What UV Filters to Get

aero145 wrote in post #2016962
Thanks for the replies guys.

So are you telling me that I should only use the filters when I don't have the hood on (which is not often)?

So if I use hoods 90% of the time, I should use 10% of the time UV's?

no, just leave them on the lens all the time. aslong as you buy quality filters, they should not affect your image quality, therefore can be left on the lens at all times.

aero145 wrote in post #2014023
Hey guys.

I was just checking B&H and saw that it's a pain in the neck to buy the B+W 415 MC filters...

I was wondering if 6-10 week waiting and 150$ paying is fair for that type of order? Isn't just best to buy the 010 UV Haze filters? Would they damage sharpness on for example 17-40, 70-200 f/4 or 50 1.8 II?

Regards,
Aero145

I have never noticed a lack of sharpness when using filters, even when doing a stringent test with tripod , mlu, cable release, and a good old pixel peeping at 400%+ . The filters i use are hoya SHMC pro-1.

Chad McCan wrote in post #2017033
I have a completely different opinion. I use filters on everything I have. I don't want the glass scratched in any way, ever. I also carry insurance on my equipment and always buy extended warranties, so call me paranoid. I am not rich, so the $12k in equipment I have, I can't afford to replace if something happens to it.

Then again, one can argue the other way around and wonder why you're spending so much on a good glass setup just to add another piece of glass in front of it. The lenses are designed to perform the best optically when you use it without a filter. Adding on a filter will obviously affect IQ (I don't see how this is not possible), and it's partially this IQ that you're paying for in the first place when you purchase a lens.

I would say that the front element does not get scratched very easily as long as you take pre-caution when you clean. For example, blow any dust off if there are any on the glass before wiping it (so incase you do have rock-like debris on it, you don't scratch it when you wipe it). You should also be aware of where you will be using the lens.

If you will be using it in areas where you may encounter debris flying through the air, or water, or any area where things will be "forced" onto the front element, then I would use a filter (in fact, this is the only time I use one). This is of course, assuming the filter is for protection and not for enhancement like a circular polarizer.

For everyday shooting IMO, it's not necessary. A good lens hood usually keeps all that bad stuff away from the front element, and it sure can absorb way more damage if you were going to have some "accidental bump."

If you must use one though, just like what SkipD said, get the best ones. The Schott glass used in the B+W and Heliopan filters are of high quality and I would recommend them if you ever needed filters. Just make sure you get the ones that are multicoated. Hoya is also a great alternative, even though they don't use the same grade glass as Heliopan and B+W.

BryanP wrote in post #2017586
Then again, one can argue the other way around and wonder why you're spending so much on a good glass setup just to add another piece of glass in front of it. The lenses are designed to perform the best optically when you use it without a filter. Adding on a filter will obviously affect IQ (I don't see how this is not possible), and it's partially this IQ that you're paying for in the first place when you purchase a lens.

I would say that the front element does not get scratched very easily as long as you take pre-caution when you clean. For example, blow any dust off if there are any on the glass before wiping it (so incase you do have rock-like debris on it, you don't scratch it when you wipe it). You should also be aware of where you will be using the lens.

If you will be using it in areas where you may encounter debris flying through the air, or water, or any area where things will be "forced" onto the front element, then I would use a filter (in fact, this is the only time I use one). This is of course, assuming the filter is for protection and not for enhancement like a circular polarizer.

For everyday shooting IMO, it's not necessary. A good lens hood usually keeps all that bad stuff away from the front element, and it sure can absorb way more damage if you were going to have some "accidental bump."

I totally agree with you there, i would say its physically impossible for a filter not to degrade quality, but if u buy a decent filter the differences are, well im my experiance, imperceptible to that without the filter. But you are right, technically it has to degrade.

baybud wrote in post #2017601
I totally agree with you there, i would say its physically impossible for a filter not to degrade quality, but if u buy a decent filter the differences are, well im my experiance, imperceptible to that without the filter. But you are right, technically it has to degrade.

Amazingly enough, I always read that as the case with top of the line filters (about how the degrade of IQ is not noticable).

One can easily see this is a hard thing to debate. Letting all biases aside , if I had to definitely use a filter, again, I would advise getting the best glass you can put in front of your lens.

The only time I would argue against that though is if the filter is worth more or close to the amount of the worth of the lens itself (like putting high quality filters in front of kit lens or 50 1.8s).

BryanP wrote in post #2017686
Amazingly enough, I always read that as the case with top of the line filters (about how the degrade of IQ is not noticable).

One can easily see this is a hard thing to debate. Letting all biases aside , if I had to definitely use a filter, again, I would advise getting the best glass you can put in front of your lens.

The only time I would argue against that though is if the filter is worth more or close to the amount of the worth of the lens itself (like putting high quality filters in front of kit lens or 50 1.8s).

i see what you mean, in many ways it might be cheaper to replace the lens than the filter lol.
You know, the main reason i use filters is purely so i dont have to keep cleaning the front element, i have a terrible feeling one day im gonna end up scratching it, i think i would rather shoot with the lens at say 99% optical quality than run the risk of that scenario.

I use either B+W MRC or Hoya HMC (or better) UV filters on all my lenses all the time, except when there's a (same brands, same coatings) circular polarizer on them.

baybud wrote in post #2017704
You know, the main reason i use filters is purely so i dont have to keep cleaning the front element, i have a terrible feeling one day im gonna end up scratching it, i think i would rather shoot with the lens at say 99% optical quality than run the risk of that scenario.

Same here. I often shoot in some nasty environments and it's cheap insurance. Plus, in the case of weathersealed L glass, it completes the sealing.

i think on the whole Uv filters have gotten a bad rep, i know there are alot of bad filters but with the decent ones i think image degradation is more or less non existent, and as you say they are good protection.

Tee Why wrote in post #2014789
Personally, I think if you are getting it to protect the lens, I think any decent UV filter will do.
But to get a cheap vs expensive vs no UV filter for protection is an area of trivial debate among some shooters.

well said.

ed rader

Billginthekeys wrote in post #2017560
lol what?

+1 is short for 'I agree with everything that was said in that post' or 'Me, too'

Best regards,
Andy

Coated filters made with Schott glass (Heliopan, B+W) don't degrade the image. Likely the glass used in these filters is of better quality than the lens itself. The only negative in using a higher quality filter is that it is another layer of glass that cuts light--that's all. And your TTL light sensor adjusts for it.

I'm a hunter, and riflescopes have the same issues that camera lenses have re: many layers of glass cutting available light. In theory, however, if the glass is perfect, all it does is cut light, not degrade image. So that's the reason one has to use the best quality filters. I once bought a Hoya UV filter that actually had a piece of dirt embedded in it! I think their quality control has improved since then!

I agree that one would not want to use any filter at all on the 50mm f/1.8 lens. After all what kind of glass could be in a lens that cheap? Same goes for many of the third party lenses. I'm sure that the main reason they are cheaper is the quality of glass and coatings used in them. Good glass costs money and using a lesser product is an easy way to cut costs that is mostly barely noticeable to the consumer.

Andythaler wrote in post #2018698
+1 is short for 'I agree with everything that was said in that post' or 'Me, too'

Best regards,
Andy

haha, okay. i gotcha.

The filter debate is one that will always rage on here. Personally, I have one 77mm UV and a 62mm UV, which covers all my lenses when you consider step-up rings. I only use them in harsh conditions. Usually, they don't affect image quality, but if I turn slightly into the sun, they will increase flare badly. I don't want to spend the time removing and adding filters every time I change position. 99% of the time, they offer no additional protection from the hood, and aren't needed, so why take the reduced image quality and increased flare?

Easy to slap it on when needed. Also, for those who say 'it protects me from losing money.' If you have 10 lenses, and buy 10 quality filters, that's $1,000 or more...about the price of buying a new lens. I have one per general thread size for blowing sand, salt spray or heavy snow and rain, and I have good insurance should a very expensive lens be somehow destroyed.

Frankly, in normal shooting situations, the chance of the front element being scratched enough to affect image quality, while using the hood are practically zero.

where i buy hoya shmc pro 1 "which i consider a decent filter" are no way near $100. I agree though there is an almost zero chance of scratching the front element with a hood on, ofr course its a true 0% with a filter lol