As a photography enthusiast, my Nikon camera has always accompanied me in exploring this magnificent and colorful world. And filters, just like magic wands for Nikon cameras, can instantly transform ordinary scenes into astonishing ones. Today, I’d like to share with you some of my experiences using Nikon camera filters.

1. First Impressions of Filters: Opening the Door to Creativity
I first got to know filters because I found that relying solely on the shooting functions of the camera itself sometimes made it difficult to fully capture the ideal picture effects in my mind. Filters, these small optical accessories, hold tremendous potential. They are like putting different “glasses” on the camera lens, allowing light to enter the camera in various wonderful ways and thus creating a wide variety of images.
2. Wonderful Encounters between Common Filter Types and Nikon Cameras
(1) UV Filters: The Loyal Guardians and Image Quality Protectors of the Lens
The first filter I equipped for the lens of my Nikon camera was a UV filter. Its main function is to absorb ultraviolet rays, which is especially useful when shooting outdoors. Before, I often noticed that my photos had a slight bluish tint, especially in places with strong ultraviolet rays like plateaus or seashores. Since I installed the UV filter, this situation has been significantly improved. Moreover, the UV filter can also protect the lens from direct contact with dust, water droplets or accidental scratches. Once, when I was shooting the scenery by the seaside, a gust of sea breeze blew over, carrying some tiny grains of sand. After the shooting, I found some traces of sand on the UV filter, but the lens was intact, which made me deeply realize its protective value. In terms of image quality, as long as you choose a better-quality UV filter, such as some products of Nikon’s original factory, the impact on imaging is almost negligible.
(2) Polarizing Filters: The Magicians of Color and Light
Polarizing filters are definitely one of the most commonly used filters in my landscape photography. When I use my Nikon camera to shoot mountain and water landscapes under the blue sky and white clouds, the polarizing filter is like a magical magician. With a gentle wave of its magic wand, it can make the sky bluer and deeper, the clouds whiter and more three-dimensional, and the reflections on the water surface disappear, making the underwater scenery clearly visible. Once, when I was shooting a peaceful lake, the sunlight was shining on the lake surface, creating glistening waves. Originally, the beautiful scenery was somewhat diminished in the photo due to the reflections. After I installed the polarizing filter and rotated it, as the reflections gradually weakened, the aquatic plants and stones at the bottom of the lake emerged, and the whole picture suddenly became vivid. Moreover, polarizing filters can also enhance the color saturation of the picture, making green trees greener and red flowers redder, presenting the colors of nature more perfectly in the photos. However, when using polarizing filters, you need to pay attention to adjusting the angle to find the best polarizing effect, which requires some experience and patience.
(3) Neutral Density (ND) Filters: The Passports to the Slow Shutter World
For me who loves shooting slow shutter effects, ND filters are essential tools. During the day when there is plenty of light, if you want to shoot silky smooth waterfall water or light trails of moving cars, you need to use ND filters to reduce the amount of light entering the lens, thereby prolonging the shutter speed. I once went to a mountain waterfall on a sunny afternoon. Without an ND filter, even when I adjusted the aperture to the smallest, the shutter speed was still too fast to capture the silky effect of the flowing water. After I installed the ND filter, the shutter speed decreased, and the water of the waterfall turned into a white silk ribbon in the photo, forming a sharp contrast with the surrounding rocks and green trees, creating a highly dynamic and beautiful picture. Nikon cameras paired with ND filters of different stops can flexibly choose according to the actual light conditions and the desired effects, providing more possibilities for creative shooting.

3. The Dilemma and Insights in Filter Selection
(1) Compatibility: The Exclusive Partners of Nikon Cameras
When choosing filters, the first thing to consider is the compatibility with Nikon cameras. Nikon cameras come in different models with various lens diameters. Before buying filters, I will always carefully check the diameter of the camera lens to ensure that the selected filters can match perfectly. If the filter diameter is not suitable, not only will the installation be unstable, but vignetting and other problems may also occur, seriously affecting the shooting effect. Moreover, some high-end Nikon cameras have higher requirements for the optical quality of filters, so when choosing, it is also advisable to select high-quality products as much as possible to fully utilize the performance of the camera.
(2) Quality Considerations: The Choices between Optical Quality and Coating Technology
The quality of filters directly affects the imaging effect, so I have also put a lot of effort into this aspect. The material of optical glass is an important consideration factor. High-quality optical glass has high light transmittance, low chromatic aberration and good flatness. I once compared some cheap filters with high-quality ones and found that cheap filters would cause slight blurring and color deviation in the pictures during shooting, while high-quality filters could clearly and sharply restore the scenes. In addition, the coating technology cannot be ignored. Filters with multi-layer coatings can effectively reduce reflections and lower the occurrence probability of glare and ghosting. I once used a filter of Nikon’s original factory, and its coating technology was excellent. When shooting under strong light, there was almost no obvious glare, and the picture was clean and clear.
(3) Shooting Requirements: Filter Selection Based on Different Scenes
Different shooting scenes and subjects require different types of filters. In landscape photography, as mentioned before, polarizing filters, ND filters and graduated filters are commonly used tools. In portrait photography, I may choose soft focus filters to create a soft and romantic atmosphere or use some special effect filters to increase the artistic sense of the photos. For example, when shooting retro-style portraits, I will use warm-tone filters to make the photos present a nostalgic color. In macro photography, polarizing filters can reduce the reflections on the wings of insects or the surfaces of flowers, highlighting the detailed textures of the subjects. Night photography cannot do without star filters to create brilliant light effects or ND filters to capture light trails of moving cars and star trails.
4. Nikon Original Factory Filters vs. Third-Party Filters: A Contest between Quality and Cost-Effectiveness
(1) Nikon Original Factory Filters: The Benchmark of Quality
Nikon original factory filters have an unparalleled advantage in terms of compatibility with Nikon cameras. They are like tailor-made accessories for Nikon cameras, able to precisely match the optical design of the lenses and ensure that every detail can be perfectly presented. Nikon’s high-end gold-ring filter series, whether in terms of the material of optical glass or the coating technology, is first-class. I once used a polarizing filter of Nikon’s original factory, and its color and light restoration were extremely high, and it also performed excellently in terms of durability. However, the prices of Nikon original factory filters are relatively high, which is indeed a considerable burden for photography enthusiasts like me. Moreover, the product lines of original factory filters are relatively limited, and they may not be able to meet all my requirements in terms of some special filter types or personalized filter needs.
(2) Third-Party Filters: The Cost-Effective Options
In order to find more cost-effective filters, I have also tried some third-party brands. Among them, B+W has left a deep impression on me. Its optical glass manufacturing process is exquisite, and its multi-layer coating technology is outstanding, able to provide excellent color restoration and extremely low light loss. Although its prices are a bit higher than some ordinary third-party filters, compared with Nikon’s original factory filters, its cost-effectiveness is quite good. Kenko is a brand with a very rich product line, covering filters from entry-level to professional-level. Its ordinary UV filters and polarizing filters are reasonably priced and very suitable for beginners or photography enthusiasts with limited budgets. When I first started photography, I used Kenko’s filters, and they could meet my basic daily shooting needs. NiSi stands out in filter innovation. Its adjustable ND filters and reverse graduated filters and other products have brought a lot of new inspirations for my creative shooting. These third-party brands also fully consider the compatibility with Nikon cameras in their designs, providing filters of various diameters for selection, and will not have adverse effects on the auto-focusing, metering and other functions of Nikon cameras during installation and use.
5. Tips and Precautions for Using Filters
(1) Installation and Removal
When installing filters, make sure that the filter and the lens bayonet are aligned, and rotate gently to install to avoid damage caused by excessive force. When removing filters, also be careful not to let dust or debris enter the lens. I once accidentally let some dust enter the lens when I was in a hurry to remove the filter, and it took me a lot of effort to clean it up later, so everyone should take this as a warning.
(2) Cleaning and Maintenance
Filters will inevitably get dusty or have fingerprints during use, and they need to be cleaned in time. Generally, I will use special lens cleaning cloths and cleaning solutions to gently wipe the surface of the filters. Pay attention to avoid using rough materials or wiping too hard to avoid scratching the filters. When the filters are not in use, it is best to put them in a special filter box to avoid collisions or friction with other hard objects.
6. Conclusion: Filters, the Creative Partners of Nikon Cameras
Through using Nikon camera filters, I have deeply realized their importance in photography creation. Whether it is improving light conditions, protecting the lens or creating unique artistic effects, filters have added countless highlights to my photography journey. When choosing filters, we should comprehensively consider factors such as compatibility with Nikon cameras, filter quality, shooting requirements and prices, and find the most suitable products between Nikon original factory filters and third-party filters. I hope my usage experiences can be helpful to the vast number of photography enthusiasts, allowing everyone to also make full use of these magical tools and create more amazing works with Nikon cameras.