Filter Technique & Field Notes
Practical guidance on CPL, black mist and lens protection filters. Real tests, shooting tips, and thread compatibility.
Leica 39mm vs 46mm vs Q3 49mm: Three Threads, Three Filters
M and Voigtlander often 39mm, some lenses 46mm, Q3 43 is 49mm. Three threads, three filters. Ask before you buy 43mm.
How I Clean Coated Filters Without Scratching Them
No paper towels. Blow, drop of fluid if needed, nano cloth on the coating. Add a cloth to the filter order — free shipping over $120.
Fuji 27mm Is 39mm. The X100 After an Adapter Is 49mm. Don't Mix Them Up
Do not mix them up. XF 27mm-class lenses are 39mm. The X100 needs an adapter, then 49mm. Wrong size will not thread on.
You Don't Need a Flagship CPL for Deeper Blue Skies
Skies and water do not require a $190 polarizer. Start with XT003; step up to XT001 PRO when coatings matter more.
Black Mist Isn't for Every Photo. Here's When I Take It Off
Fog, architecture, product detail, already-soft lenses: mist makes them worse. Trust means saying when to unscrew it.
What Lightroom Still Can't Fake: Polarizers and Black Mist
Dehaze will not pull glare off water. Bloom from black mist is not an LR slider. Protection can wait; these two cannot be faked later.