Filter or not for 70-200 f2.8 MkII

inspectoring wrote in post #15294971
Hi - I am a newbie and I think I posted the same question when I got my 17-55 and then the 24-70.

So what is the recommendation?

I remember reading here last night someone was keeping a cheap filter on all the time which he/she would remove while taking pictures. On the face, it sounds like a reasonable thing but is it practical?

Out of curiosity - just in case if the front element goes kaput on 70-200 or 24-70 - how much is the estimated repair cost?

As many have said, the use of filters is a personal thing, some will swear by them others loathe them. My rule of thumb is I don't use them on longer lenses as the hoods are deep to begin with offer enough protection. I generally use them on the wides with bulbous front elements where the hoods are very shallow and offer little to no protection. As far as degrading image quality, just make sure you are using hight quality filters keep them on all the time and you will be fine.

My default is to leave the filters off my lenses... it's unlikely to prevent damage to the lens, anyway. Might even do more harm than good. Ever see what the sharp shards of a broken filter can do to a lens?

That said, I have good quality UV filters (mostly B+W MRC) stored in my camera bag and ready for use, if needed. I'll take them out and install them if shooting in sand storm or by the ocean (salt spray is nasty stuff to clean off), or perhaps a paintball contest, dirt bike race, gymkhana... the sort of thing where something might be thrown my way that I don't have time to dodge or don't see coming.

I have seen situations where even the best filters increased flare and caused other loss of image quality... though it's relatively little and less common with top quality, multi-coated filters. I bought good lenses to take the best photos I can... so I ain't going to thoughtlessly install and forget a filter in between the subject and me and my lens and camera.

But if it makes someone else feel better about taking their lens out and using it... what the heck. And, I do like it when I see competitors using filters and more worried about protecting their gear, than getting "the shot". I also like it when I buy a used lens, that it's "had a filter on it from new". First thing I do is remove the filter, though (and the lens is usually sorely in need of cleaning!)

How I see it with the how filter scratching/breaking the front element of the lens... I am never in any position for something like that to happen. If it were, filter or not, I am sure there would be damage. I doubt the price difference would be that great.

My only reason for using filters is easy cleaning without worrying if sand or other debris is on the lens before wiping it. It allows you to be a little care-free and not have to be super careful anytime you have to wipe the lens down.

I don't expect the filter to stop any high velocity projectile from cracking my front element. Only to keep cleaning very easy.

I would get the best filters I could afford and use them when I have to. If I need to use a UV I know I will have bought a good one, same goes for CPL, ND etc.

I don't see the point in having one on the lens 24/7. The way I am with my stuff, I am super anal with new things I buy for about 4-7 days, then I'm all good. When buying a new phone for example, I will keep the factory default plastic on for that time period, then I will rip it off and use it as normal.

Same would go for a new balling lens, be super anal and use a UV filter, then come to my senses a week later and it off!

Just my 2 cents and experience.

I try to be that way, but it just don't work! ^

I just leave the filter on all the time now. For a while I did not, but I eventually went back... I never notice any IQ loss or anything other issues, still razor sharp images... No flare problems, nothing. As long as you use high quality filters there is no issues.

Can clean without thinking twice with a T-shirt, dirty cloth, whatever... No risk of scratches and higher resale value when you sell. I ALWAYS will pay a little more for a filtered lens all its life if I have the option. Just anal like that.

okay a expensive filter for around 100 bucks or insurance of around same amount for upto 5k worth of equipment. Use a hood.

Personally I use a filter (have insurance as well) - but my filter often comes off while actually going out for shooting especially at night. Even the expensive ones like B+W and Hoya actually cause some flare at night.

This will probably sound silly, but I used to use cheap UV filters on my cheap lenses. 18-55, 17-85, 100-300. Since buying better lenses, as stated above, filters are only used when the chance of sand, rocks ect are blowing around, or being kicked up. Creative filters are used for their own purposes, but most of the time my lenses will have a hood with no filter.