Who uses UV Filters?

[dennykyser]

Do any of you use UV filters, I had read once that they decrease the quality of your glass?

[fwhitesides]

I do. I consider them very cheap insurance policies.

[defordphoto]

Not if you use high quality UV filters. But that point could be argued for quite some time. I have no issues with them and find them cheap insurance.

[CoolToolGuy]

I use UVs.

Any piece of glass that you put in front of the lens will affect the quality. The trick is to affect it positvely.
With UV or Skylight filters, the main issue is to reduce exposure to things that can damage the lens (dust, fingerprints, flying debris).

For myself, I have chosen to go with B+W filters, 'cause I spent a bunch to get good lenses, I don't want to put cheap filters in front of them. B+W may be overkill, but a truly cheap filter will probably cause your 'L' glass to create 'L'ousy images :wink:

Have Fun
Rick 8)

[dennykyser]

For myself, I have chosen to go with B+W filters

What do you mean by B&W Filters?

[Canuck]

Here is a thought in line with the cheap insurance idea:
Which would you rather sort being that each have been scratched for whatever reason: 1) a $30 UV filter, or 2) a Canon L glass lens that costs $1350? Option 2 will mean a trip to a Canon repair facility and who knows what that will entail, timewise and costwise. The other important fact is that in that case, you are out a lens for that time. Option 1 means you go to your local camera dealer and replace it and you're set back $30 and whatever it takes to sort the filter. Back to option 2, we're talking weeks, not a part of a day.

[Canuck]

For myself, I have chosen to go with B+W filters

What do you mean by B&W Filters?

Brand name like Tiffen, Hoya, etc.

[CoolToolGuy]

For myself, I have chosen to go with B+W filters

What do you mean by B&W Filters?

B+W is the brand name for filters made by Schneider in Germany. There is a little confusion with black & white, sorry.

Have Fun
Rick 8)

[dennykyser]

How about a 50mm 1.8 ?? not a prime lens but still takes good pics, do you cover that lens. as of now, I dont have a uv filter on that lens and am impressed with the quality of the images, wondering if putting a uv filter will change that. my 100mm 2.0 lens I do have a filter on but when doing indoor portrait work also take that off, outside its always on.

[jimsloy]

Everyone.

[ilya]

I have UV's on every lense except the 50 1.8. Its not worth it, considering the price of the lense, and that its so light and unobtrusive, I've never come close to getting it in trouble.

On my other lenses, I dropped the camera from about waist high, it lands square on top of the 28-135is. The UV filter was cracked, and warped, so couldn't get it off. If it wasn't for the UV, I'd be out a lense.

I took the camera to the shop I got it from, and the owner had it off in a second with some cutters. It was free of charge, except of course I felt obliged to buy the B+W UV filter, which was about $60.

Anyway, always wear protection. To your original question, it will not cost you in quality, but even the best filter will cost you a bit of light, perhaps a half stop or so.

[burkdog]

What is a uv filter?

Is it like a camera condom? Can you just leave it on all the time like regular condoms?

[Yarin]

I just bought the Tiffen 3 pack with case for $67 from Adorama(NY) in store.

UV, Polarizer, 812.

For my new 70-200mm f/4 L. What do you guys think? Decent choice? Will these take away from my L lens? Thanks

[Vegas Poboy]

Good insurance to protect your lense, I use UV's on all of my lense's and So far B+W filters are my favorite but I also have Hoya's. Good Glass & Good glass filters is a must.

[Mark Kemp]

I always used to use a UV on all my lenses for much the same reason as you guys, then I got talked out of it by a mate at my camera club.

His argument was, however 'good quality' the filters are they must affect the image to some extent and must absorb at least a little light.

Why pay for expensive lenses and then stick a much cheaper piece of glass in front?

Its not as if we drop or scratch lenses regularly, you just need to be careful.

If you want insurance, buy an insurance policy. There are plenty of specialised insurers or add to your household policy as named items.

I have to say that since I took all the filters off I have noticed a samll improvement in autofocus, especially in low light and I think some pictures are a little sharper.

The change is very small, but I already paid a lot for the extra quality that expensive lenses give me and I don't want to throw any of that away again.

For me, the filters stay off!

[neil_r]

What goes around comes around. We have been here before guys.
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=17316&highlight=

Neil

[Joytek]

I always keep my filters on my lenses EXCEPT at night (tripod nightshots) since i foud that if I use a filter it creates reflections in the sky (lights reflected into dark areas like the sky) i figure that the light reflects off the front element and then reflects back into the camera off the back side of teh filter. maybe some exotic and super expensive filters have good enough coatings not to do this but mine don't.

w.

[chris.bailey]

Do any of you use UV filters, I had read once that they decrease the quality of your glass?

I have a UV on all of my lenses other than the 50mm 1.4 which i pretty well only use for portrait work. I have tried photos with and without UV filters and the difference is pretty negligible.

[G3]

All of my lenses have UV filters on them. They only come off if I need a bare lens for a particular shot or if I need to put another filter on, such as a polarizer or graduated ND. Even though many filters are threaded on both sides so that you could use multiple filters, that's not a good idea for image quality and I would think it would wreak havoc on the AF system's ability to function properly.

[jimsloy]

What is a uv filter?

Is it like a camera condom? Can you just leave it on all the time like regular condoms?

HAHA! Although it seems to fall off when the lens is not extended fully in zoom mode.

[boBquincy]

All the lens elements in a good Canon lens are coated, some are even fluorite or LD glass. To put a piece of plain glass in front of them seems like a waste. If you are going to use a UV filter at least use a good one.

I use a polarizer (multicoated) much of the time so I do not use a UV filter in front of my lenses.


boB

[CyberDyneSystems]

What is a uv filter?

Is it like a camera condom? Can you just leave it on all the time like regular condoms?

You can leave a UV filter on all the time,. many of us do....

....however,. on a more serious note,. it probably is not advisable to leave a condom on all the time like a regular UV filter... :lol:

[CyberDyneSystems]

All of my lenses have UV filters on them. They only come off if I need a bare lens for a particular shot or if I need to put another filter on, such as a polarizer or graduated ND. Even though many filters are threaded on both sides so that you could use multiple filters, that's not a good idea for image quality and I would think it would wreak havoc on the AF system's ability to function properly.

In fact I have one lens tht can go all screwy with just a UV filter mounted... it seemed to be a particular combo of the particular lens and a particular Hoya UV filter...

But it was enough to make me think my 10D had gone all "back focus" on me.

[zerolight]

I did use a Canon LC-39 (Sharp Cut) UV Haze filter. Which wasn't bad. Had it 2 weeks, then decided to put it up on eBay as I upgraded it to a B&W MRC UV Haze filter. Which is even nicer. Neither affect my picture quality. If anyones interested, the Canon one is 72mm and is on eBay now. (UK).

[slin100]

I've already thanked my lucky stars the several times the UV filter saved my lens from my two children's prodding fingers.

[psk4363]

:D They are premanently fitted to all of my lenses!

Barry

[EoSD30fReAk]

I only use a B&W SKYLIGHT filter sometimes in front off my 100-400L IS.
i don't use any filters on my other lenses like the 28-135IS and 24-85 usm. I once used a UV filter on my Powershot PRO70 and the pictures were pretty dark! so i never used it again.

[sp00g3]

I always keep my filters on my lenses EXCEPT at night (tripod nightshots) since i foud that if I use a filter it creates reflections in the sky (lights reflected into dark areas like the sky) i figure that the light reflects off the front element and then reflects back into the camera off the back side of teh filter. maybe some exotic and super expensive filters have good enough coatings not to do this but mine don't.

w.

I use a cross filter when taking pictures of cityscapes at night. gives a bit of pizazz to the photo.