Square filters

[Dangermouse]

Hi,

I recently bought myself a nice Panasonic GF1 with the 14-45 mm lens. I want to use it partly for landscape photography so I understand that some filters such as grey grads and a polarisor might be helpful. There are a couple of questions I could use some help with:-

(a) do I really need them at all or can I do it all now in camera (ot in PC)? I do hope to become proficient using software. I have just sent off for my free copy of Elements 8 that was offered by Panasonic as part of the deal and as I want to look as some gentle HDR am quite prepared to buy photomatix.

(Is there a cheaper or even free alternative to Photomatix???)

(b) if so which ones. firstly what make. I know everybody raves about Lee but wow are they expensive. Then the bigger Cokin's are n't much cheaper. I could easily blow over £300 on just the holder/adaptor/3 grey grads and the polarisor!!

(c) what size should I go for. I think most of them will be ok for the current lens but I do not if I might ever buy the 8-14mm and if I do ever find £900 for that then I'd rather not have to go out and repace all the medium sized filters I have bought. (I realise there is no screw thread to attach a filter holder to this lens but there must be a way to attach or hold filters in fornt of it somehow, so long as they are big enough for the sides not to be seen!).

Many thaks,

David

 

[f6cvalkyrie]

Hi,

congrats on your new camera !

Since I do not use filters on mine, I'll leave that to more experienced filter users.

But for the HDR part, I have Photomatix, but am more happy with the possibilities of Oloneo Photoengine.

You can download it from here :

Oloneo - Download

It is in "Free Beta" stage, but works very well !

Have a nice day,
Rafael

 

[grebeman]

David,

I think that my approach would be to try things out first, i.e. your new camera and software, see how you get on and then decide if your photography would benefit from the use of filters, polariser, etc.
By all means ask the questions you have, but advance slowly, treat the answers as research.
I'm sure there are plenty of people on here who take great landscape shots without resorting to these sort of devices, whilst others will use them and swear by them.

Barrie