30 May 2008
Jacobs 46mm Photographic Filter Set Review
Posted by Rob_Nunn under: accessories .
When you first get a digital camera that has a threaded lens, the whole realm of Photo Filters opens up to you – but which type to buy, what size, etc.
If you’ve got a camera with a 46mm thread (like my Fujifilm S5700), you can’t get a cheaper entry into the market than the Jacobs 46mm kit – often for for about £2(!) on eBay. It includes a step-up adapter, polarizer, diffuser and UV, so I’ve put together a short video to explain it all.
We all know that at this price the filters aren’t going to be the best, so I wouldn’t bother using the UV filter as a lens protector – it increases the chance of flare, plus do you really want a 50p piece of glass on the front of your £100 camera?
The diffuser will be useful with portraits and any shot when you want a softer look, but the real catch is the Polarizer.
Helping to increase the saturation of colours, better defined skies, and reduced glare, the polariser is easy to use and does it’s job. Just remember that it’s blocking a fair amount of light from hitting your sensor, so you’ll have to open up the Aperture (smaller f-stop), have a longer shutter speed, or a higher ISO. Of course if you’re shooting landscapes you’re best off with a tripod, and that’ll get rid of the blur anyway.
So, if you’ve got a 46mm thread, and have got a couple of quid to spare, go on and splash out – at this price you can just throw them away when you’re ready for more quality.
Cheers, Rob.
Tags: filters
2 Comments so far...
Matthew Clark (Clarky Snap) Says:
20 January 2009 at 9:56 am.
Hi rob ,
i bought these same filters on ebay for a couple of quid ,and found they were great value for money , i already had a uv filter so i donated the spare to a fellow Flickerite .
Rob_Nunn Says:
20 January 2009 at 11:53 am.
Hi Matthew,
You’re right, they’re a great buy, and the polarizer can make a huge difference when you’re shooting on Suny days.
Cheers, Rob.
