area.

So yes, its best if you get a good quality UV filter and a hood for your lens.

Its usually best that you keep the UV filter on all time on each lens (only take it off if you're putting on a CP filter or just cleaning it, otherwise it can stay on)

good UV filters aren't cheap, so that might be a problem for you.. but its not the greatest idea to put a cheap filter on expensive lenses. Im not sure what lenses you have but i'm sure they alll cost much more than a filter.

Canon hoods are over-priced..so you can get 3rd-market hoods.. i don't think that is a bad trade-off, from what i have read.

For the camera bag, all I can say is that it helps to see them in person, so try to find a real camera shop to get a sense of size and depth; and then go with what fits your style and gear. And I've bought ones that I thought would be a close fit, only to find that they were way too big.

I cut off the patches and emblems on my camera bag so it's less conspicuous, though, in the end, I think the tripod hanging off of it will give it away!

Your camera is for using, not protecting. Get the recommended hood for each lens as it will reduce reflections, improve image quality and it will provide some protection. Forget the protective filters which are likely to degrade the IQ, cause flaring and are also reported to cause focusing problems.

Buy a padded case that is easy to use. Forget trying to disguise the camera. If you use it everyone will know you have it. If you don't, anyone interested will be able to figure out that you are carrying something of value.

There are plenty of accessories that I would consider to be essential. These would include a tripod and cable release, lens cleaning kit and a sensor cleaning kit.

I would just say to the OP that you need to come up with your own decision on the filter v. no filter thing.

Do a little searching, and you'll see the topic debated ad nauseum....There're really strong opinions in both camps. I'm in the filter camp, but I buy the B+W 010 MRC filters, which are top notch, but cost significantly more. I do agree with the no filter camp that there runs a potential to degrade image quality, so that's why I subscribe to the "get what you pay for" philosophy when choosing filters. Works for me.

I guess as to your specific question, if you do decided to go with filters for protective purposes, yes, you would get one for each lens and leave it attached, for the most part.

Save your money - a cheap filter will harm your pictures and the most you can hope for from an expensive filter is that it won't harm your pictures much!

Make sure that you have "personal effects" coverage or your homeowners or renters insurance policy. This is much better protection than a filter.

Buy a lens hood for each lens, and use it always. These will improve image quality.

Buy a bag you're comfortable using and forget trying to disguise what's in it. Any bag that functions well to protect camera equipment ends up looking like a bag to protect camera equipment Canon actually make a very nice backpack for reasonable money that I've been using for over 5 years :

http://www.amazon.com/Canon-Deluxe-Backpack-200EG-Cameras/dp/B00009R6TA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1264018501&sr=8-1

Finally, get out there and use it!

Kevin

Filters to protect lenses? Here's what I thought:

How often do you think you'll damage the front glass of a lens? How much will mid-range filters on all your lenses cost? How much does one of your lenses cost? Now decide how likely you are to damage the glass at the front of a lens. It isn't looking like a terribly good investment is it?

For me, protective filters are likely to be a complete waste of money. Some will disagree but they're thinking about their lenses and shooting habits, not mine.

Thanks guys.

I didn't want the bag to look like a outright camera case for aesthetic reasons, but also comfort/convenience. Safety would be least on the list- in nyc you just have to be street smart and you'll be fine. luckily i previewed several of the bags down at J&R in the city (lots of tamrac bags there) but since i didn't have the camera it was hard to see what would actually work best...the tamrac build quality was outstanding though. I was intrigued by some of the messenger bag styles i saw on amazon- its the artist in me, ill always go for the cool+functional first.

Im going to go ahead and get the hoods. The filter/no filter debate doesn't seem to have a verdict (at least from all the forums ive been through), its just preference- i think ill go probably get the filter and do static test shots to look for quality differences on or off. anything to protect the equipment is tops in my book.

I wanted to check with the pros before i went and grabbed anything. Good stuff.

THx all

--
'Only the dead have seen the end of war'

It is very difficult to pay within a couple to a few dollars for a filter that does nothing, but then you have very little to worry about in the "degrade" area. Nikon and B+W both make clear filters. In the case of B+W be very careful, because there are two filters with the number 007 and the word clear that are very different. Multicoating costs more, but has less flare (there is a big debate with experienced photographers as to whether multicoated is necessary or not) and a small increase in light transmission. I decided to go with MRC from the beginning, so I am accustomed to shooting at fringe areas where a single coated filter would definitely show flare.

UV can be a good feature to have. There are a few times when I find that it is not right for the shot. When that is the case, it is not always that the small amount of "filter factor" (1) makes the difference in the remaining amount of light. I use CPL a lot. I can get most of the UV benefit if I want from the CPL while getting most of what I wanted from the CPL if need be, but the CPL takes up to 2 full stops from the light that the camera sees.

The lens hood will protect your lens from most bumps and drops, but not from everything that can happen. Most who settle for a hood only have nothing negative to report about the choice, aside from being more conspicuous. My personal luck is such that the filter is necessary to protect the lens, hood or no hood.

EDWARD ARTISTE said:

Thanks guys.

I didn't want the bag to look like a outright camera case for aesthetic reasons, but also comfort/convenience. Safety would be least on the list- in nyc you just have to be street smart and you'll be fine. luckily i previewed several of the bags down at J&R in the city (lots of tamrac bags there) but since i didn't have the camera it was hard to see what would actually work best...the tamrac build quality was outstanding though. I was intrigued by some of the messenger bag styles i saw on amazon- its the artist in me, ill always go for the cool+functional first.

Im going to go ahead and get the hoods. The filter/no filter debate doesn't seem to have a verdict (at least from all the forums ive been through), its just preference- i think ill go probably get the filter and do static test shots to look for quality differences on or off. anything to protect the equipment is tops in my book.

I wanted to check with the pros before i went and grabbed anything. Good stuff.

THx all

--
'Only the dead have seen the end of war'

Click to expand...

Yes, get the hoods, but look for the Canon style ones that mount like a bayonet, and don't go into the filter thread (more convenient). There are 3rd party rubber hoods that can be used if you like, but they are usually mounted in the filter thread, and if you do want to use a filter (like a CPL), it can cause vignetting on wide-angle lenses, since you have the stack them.

Regarding filters, get multicoated ones. Here I compiled a bunch of different information, including links to filter tests: http://photonius.wikispaces.com/Filters You will notice that the plain Tiffen didn't get a good score. Hoya HD or B+W MRC are good choices, they don't degrade image quality on normal range lenses (there could be a potential issue with some filters on longer focal lengths, e.g. 400mm with focus shift, or bad bokeh).

It's basically up to you if you want a UV/protector filter, depends in how "dirty" the environment is you are in.

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Life is short, time to zoom in ©