We as photographers spend a lot of money on camera gear…Investing hundreds and thousands into camera bodies, lighting, straps, bags, accessories, and most of all…Our lens collection.
Lenses are the most important part of any photographers kit, in my opinion. High-quality lenses help tell the stories of our images and will also make or break the performance of our camera bodies. With that said, it is incredibly important to ensure you’re screwing fantastic filters onto your lenses to enhance your shots (or to protect the front lens element…more on that in a bit).
GOBE Filters Review
I have been using GOBE Filters on my camera systems since 2017 and have had experience with nearly every filter in their collection. I have trusted these filters in front of $200 lenses and $1,000 lenses…On $450 camera bodies and $1,500 camera bodies. And I have to say, the time has come for me to give my full review of GOBE Filters. So, without further ado, let’s dive in.
Gobe UV Filter Review
Let’s begin our Gobe Filter Reviews with the most basic and widely used filter…The Gobe UV Filter. Let me start by saying you don’t actually need to use a UV Filter to take care of ultraviolet light anymore. This is simply not a necessity with cameras like my Fujifilm’s or other modern DSLRs and Mirrorless systems.
These days, UV Filters are utilized as protective filters for your lenses glass. They act as a barrier, a bulletproof vest of sorts, to shield your lens from any debris, twigs, rocks, environmental elements, or dreaded sticky fingers. Think of it this way, what’s easier to replace: A $13-40 Glass Filter or a $1,000 Lens?
I utilize Gobe UV Filters on all of my lenses as I’m walking around outdoors. It’s my on-location insurance policy to protect my lenses from any destruction that could happen while I’m in the field.
My experience with Gobe’s German (▲▲▲) & Japanese (▲▲) glass filters has been phenomenal. They do not alter the quality of my photos in the slightest. I’ve had the UV filters (and my various CPL / ND filters) in freezing conditions, rain, snow and everything in between. They have been incredibly durable and withstood everything that I could imagine needing them to.
Gobe ND Filter Review
I have used every Gobe ND Filter: Variable, ND2, ND8, ND64, ND1000, etc. As with the UV Filters, my experiences have been with the Japan Optics (▲▲) and German (▲▲▲).
The Gobe ND Filters have allowed me to slow scenes down (such as water) and create stunning/dramatic effects, with limited to no color-cast. And in the end, that’s what you want with an ND Filter.
In my experience, I prefer the fixed ND Filters as they are built to perform at 1 specific task (ie: stopping down a specific amount of light). Whereas a variable ND Filter is like a Swiss Army Knife, it has to perform on multiple levels. That’s not to say the variable ND’s don’t do a fantastic job because they do. But I prefer the simplicity and fine-tuned nature of fixed ND’s.
Gobe CPL Filter Review
Aside from my UV/Protective Filters, the Gobe CPL Filters are my most frequently used. The effect given by a circular polarizer (CPL) is impossible to duplicate in post-processing. If used properly, at the right angles from the sun, the CPL Filter will take the glare off of water and give you a much more pleasing end result.
In addition to enhancing photos of water, CPL Filters do a fantastic job of boosting contrast & colors in other landscapes as well. So, if you’re struggling to make colors in a sky pop (as an example), a circular polarizer could help save the day.
Gobe Lens Filters: Quality vs. Price
One of my favorite things about Gobe Filters is the quality to price ratio. I am personally all for maximizing my gear budget…Actually, let me rephrase that. I have to be careful about how I use my budget. I cannot afford to go out and buy anything I wish, at any price.
So, when I bought my first Gobe Filter, I was afraid it would be a “get what you pay for” scenario. These filters are less or comparable in price to some “budget” filters you’ll find around the internet. But fear not, Gobe Filters are fantastic, even though they’re priced low.
My Overall Experience with Gobe Filters
My experiences with Gobe Filters have been amazing. As I mentioned above, I was skeptical about how they would perform at their price point. But my fears were soon put to rest when I got my filters into the field and started using them.
Gobe’s products are comparable with filters 2x’s their price. Their glass is high-quality, beautiful and does not negatively impact your lenses original quality at all. And their company gives back to nature with every filter purchase…Which is amazing!
Giving back to Nature
With every Gobe Filter purchase you or I make, we are helping to Plant 5 Trees. This is all part of Gobe’s reforestation initiative. And they’re doing a fantastic job. At the time of this review (revised April 2019) they/we have planted over 1 Million trees!
This is what it’s all about. If we as landscape photographers want beautiful photos, trees are a crucial part of our images. So, I say let’s give back to nature. And what better way than buying something we already need?
Gobe Filters Review 2019 (10 out of a 10)
I’m sure by this point in the review you’ve noticed that I’m a huge fan of these filters and Gobe as a company. So it’s no surprise to see that I’m giving them a 10 out of a 10 and two big thumbs up!
As an avid outdoorsman, I admire their reforestation efforts. As a photographer, I have benefited greatly from the use of these filters and they’ve saved the day on more than one occasion. And lastly, as a somewhat frugal business owner, I have been more than satisfied with the quality-to-price ratio I receive from Gobe.
I believe any of my fellow photographers would be more than pleased with these screw-in lens filters. So, buy with confidence if you’re looking to add Gobe Filters to your photography toolkit.
DIG WHAT I’M DOING HERE?
I put a lot of time into testing each product, photographing them and producing these articles. So, if you dig what you’ve seen please help by buying from GOBE with my coupon code or through my Amazon Affiliate links throughout this article. Or, simply give me a follow on Instagram or Facebook.
And as always, if you have any questions about Gobe Filters drop me a comment below. I’m more than happy to answer any questions & help in any way I can!
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