What’s the difference between UV and skylight filters on a digital camera?
Asked 12/7/2010
4 views
2 answers
0
I’ve used skylight filters mainly for lens protection, but a shop assistant recently recommended a UV filter instead for a DSLR. I thought they were basically the same, with skylight just being a stronger version, but he said a skylight filter can shift colors on digital cameras.
Is that true? What does each filter actually do, and which makes more sense on a digital camera?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
8
The difference is that a skylight filter is a basic colour correction filter with a slight magenta tint which has a similar effect on skies as a UV filter (which cuts out part of the spectrum), which is neutral coloured. The effect of a skylight filter is slightly warming, overcoming the blue tinge that you get in shadows from the light from a clear blue sky.
The person is the shop is right that a skylight will affect colours but the effect is subtle, can be beneficial and can be largely reversed on the computer. However skylight filters are less common with digital given the ease with which you can apply colour correction in post production.
A more important question is why you are buying a filter. The common advice for protecting a lens doesn't make sense to me, given that filters can exacerbate lens flare and reduce contrast in certain circumstances. The price if a good UV filter can be about the same as a lens repair anyway...
Originally by user1375. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1375
15y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A UV filter and a skylight filter are not the same.
A UV filter is intended to block ultraviolet light while remaining largely neutral in color. A skylight filter is a mild warming/color-correction filter with a slight magenta or pink tint, traditionally used to reduce the bluish cast you can get in shade or under a clear blue sky.
On digital cameras, a skylight filter can shift color slightly because of that tint. In many cases auto white balance can compensate, and the effect is usually subtle, but it is still a color-altering filter. A UV filter is preferred when you want the least effect on color.
That said, skylight filters are less useful with digital because color correction is easy to do later in-camera or in post-processing. If your goal is simply lens protection, many photographers only use a front filter in harsher conditions such as blowing sand or salt spray, since any extra glass can potentially affect image quality.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI15y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Will custom white balance remove the pink tint from a skylight filter?
Do UV filters affect image quality, and are they still useful on digital cameras?
Do Canon L lenses need a UV filter, or is UV already handled by the lens/camera?
Do cheap UV filters reduce image quality when used only for lens protection?
Do color filters still have a purpose with digital cameras?