Filters and Jpegs

Eye-level

Banned
I have heard that using filters can help jpegs. Does anyone know something of this? How can a filter help a jpeg out?

I have a new Nikon A2 filter which is supposed to warm stuff up a little bit...I wonder how that can help me when shooting jpeg.

BTW...please let's not hear anything about RAW in this thread...it is about jpeg shooting and how it can possibly be enhanced...thanks... :)
 
I have heard that using filters can help jpegs. Does anyone know something of this? How can a filter help a jpeg out?

I have a new Nikon A2 filter which is supposed to warm stuff up a little bit...I wonder how that can help me when shooting jpeg.

BTW...please let's not hear anything about RAW in this thread...it is about jpeg shooting and how it can possibly be enhanced...thanks... :)

That sounds very strange. I can see how a filter could help your photograph but not just a jpeg. But I have been wrong before. Will be interesting to see how this thread goes.
 

Eye-level

Banned
Well since I got this new filter today I've been cursory glancing around the net at different things and although I didn't read it (because it is at Nikonians and I don't do Nikonians thank you very much) some dude was saying it can actually aid the jpeg shooter...

The A2 was intended to be used to eliminate the blue tinge caused by using 5500K film in way higher K light such as most of the time in the daylight so to speak. When you put it on the digital it imparts a real warm look to it...I still haven't played with it enough to determine it's performance parameters. I bought it because I like warm portraits.
 
I know that my D5100 and the D3100 you can set corrections in the camera for the jpeg. Brightness, contrast, sharpness, Saturation and Hue. Wouldn't this do the same thing?
 

Eye-level

Banned
Yes I am thinking the same thing...I can set my white balance to flash (5100K I think) and it imparts a warmth to the snap.

I suppose what they mean is maybe different filters give you more power over what the jpeg is going to look like as opposed to the jpeg straight out of the camera processor. Looking at it that way I could see how it could be an aid to the jpeg shooter...
 
I was talking more about the "Picture Controls" >>"Portrait">>"Quick Adjust " Where you can set Sharpening, Contrast, Brightness, Saturation and Hue. It looks like with these you could havea custom setup just for portraits. Then just move back to standard etc for other kinds of shooting. I had not really thought about it much till tonight. You could set up for portraits, landscapes, flowers, nature and shoot just to suit what you want for each kind of shooting.

Again, If you shoot RAW go away now. LOL
 

Eye-level

Banned
OK here is an impromptu test...first snap is made with the A2 filter attached...second shot the L37C UV attached..I didn't do the lens only no filter..I sort of like the effect the warming filter has...



 

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
If you're shooting jpeg you are pretty much limited in what you can do with white balance by the WB controls in the camera. I imagine that there are some conditions that make even in camera balancing tricky, so I can see how filters would definitely aid the shooter. The same effects could be mimicked fairly easily in Camera RAW.
 

Rexer John

Senior Member
Filters that help Jpegs...

Number 1 has to be a polariser.
2, ND filter.
3, Graduated filter to enhance what could be a blown out or dull looking sky.
Then, colour filters will enhance certain colours if you then change the image to B&W.
e.g a tree taken with a green filter will show green as the brightest colour when when changed to B&W.

Most filters can be replicated with in camera settings, bracketed exposures or post processing.
Polarisers and ND filters being the real exceptions.
 

Rick M

Senior Member
As John said, I think all filters will help Jpeg as much as they would the "other". It's going to provide the same enhancements, but..., Jpeg may over-enhance what you end up with. For example, If your in-camera editing is set to vivd colors and high saturation, the filter may enhance the "pre Jpeg" image so much that the effects are over the top after Jpeg does it's processing. So I guess it might be a good idea to back off on any in-camera settings if using a filter in Jpeg.
 
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