Quick question

Davidoff · July 23, 2005

Whith Slr's, you'd buy a UV filter for every lens right? It's like a standard that blocks harmful UV rays and at the same time protects the lens not affecting image quality. Is this correct?

ian408 · July 23, 2005

Some follow the rule of thumb that a UV filter protects the lens. Others
say it takes away from the quality of the picture.

I think they're cheap insurance against a scratch.

Ian

ziggy53 · July 23, 2005

It's a tradeoff, if the lens costs a lot of money, you want to protect your investment. Filters do affect image quality.

As the photographer, you decide when the protection is required. You can always take the filter off, but if you leave it on, you won't forget it.

I don't have filters on the Canon kit lens or the 50mm f1.8 MkII. Those are pretty cheap lenses, so I figure if they're damaged, I'll replace them. The best lenses in my kit are worth protecting with a filter, so I do. If I was photographing something worthy of the risk, I would remove the filter. It's just that simple.

ziggy53

luckyrwe · July 23, 2005

You can get a $4 filter and a $40 filter. I have not found them to affect quality for me, except on macro lenses where the large distance from the filter to the front element of the lens may cause reflections while really close up. Under such controlled conditions I remove the filter, but when out and about all day long, I definitely use a filter as a see through lens cap.

wxwax · July 23, 2005

I figure lens hoods protect all but the widest lenses.

luckyrwe · July 23, 2005

wxwax wrote:

I figure lens hoods protect all but the widest lenses.

If you shoot by the ocean, salt water doesn't care about hoods.

Davidoff · July 24, 2005

Thanks everyone, I think I'll go with a more expensive UV filter... not risking too much

John Mueller · July 24, 2005

I wish I could find the article I read on matters like this.
In brief it stated that filters are old school and that they are not need in most cases do to better built.
If you do get a scratch,it wont affect the image

Harryb · July 24, 2005

Davidoff wrote:

Whith Slr's, you'd buy a UV filter for every lens right? It's like a standard that blocks harmful UV rays and at the same time protects the lens not affecting image quality. Is this correct?

I figure the lens cap can protect the lens. I won't put a cheap filter in front of expensive glass and pay the price in image quality.

luckyrwe · July 24, 2005

I use Heliopan filters. If anyone here thinks that filters degrade the image quality, I'd love to see images before and after the use of a filter. The pictures can be taken seconds apart and results determined. If a filter shows noticeable degreadation I am sure they'd be out if business rather fast.

Anyone up to it?

ziggy53 · July 24, 2005

luckyrwe wrote:

I use Heliopan filters. If anyone here thinks that filters degrade the image quality, I'd love to see images before and after the use of a filter. The pictures can be taken seconds apart and results determined. If a filter shows noticeable degreadation I am sure they'd be out if business rather fast.

Anyone up to it?

Luckyrwe,

I just posted the results of such a test:
With a Hoya UV:
http://www.dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=137261&postcount=25

Without the filter:
http://www.dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=137264&postcount=27

I believe you can see subtle differences in Contrast and Sharpness.

ziggy53

bfjr · July 24, 2005

Don't use em haven't for awhile unless at ocean .
Lens cap, Lens Hood for me.

Davidoff · July 30, 2005

I know people use them mainly for protection, but aren't uv filters supposed to do something ( other than that )

Andy · July 30, 2005

i only use a filter when i need one.
for protection, i take great care, and always use my lens hoods - they provide a lot of protection.

i'll only use a filter for protection if i'm in a windstorm, or on a windy day at the beach for example.

Andy · July 30, 2005

Davidoff wrote:

I know people use them mainly for protection, but aren't uv filters supposed to do something ( other than that )

uv filters block out the uv light that sometimes can make a blue-y sort of haze in your pics... personally i don't use one, but i would if i were taking a pic midday and there was lots of haze present i suppose! some use a skylight 1-a filter, which adds some slight color like pink or yellow to warm up the color balance - again, the digital world, not really necessary.

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