UV Filter Help!!!

thollawa

My first two lenses will be a 24-70 2.8L and 70-200 2.8L IS. Should I use UV lens filters on these to help protect the glass or not? If so what filters should I use?

Do filters used for protection significantly alter the image one way or another?

Thank you for all you help!!!

Todd

jwear

thollawa wrote:

My first two lenses will be a 24-70 2.8L and 70-200 2.8L IS. Should I use UV lens filters on these to help protect the glass or not? If so what filters should I use?

Do filters used for protection significantly alter the image one way or another?

Thank you for all you help!!!

Todd

yes i dropped by lens the uv is broken and the lens is ok what brand ??? just don't buy the cheapest something like hoya ?? someone will have to give ypu advice on brand Jeff oh good one do not alter

Shay Stephens

An alternate view
If I placed an egg in front of a tank in order to protect it, ran the tank into a wall, and the egg broke, but the tank was ok, would I assume that it was the egg that protected the tank based on the fact that the egg broke, but the tank did not?

I don't see much use for UV filters as lens protectors. You are far better off using the plastic lens cap for protection, if that is what you really are after.

Filters tend to be forgotten, and as they get dirty, the effect the image. You can get increased flare, reflections, and foster a cavalier attitude toward the lens "hey it's protected, I can be careless".

Using it to protect against dogs and babies and other wetness would be a different matter. But after the danger is past, pulling the filter off and putting the lens cap back on would be in order.

My suggestion is to only use filters when needed for a specific task.

thollawa wrote:

My first two lenses will be a 24-70 2.8L and 70-200 2.8L IS. Should I use UV lens filters on these to help protect the glass or not? If so what filters should I use?

Do filters used for protection significantly alter the image one way or another?

Thank you for all you help!!!

Todd

Andy

Shay Stephens wrote:

If I placed an egg in front of a tank in order to protect it, ran the tank into a wall, and the egg broke, but the tank was ok, would I assume that it was the egg that protected the tank based on the fact that the egg broke, but the tank did not?

I don't see much use for UV filters as lens protectors. You are far better off using the plastic lens cap for protection, if that is what you really are after.

Filters tend to be forgotten, and as they get dirty, the effect the image. You can get increased flare, reflections, and foster a cavalier attitude toward the lens "hey it's protected, I can be careless".

Using it to protect against dogs and babies and other wetness would be a different matter. But after the danger is past, pulling the filter off and putting the lens cap back on would be in order.

My suggestion is to only use filters when needed for a specific task.

completely with shay. i'll add that you should use a lenshood all the time, it's amazing how much protection the hood offers!

filters suck, they get dirty, hazy, blah blah blah.

my exception to this is if i'm shooting at the beach on a windy day, i'll use a filter, but usually it's a cpl filter so it's doing a job for me, as well..

thollawa

Greatness...Thanks for the advice!!!

pathfinder

andy wrote:

completely with shay. i'll add that you should use a lenshood all the time, it's amazing how much protection the hood offers!

filters suck, they get dirty, hazy, blah blah blah.

my exception to this is if i'm shooting at the beach on a windy day, i'll use a filter, but usually it's a cpl filter so it's doing a job for me, as well..

I used a UV filter to cover my lens when shooting in Antelope Canyon. It was quite crowded and people were throwing sand into the air to create light beams in the sunlight. The sand dust would be quite abrasive, so I did use a filter there, the only time I have done this in years. Otherwise I am with Shay and Andy.

luckyrwe

I have three different filter brands, all 77mm. I dropped my camera bag at the airport last year and the filter was shattered. The lens was fine. The filter absorbed the shock that the bag could not absorb. Had there been no filter, all that force would have gone straight to the lens. if you can dissapate the force with a filter, good. If you can avoid dropping it, great.

I shoot outdoors and have lots of dust and debris, not to mention salt water and wind. Cleaning my front element may eventually leave marks. I can replace a filter a lot easier than a front element.

Has anyone done a shoot, with and without a filter, and show the differences?

wxwax

All I can say is that except for the 16-35, using the lens hood provides excellent protection for the front glass. And when you're done shooting and are removing the hood, put the lens cap on, that's what it's there for.

The hood on the 16-35 is necessarily short and not protective, so I'm careful with that lens.

Andy

wxwax wrote:

All I can say is that except for the 16-35, using the lens hood provides excellent protection for the front glass. And when you're done shooting and are removing the hood, put the lens cap on, that's what it's there for.

The hood on the 16-35 is necessarily short and not protective, so I'm careful with that lens.

old man harry dropped one of my cameras, we were shooting in times square (greasy rib fingers, i'm guessin'), he dropped it from waist height onto the street ... bounced offa the lens hood and no worries.

hoods baby, gotta love 'em.

ChrisJ

Interesting. I've always used UV filters on my cameras since my first SLR; probably something my dad taught me. I think I've just assumed that everyone did, so I've never thought of asking about the practice.

I don't think I've ever encoutered a situation where the filter has saved the lens. I've certainly never broken a filter while it's been on the camera. And usually when I take the UV filter off to clean it, I clean the lens anyway.

Removing the UV will definitely abate some (all? Hopefully!) of the vignetting I get at wide angles when I'm using the CPL.

So maybe I'll give it a whirl.

Chris

luckyrwe

The only lens I never used a filter on was the Sigma 14mm f/3.5, and if you have seen the lns you know you cannot use a filter on thr front. I'd leave the cap on until I was going to take the picture, make sure everything was perfect, then remove the cap, fire, and replace the cap. Then when I got home I'd check for dust while in a clean room.