Are digital filters just a gimmick?

I've been playing around with my new K5 and thought I'd put up a picture as shot and the same picture with some digital filters applied to see what people thought. These filters were applied in-camera, which means that, if nothing else, it could keep you amused for hours when tent bound. The K5 has 18 different digital filters and most of these have several options. The "model" in the picture is ILUVSWTAS, perhaps a bit ironic, as he keeps getting his comments filtered as well
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The three versions of the picture are: original; extract colour (extracts two specified colours with the rest being black and white); and water colour.

The three versions of the picture are: original; extract colour (extracts two specified colours with the rest being black and white); and water colour.