filter for 100mm marco 2.8 lens

I just got my 100mm 2.8 macro and lens hood last week and now i need to get a filter.....mostly for protection cause i get nervous when there is not a filter to protect the lens.


i was thinking of getting a multi-coating skylight filter like this one (58mm) http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …ghType=category​Navigation

i will use this lens for both macro and portraits. I want to be able to leave this filter on the lens for 95% of the time. a skylight filter will work for both macro and portraits, right?

is there another skylight filter you think I should get or should i get another type of filter? suggestions?

thanks

Skylight or UV. UV would be a tad better as it doesn't reach as far into the visible spectrum. But B+W is a good brand and MRC is the right choice.

what do UV filters do? block UV rays?

Yes. Skylight extends a little into the visible violet-blue range, which isn't all that helpful on close-up work like macro and portrait, but can help with haze for long tele or landscape shots.

I use Hoya Pro1 SHMC UVs but B+W is a well respected make.

ok thanks im thinking of buying this one: http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …ghType=category​Navigation

any reason why or why not?
thanks everyone

Brodog2525 wrote:
ok thanks im thinking of buying this one: http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …ghType=category​Navigation

any reason why or why not?
thanks everyone

No - go for it.

Brodog2525 wrote:
I just got my 100mm 2.8 macro and lens hood last week and now i need to get a filter.....mostly for protection cause i get nervous when there is not a filter to protect the lens.


i was thinking of getting a multi-coating skylight filter like this one (58mm) http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …ghType=category​Navigation

i will use this lens for both macro and portraits. I want to be able to leave this filter on the lens for 95% of the time. a skylight filter will work for both macro and portraits, right?

is there another skylight filter you think I should get or should i get another type of filter? suggestions?

thanks

I have a UV filter on every lens that I have EXCEPT my 100mm macro. I'm a firm believer in UV filters but there's a potential problem using one on a macro lens. Now my 100 is the older non-USM version which has a significant space between the front element and the filter position. The newer USM version may well have shallower space and what I'm about to say may not be on point for the 100mm USM.

In any case I don't want that much space between the front element and a filter. The effect is the same if you are driving a mini-van with a long, long sloping windshield that's a long (yeah, you got it, it's long, sigh ...) distance from the driver. If crud gets on that windshield then you are much more likely to notice it since the dirt is well forward of your eye and thus closer to being in focus. Crud on eyeglasses often goes unnoticed since your depth of field is meters away from your eyes.

The same thing can happen with a filter on a macro lens. Lets face it, no filter is clean, especially in the middle of a shoot and if that grebe is far enough from the lens then it'll show up in the shot. Depending on the distance the grebe could just be a lack of contrast, or it could look more solid. In any case I just go without a UV filter on that lens.