When to Buy an FLD Filter for Your Lens

As someone who works as a photographer and retoucher for FixThePhoto, I tend to receive a lot of questions about FLD filters from our audience, as they wonder how such filters can be used to enhance image quality. If you’re still wondering what an FLD filter is in the first place, then this is also the article for you.

A FLD (Fluorescent Light Daylight) filter is a useful solution for fixing color casts created by fluorescent lighting. I apply it to receive natural and balanced hues, particularly when doing indoor photography that heavily relies on artificial lighting, which makes the scene look too green or cold.

As for “What does a FLD filter do?” – it’s able to recover natural tones without requiring intense manual retouching, which can significantly streamline the image editing process. That said, it isn’t perfect. Occasionally, it can lower sharpness or adjust colors incorrectly if the lighting in the shot was uneven. However, if applied with care, FLD filters offer a user-friendly and fast way to improve photo quality straight out of the camera.

From the very first photoshoot I did using fluorescent lights, I noted that the images ended up having an unnatural greenish or bluish tint. This is why I was so happy to learn about the existence of FLD filters. They were created to fix the color cast added by fluorescent lighting by counter-balancing it with a warm tone.

Plainly speaking, the purpose of an FLD lens filter is to ensure the camera “sees” colors more accurately when working in challenging lighting conditions. Rather than having to do a lot of editing during post-processing, I can simply attach an FLD filter to the lens to ensure the RAW photo already has true-to-life colors.

An FLD lens filter can be made of a variety of materials, including glass, plastic, and metal. It’s usually covered with a magenta-hued dye that helps absorb undesired wavelengths. It serves to separate specific wavelengths of light produced by fluorescent bulbs that add an unnatural greenish or bluish color to the scene. You can view it as a color corrector attached to the lens, adjusting the light spectrum to ensure the camera sensor captures colors closer to our human perception.

If you still don’t understand the meaning of an FLD filter, imagine wearing warm-tinted glasses that compensate for the cool lighting in your shot. As such, when you take photos under fluorescent light with an attached FLD filter, skin tones look natural, and white backgrounds preserve their color without suffering from an unwanted greenish hue.

For our daily work, I and my FixThePhoto colleagues connect such a filter to my lens before taking photos under fluorescent lighting, and it instantly eliminates the color cast. Remember that, depending on the power of the fluorescent lights, your photos might still require a bit of color correction during the editing stage.

In my opinion, an FLD filter is highly recommended if your photoshoots are often held indoors under fluorescent lights. Such lights are often found in offices, schools, hospitals, stores, and some studios, and they can add a noticeable greenish or bluish color cast that can be very difficult to fix in post.

I think such filters are particularly relevant for the following photography types:

• Portrait photography. Fluorescent lighting can cause skin tones to appear unnatural and unhealthy. By leveraging an FLD filter, you can receive warm, realistic skin colors when taking the photos.
• Product photography. When taking indoor product photos, color accuracy is essential. FLD filters ensure you don’t get any unwanted green tints on white backgrounds and item surfaces.
• Event photography. Events organized in spaces with fluorescent lights require FLD filters to preserve natural and consistent colors.
• Interior photography. Taking photos of interiors under mixed or fluorescent lighting becomes less challenging with FLD filters, as they help regulate the color temperature.
• Landscape photography. Even though FLD filters were made to deal with fluorescent light, I sometimes use them outside in shaded areas too to capture crispier, more balanced hues, particularly when taking photos during blue hour or close to streetlights.

That said, if you primarily work outdoors or in spaces with natural or tungsten lighting, an FLD filter might be excessive. Additionally, modern cameras for photography are a lot more efficient at tackling fluorescent lights thanks to advanced white balance parameters, but the color correction provided by such a filter can still help you save some time on image editing.

When is an FLD camera filter useful:

As a photographer and retoucher who has quite a bit of experience with this type of gear, here are some FLD filter use tips I can share:

Now that you know what an FLD filter is, you might be thinking about getting one for your gear set. The prices for such filters range between $11 and $40, which is why it’s a reasonably priced investment if you’re frequently dealing with them. I can recommend the following FLD filters for any budget-conscious photographer:

• Sedremm 52mm Filter Kit. A multifunctional collection that comes with UV, CPL, and FLD filters. Perfect for photographers interested in getting several filter types in a single kit. The FLD filter allows dealing with fluorescent light color casts efficiently.
• Tiffen 62mm. Praised for its optical clarity and sturdiness, Tiffen’s FL-D filter is the go-to solution for balancing the colors when shooting in fluorescent lighting. A good choice for photographers who prefer reputable brand quality.
• Neewer Filter Kit. This affordable set offers UV, CPL, and FLD filters. It’s optional for beginners interested in getting an FLD filter for a bargain price while still receiving solid results.
• Pro Lens Filter Kit. A comprehensive bundle that includes a polarizer, FLD, and Neutral density filter. It’s versatile and simple to use, representing a fantastic option if you value both quality and convenience.

At FixThePhoto, we make sure to try out all gear in a variety of scenarios to check how useful it actually is. I, Kate, and Vadym went through the following stages during our test:

• Portraits under office lighting. I worked with a model in our office that was illuminated with regular fluorescent bulbs. Without a filter, the skin appeared pale and suffered from that pesky greenish tint. Once I paired the camera with an FLD filter, the colors became warmer and looked more natural. This helped cut down the time I usually spend retouching since I didn’t have to adjust the skin tone manually.
• Product photos against a white backdrop. Kate took pictures of little accessories against a white background. Before she attached the filter, the backdrop looked dirty greenish, but afterward, the whites looked pure and clean while the product itself maintained its natural colors.
• Event-style lighting. Vadym worked at a little indoor venue with mixed fluorescent lighting. While he appreciated how the filter minimized the green cast, the presence of other light sources forced him to make several white balance adjustments. Still, without the filter, he’d have to do even more work.
• Interior photography. I took photos in a trendy workspace with fluorescent ceiling panels. Before I added the filter, the walls appeared bland and had a subtle tint to them. With the filter, the photos resembled real life a lot more accurately, minimizing the amount of retouching I had to do later.
• Outdoor experiment. Kate tested the performance of an FLD filter outdoors during blue hour near city lights. The filter managed to make the overall color scheme warmer, which enhanced the vibes of the scene and made it more appealing.

FLD filters are particularly important for portrait, product, and interior photography done in consistent fluorescent lighting. If you’re dealing with mixed or unusual light sources, it can still be useful, but you’ll have to make white balance and color correction adjustments afterward.