UV filter for each lens?

advres · 07-30-2010, 09:06 AM

I was shopping around for some used lenses and I noticed a lot of people stating "has had UV filter on it from day one". I noticed this type of saying time and time again. Seems like a good idea to protect the lens. I just bought my very first expensive piece of glass (new, not used) so...

#1 - Is this a standard practice?
#2 - Any situations where having a UV filter on the lens would cause undesired effects?

I am a jong about filters except ND's so halp!

PS... the Singh-Ray vari-ND is the sex as long as you don't want to shoot real wide at ND8.

**smmokan** · 07-30-2010, 09:42 AM

I'm not a fan of having UV filters on my lenses. On a couple occasions, I've noticed a decrease in image quality when the filter was on.

If I know I'm shooting in a tougher environment (like the beach), then I'll throw it on there for the day... but otherwise my lenses are UV filter-free.

**outabounds** · 07-30-2010, 09:50 AM

I have uv filters on some lenses for my film cameras that I don't have lens caps for, that's about it. I find them to be a pain in the ass, they create ghosts when I shoot at night and/or toward bright lights, they do nothing for image quality, get in the way of the filters that I do use...

On the other hand, if you tend to put your fingers and other objects on the surface of your lens, or you're buying from someone who may have had bad habits...

**pogs4ever** · 07-30-2010, 10:01 AM

i dont know if facebook inbeds on images works (somehow i remember it doesnt).

but i am really rough with my camera, so i take all the protection i can get. I do notice that there can be ghosting, i put UV filters on all my lenses and wondered where that came from, thanks OB.

**north20** · 07-30-2010, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by smmokan

I'm not a fan of having UV filters on my lenses. On a couple occasions, I've noticed a decrease in image quality when the filter was on.

If I know I'm shooting in a tougher environment (like the beach), then I'll throw it on there for the day... but otherwise my lenses are UV filter-free.

^^ This, in spades. Huge fan of using lens shades, however. Pretty much never shoot without them.

**hop** · 07-30-2010, 02:20 PM

I use filters on all of my lenses because I'd rather trash the filter than the front element. Granted, I'm usually getting salt water spray and all sorts of sunscreen and stuff all over my gear that the average user might not have.

Can't say I've noticed a difference in image quality but that's because I've never shot w/o a filter. Maybe I'll try that with the next batch o' dolphins and see what happens.

**Tippster** · 07-30-2010, 02:41 PM

If your IQ suffers from use of a UV filter buy a better filter.

**iscariot** · 07-30-2010, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by Tippster

If your IQ suffers from use of a UV filter buy a better filter.

This....

**outabounds** · 07-30-2010, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by Tippster

If your IQ suffers from use of a UV filter buy a better filter.

...or don't jab the front element with hard objects.

**Hugh Conway** · 07-30-2010, 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by outabounds

...or don't jab the front element with hard objects.

the obligatory "shoot like a dentist" advice

filters are much easier to clean

**kidwoo** · 07-30-2010, 05:53 PM

I've got three lenses, two L series and one tamron. The L series both have $80+ uv filters on them. Cheap filters suck.

I don't have anything on the tamron. It needs all the photon help it can get

**smmokan** · 07-30-2010, 06:25 PM

Originally Posted by Tippster

If your IQ suffers from use of a UV filter buy a better filter.

An expensive UV filter is a waste of money, unless you're someone like Tap that's shooting in a harsh environment.

**uglymoney** · 07-30-2010, 06:54 PM

I put an eighty some dollar uv filter on my one L lens because I'm hard on things. Rarely do I ever get to sell something used, normally I destroy stuff before I'm done with the objects.

I guess if it kills a couple of my images I shrug my shoulders. I don't know what I'm doing anyway.

**jm2e** · 07-31-2010, 10:54 AM

I think when you were shopping for lenses, you saw the number one reason to put a UV filter on lenses. When you plan to sell the lens, it'll put you in a much better place. I'm sure you're more likely to buy the lens from the guy who says he put the filter on on day one and never took it off.
I'd say use one until you think it's a problem. If there are still a large number of pros using them, I'd say it's probably not a problem. I got some nice filters from KEH a while back.

**ml242** · 07-31-2010, 11:46 AM

lens was fine.

**mtcham** · 07-31-2010, 11:41 PM

I'm pretty careful with my lenses but have still managed to break 2 UV filters and surely would have busted the elements had they not been on. I keep them on all my lenses but will take them off briefly on certain occassions.

**Tippster** · 08-01-2010, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by smmokan

An expensive UV filter is a waste of money, unless you're someone like Tap that's shooting in a harsh environment.

I disagree. If I spend $1000+ on a lens then not putting an $80 filter on it seems stupid. I Use B+W filters, clean the shit outta the interior surfaces, and never take them off unless I'm going to shoot with a polarizer. Between the filter and the lens shade I'm relatively certain the front element isn't going to be damaged. Great glass and coatings prevents ghosting or other image degradation.

~15 years ago I had an incident similar to ML242's where I was standing at the side of the road at State Bridge, CO shooting some classic cars driving over the bridge - one kicked up a rock that munched the filter... no amount of diligence would have prevented a several hundred dollar repair of the front element, but that filter did. I simply unscrewed it and kept shooting for the afternoon, went back to Rancho del Rio, developed the film, made some contact sheets, and even made some decent money offa selling the images to the cars' owners.

**DeutschBag** · 08-01-2010, 10:04 AM

I tend to use a UV filter on most my lenses during the day. I'm pretty careful with my gear, but accidents do happen when skiing, biking, hiking, walking amongst oblivious tourists in Europe with my camera out, etc.. I've broken two filters so far, but the lens was fine on each occasion. I have a few different types of UV filters, each costing 80-100 bucks per, and haven't noticed any degradation in image quality when shooting in good light. At night, however, I take them off. I've seen a lot of ghosting and abnormal shadowing in shots taken in low light with the UV filters on.

**arild** · 08-05-2010, 08:41 AM

I used to use UV/clear filters all the time, as I was really anal about getting stuff on the front lens, but quit suddenly. The one thing I found has improved is contrast/sharpness rendition, in addition to lack of ghosting. I do use a clear xs-pro filter when there is a big risk of small rock spray, walking by the road, but not else. I did buy a Käsemann B+W polarizer, which is the tits. I use it for flash photography, too, to kill any unwanted reflections coming off of glasses and whatnot. So if anything, that polarizer stays on a hell of a lot more than the clear filter.

I am pretty rough on my gear, too, but keeping the hood on at all times (destroyed one for my 24-70L), seems to give the front lens a lot of protection in itself, in addition to the optical benefits of shading. So use lens hoods all the time, at least.

**single** · 08-05-2010, 09:09 AM

filters are a sham, IMO. I have over 2000 in filterless L series glass. The only time I do/would use a filter is if there is something that is going to fly up and hit my lens (i.e. dust, water, rocks, dirt, etc)

And no, I dont have cheap filters. I have B+W's and nice hoya mrc's. Even the nice ones cause internal reflection at night and generally suck.

**kidwoo** · 08-05-2010, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by single

filters are a sham, IMO. I have over 2000 in filterless L series glass. The only time I do/would use a filter is if there is something that is going to fly up and hit my lens (i.e. dust, water, rocks, dirt, etc)

In my case, 90% of what I shoot involves rocks, dust, dirt etc potentially hitting the lens

I'm all about the (decent) filters. I probably wouldn't care as much if I weren't shooting bikes.

I have over 2000 in filterless L series glass

That's like one lens, maybe two

I do remove my filters for night shots though. Fair point on that.

**hop** · 08-05-2010, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by single

The only time I do/would use a filter is if there is something that is going to fly up and hit my lens (i.e. dust, water, rocks, dirt, etc)

This describes 99% of my DSLR photography.

**Natedogg** · 08-05-2010, 02:16 PM

Ugh, I've been disappointed lately with the quality of some of my photos--mostly not being real sharp. I've got cheeseball $40 UV filters on my lenses (pretty sure I constantly read in photog mags that you should always have one on)--wonder if that's my problem??? Was thinking I should sell my 8 year old L glass and get some new glass, but maybe I'm just a dumbass??

**kidwoo** · 08-05-2010, 02:44 PM

Originally Posted by Natedogg

Ugh, I've been disappointed lately with the quality of some of my photos--mostly not being real sharp. I've got cheeseball $40 UV filters on my lenses (pretty sure I constantly read in photog mags that you should always have one on)--wonder if that's my problem??? Was thinking I should sell my 8 year old L glass and get some new glass, but maybe I'm just a dumbass??

Just do some test shots. Put your camera on a tripod and shoot the same frame, one with, one without.

There's nothing wrong with L series glass. There are plenty of crappy filters for 40 bucks however.

**pointedem** · 08-05-2010, 07:35 PM

I try to have them on my lenses at all times, except when I'm actually shooting.

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