lens filter suggestions

[zeppman]

Hey everyone,

I'm looking for a filter to mainly protect my lens, but also give me some improvement in my images. Is UV the way to go? I mostly shoot outdoors. What kind and brand should I be looking for? I would prefer to have just one filter that I can put on and forget about, if at all possible.

Thanks.

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[Goontz]

UV will protect, but do little else (arguably even degrading your image quality if it's a cheap one). If you mostly shoot outdoors, I would suggest looking into a Circular Polarizing filter. However, that won't be one that you can put on and forget about, as it won't always be needed outdoors, and certainly not indoors.

For mainly protecting your lens, some will also suggest just using a lens hood. What are you wanting to protect it from? A hood will protect against knocking and bumping against things, but not something splattering or projected onto/into your lens directly.

[Big Mike]

UV will protect, but do little else (arguably even degrading your image quality if it's a cheap one). If you mostly shoot outdoors, I would suggest looking into a Circular Polarizing filter. However, that won't be one that you can put on and forget about, as it won't always be needed outdoors, and certainly not indoors.

For mainly protecting your lens, some will also suggest just using a lens hood. What are you wanting to protect it from? A hood will protect against knocking and bumping against things, but not something splattering or projected onto/into your lens directly.

[zeppman]

So UV filters don't cut down a lot of haze as advertised? (I'm mainly referring to some of the side by side pictures that major stores that we all know about use).

The reason I want one is because I recently got a few water stains on my lens from getting to close to a water fall. They were a pain to get off (mostly because I feared damaging my lens) and someone suggestion I get a uv filter. I would rather clean or replace a filter that continue to clean a lens.

[Buckster]

UV will protect, but do little else (arguably even degrading your image quality if it's a cheap one). If you mostly shoot outdoors, I would suggest looking into a Circular Polarizing filter. However, that won't be one that you can put on and forget about, as it won't always be needed outdoors, and certainly not indoors.

For mainly protecting your lens, some will also suggest just using a lens hood. What are you wanting to protect it from? A hood will protect against knocking and bumping against things, but not something splattering or projected onto/into your lens directly.

I used the more expensive (mostly Hoya) UV filters for years on every lens for the express purpose of not having anything come into contact with my expensive glass's front element and risk a scratch or even a smudge, and I have to say that I think that worked out well for me. I've cleaned the filters plenty, and don't care if I rub, scrub or scrape on them as needed - no big loss if I kill the thing.

Then one day I was doing a thorough cleaning of my sensor and while looking at a test shot notices some vague concentric rainbow-colored rings, kind of like moire patterns on the otherwise blank image (looking for specks of dust). Just on a gut feeling, I removed the filter and recreated the test shot - concentric rings gone. Put it back on - they're back.

That's when I removed the filters from my lenses.

I've lately been tempted however to buy one of the new clear (no UV) filters made just for protection and nothing else and run the test on them. Hoya markets them as "Clear Pro 1 Digital Multi-Coated Glass Filter". I just would like the added protection back, but not at a price of introducing color artifacts and so on.

A little over a year ago, while driving, I had to suddenly hit the brakes - hard. My 100-400 IS L was in it's padded case on the seat, and flew forward, hit the dash and fell to the floorboards. When I opened the case, this is what I found:



When I wrenched off the now deformed filter ring, I carefully blew the glass dust off the front element with a rocket blaster, put another filter on, and the lens was good as new.

Did it actually do anything to save my lens? I dunno, but it made me feel better to see the damage was to an easily replaceable filter.

So, yeah... I'm funny like that. I'd like the added protection.

[Plato]

So UV filters don't cut down a lot of haze as advertised? (I'm mainly referring to some of the side by side pictures that major stores that we all know about use).

The reason I want one is because I recently got a few water stains on my lens from getting to close to a water fall. They were a pain to get off (mostly because I feared damaging my lens) and someone suggestion I get a uv filter. I would rather clean or replace a filter that continue to clean a lens.

UV filters do cut down on haze IF you're using a film camera. They do nothing for digital cameras (internal filters eliminate the UV rays). If you really want a filter in front of your lens, buy a clear glass protector filter. As with ALL filters, get good quality.

[KmH]

A little over a year ago, while driving, I had to suddenly hit the brakes - hard. My 100-400 IS L was in it's padded case on the seat, and flew forward, hit the dash and fell to the floorboards. When I opened the case, this is what I found:



When I wrenched off the now deformed filter ring, I carefully blew the glass dust off the front element with a rocket blaster, put another filter on, and the lens was good as new.

Did it actually do anything to save my lens? I dunno, but it made me feel better to see the damage was to an easily replaceable filter.

So, yeah... I'm funny like that. I'd like the added protection.

Probably not.

The shape, composition and thickness of a lenses objective glass is very different from the shape, composition and thickness of the glass in a filter.

The filter, by necessity, is much thinner.

Also the strength of the glass supporting and locating structures of the lens compared to the filter are also very different.

Again, the filter structure is no where near as strong as the lens structure, by necessity.