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How to Choose the Right Nikon D7200 Filter
Picking the right Nikon D7200 filter can completely change how your photos look. If you’re shooting with the D7200, filters are one of the most practical accessories you can add to your kit. They modify how light enters the lens before it reaches the sensor, producing effects that are difficult or impossible to replicate in editing software alone.
These filters are transparent, screw onto the front of your lens, and come in different sizes. When buying a Nikon D7200 filter, make sure you get the right diameter. Check the front of your lens or the inside of the lens cap for a number marked in mm (common sizes include 52mm, 67mm, and 77mm depending on which lens you’re using).
How to Take Photos Using Nikon D7200 Filters
Step 1. Using Polarizing Filters
Polarizing filters are probably the most popular filter type among photographers, and for good reason. They reduce unwanted reflections from non-metallic surfaces like water, glass, and wet leaves. When you attach a polarizer to your D7200, colors become more saturated and vivid, which makes it an excellent tool for outdoor and nature photography.
A polarizing filter is made of two pieces of glass set in a ring that screws onto your lens. You rotate the outer ring while looking through the viewfinder to see how the effect changes in real time. Turning it one way increases the polarization effect; turning it the other way reduces it.
Getting good results with a polarizer takes practice. It’s not a “set and forget” filter. Most experienced photographers don’t recommend leaving it on your lens all the time, either. A polarizer dims the light entering the lens, reducing brightness by about 1.5 to 2 f-stops. That means your shutter speed will slow down or your ISO will need to go up to compensate.
The good news is that the D7200’s metering system automatically accounts for the light loss. It measures the light coming through the lens after it passes through the filter, so exposure stays accurate. You just need to be aware that you’re working with less available light overall.
Polarizers work best when the sun is at roughly a 90-degree angle to your camera position. They have minimal effect when shooting directly into or away from the sun.
Step 2. Using a Multi-Coated UV Filter
A multi-coated UV filter is one of the most practical filters you can own for the D7200. It’s especially useful paired with a 55-200mm lens, though it works well on any lens size.
UV filters serve two purposes. First, they reduce the bluish tint and haze that can appear in outdoor photos, especially at high altitudes, near water, or in open shade under a clear sky. This happens because the camera’s sensor (unlike your eyes) is sensitive to ultraviolet light. Without a UV filter, that UV energy gets recorded and shows up as an excessive blue cast or reduced contrast.
When shooting in broad daylight, dust particles in the air scatter short blue-violet wavelengths more than longer red wavelengths. This is why distant mountains often look hazy and bluish in photos. A UV filter absorbs that ultraviolet light, producing sharper images with better color accuracy and less distant haze.
The second benefit is physical lens protection. A UV filter acts as a barrier between your front lens element and the outside world. Dust, fingerprints, and minor scratches hit the filter instead of the lens. It’s much cheaper to replace a filter than to repair or replace a lens.
Look for multi-coated versions rather than single-coated or uncoated filters. Multi-coating reduces internal reflections and ghosting, keeping your images sharper and more contrasty. The difference between a coated and uncoated UV filter is noticeable, especially when shooting toward light sources.
Step 3. Applying IR Long Pass Filters
IR (infrared) long pass filters are a more specialized tool, available in standard sizes like 25mm and 50mm diameter. These filters separate broad regions of the light spectrum, transmitting the wavelengths you want while blocking everything else.
Photographers use them for order sorting and for separating desired light energy from unwanted energy. They’re built with hard, durable first-surface dielectric coatings on optical-quality IR-transmitting substrates, which means they hold up well over time and repeated use.
When you use an IR long pass filter, you can capture photos with a controlled color and tone balance. The filter blocks invisible infrared light energy that would otherwise be recorded by the camera’s sensor, leading to color shifts and inaccurate tones in your images.
IR photography produces surreal-looking images where foliage appears bright white and skies turn dark. It’s a niche technique, but the D7200’s sensor responds well to IR light, making it a surprisingly good body for this kind of creative work. Some landscape photographers experiment with IR filters for artistic effects that stand out from typical outdoor shots.
As a general rule, choose your filters based on what you’re shooting and the conditions you’re in. A polarizer is great for outdoor scenes with water or sky. A UV filter is a smart everyday choice for protection and haze reduction. And IR filters open up creative possibilities that most photographers never explore. Keep a few options in your bag and you’ll be ready for whatever lighting situation you run into.
