UV filters
ecphotoman
Registered Users Posts: 109 Major grins
I've never used them before, but i just purchased a brand new camera and a few lenses and want to keep them in new condition lol. I know that some people use UV filters to protect their lenses. What I'm wondering is, do they affect the way your photo's turn out?
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They can have a negative effect on image quality. Buy high quality UV filters and the negative effects are minimized, but not eliminated.
You will find strongly held opinions on both sides of this question. Many will tell you that you are foolish not to protect your expensive lenses, others will tell you that it is foolish to put a piece of flat glass in front of your expensive lens (just the fact that it is flat can be a problem, even when made of high quality glass).
If you think about what risk you are mitigating, the answer is easier. Clearly, in a high wind situation in the Sahara you are well served by covering your lens with a UV filter (that will probably be discarded after your visit). For walking around in less extreme environments it might make more sense to leave the UV filter off. The filter protects your lens from a direct hit that is strong enough to scratch, but not strong enough to break the filter (if the filter breaks, it will likely damage the lens). The front element of the lens is much stronger than the filter - so some hits that would break a filter might not harm an unprotected lens.
Small scratches on the front of your lens will never be in focus, so are of less consequence than you might think. Also, the front element of the lens can be replaced at a cost that exceeds the cost of a filter, but by less than you might think (when compared to high quality UV filter cost).
So my advice is to enjoy your camera and lenses, taking reasonable care where appropriate, but don't feel the need to keep the armor on all the time.
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I have seen firsthand what years of cleaning can do to a lens and cumulative micro-scratches take their toll in the form of dispersion at the front element, which reduces both contrast and sharpness. For simple filters, it's easy to just take off the filter and clean the filter off the lens; much easier than cleaning the front element. You can even put most simple filters under water to get off much of the dust and grime. (Just don't do this to a polarizing filter or other laminated filter, as water can destroy those.)
For the few circumstances where the filter may cause a problem, generally strong cross lighting, strong contra-lighting and strong back-lighting, I just take off the filter.
A protective front filter provides both impact protection as well as moisture protection for the lens. Many of Canon's environmentally sealed lenses are not considered completely sealed "until" they have a sealed front filter as well.
The protective front filter also protects the front threads of the lens.
Many lens rental houses ship their lenses with a protective filter installed, for all of the above reasons.
A lens hood is potentially even more important for a lens, in providing both physical protection as well as a visible image improvement in many cases.
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I just ordered a uv filter and lens hood. I'm contemplating on whether i should. Buy a battery grip and extra batteries now or wait a while. I bought the camera and a flash and a random accessories this week and spent way too much at once for my tight budget.
Ziggy, I ended up buying a brand new 550D. Im still figuring it out, but I'm already way happier than I was with my Sony. Sony's live view on a 2009 camera was better than canons live view now. Everything thing else I absolutely love about my new canon
Why not get a clear filter instead of a UV? A UV will shift colors whereas a simple clear will not. I use Hoya HD clears on my expensive glass. I don't care what anyone says. I'd MUCH rather lose a minute amount of IQ than replace the front element on a several thousand dollar lens.
perroneford@ptfphoto.com