do i need a filter?

[Alfred D.]

So by my standards, All professionals advocate the use of filters for protection

Your 'standards'? Based on 3 photographers you know?
You're easily convinced.

 

[SpeedTrap]

Your 'standards'? Based on 3 photographers you know?
You're easily convinced.

I know lots of pros (20+) and they all advocate the use of filter

 

[Alfred D.]

I know lots of people who voted for George W. Bush too.
Would you say they made the right choice?

 

[SpeedTrap]

I know lots of people who voted for George W. Bush too.
Would you say they made the right choice?

What does that have to do with putting a filter on your lens?

 

[Alfred D.]

What does that have to do with putting a filter on your lens?

This explains it all

 

[PhotoDonkey]

Someone needs to lock this thread. The debate's just getting silly now.

 

[caspertodd]

Some people like to debate just for the sake of debating. Use a filter, don't use a filter, who cares??? Decide for yourself what you like.

 

[dylj]

I know lots of people who voted for George W. Bush too.
Would you say they made the right choice?

The point is, SOME professionals do use filters as protection. This contradicts a statement previously made in this thread.

And yes, some filters are made just for protection purposes.

And yes, the people did make the correct choice in voting for Bush. Next?

 

[Mav]

What a stupid thread. Well the question isn't stupid, but the thread certainly has been made that way. Get a filter for lens protection and test before and after. Either you'll see a difference or you won't. I have never seen a difference in sharpness in any of my photos, even testing before and after, and whether it's a cheap filter or not. The only difference I've ever seen is that I tend to get some odd green ghosting at night. No problem, I just take the filter off. Ironically, I have no problems at all with ghosting at night with my cheap "Promaster" filter that I have on my $1200 professional 17-55DX f/2.8 lens, and you also don't see any visible difference in IQ with that filter either on or off. If you do see a difference I think it's more likely that maybe your specific filter copy is misaligned or that you managed to nudge your tripod or the focus a bit throwing things off than the filter actually causing a real difference.

As far as protection, let's see. If my 1 year old suddenly reaches for my lens and smears her dirty learning to feed herself hands all over my lens, would I rather simply detach and clean up a filter, or painstakingly try to clean up the front element of my $1200 pro lens which would probably cost $200-300 to repair if I managed to mess it up? And when we go to the beach where there's blowing sand and salt water, bird poop, and other nasty stuff flying around, would I rather clean up a cheap filter in our hotel room at night, or try to clean up a filthy front lens element where if you miss even a single particle of sand you could end up scratching the front element and ruin your lens? You can wash a lot of filters in the sink with running water. Can I do that with the front element of my $1200 pro lens? :lmao: And would I like the filter to protect the front element of the lens from actually getting some of that blowing sand and salt water INSIDE the lens, or would I like to have it bare and exposed for all of the nasty elements to have direct contact with? Using a filter for lens protection is playing on emotions of fear, uncertainty, and doubt? MY ASS. That's probably one of the stupidest things I've ever heard here. Sure I'll just use a lens cap and not bother with a filter, if I never get out, never leave the house, never chase a young kid around, and never shoot in anything but bright and sunny conditions.

 

[Helen B]

The point is, SOME professionals do use filters as protection.

Exactly. Even those of us who do not use them routinely use them when the conditions make it sensible to use a filter for no other reason than protection.

Best,
Helen

 

[Garbz]

Your 'standards'? Based on 3 photographers you know?
You're easily convinced.

Do you always missread the intentions of my posts? I was asking Mike what his basis for comparison is. I bought 3 lenses of 3 professionals. So by my experience 100% of all professionals prefer filters for protection.

See how this term experience distorts reality? I am interested in this sample size of "most professionals" and nothing more. So please quit trolling. I am an engineer. I test things. Incase you missed the 3 carefully done tests that I posted on filters of the same manufacturer they are posted below. I'm hard to convince of anything, especially something that can be tried with 10 minutes of work.

I use filters on all my lenses. Good filters. Except when shooting directly into a light source. Why? Because this "supposed" quality drop that you seem to be seeing with your filters doesn't seem to affect my camera, my lenses, or most importantly my photos. The only time it has a negative impact is causing ghosting effects.

Btw I went to the Brisbane Zombie march yesterday. I had fake blood made mostly of coco powder, and golden syrup sprayed directly onto my lens. Nearest water fountain I unscrewed my filter, washed it in running water and was back in action in the blink of an eye. Do you take you nice lenses off your camera and put them under running water too?

As for actual evidence of how bad the filter "problem" is. http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=100830 This explains it all.

 

[TamiyaGuy]

You can get Protection filters for about the same price as a UV filter, and the glass is *usually* better. I would say that although a protection filter isn't perfect for protecting a lens, it's much better than no protection, and there are hardly any things that perfectly protect a camera lens.

If you're having trouble whether you want to get one or not, ask yourself: Are you worried about your lens/are you using the camera in situations where the lens might get damaged? If yes, then get a protection or UV filter now. If not, then the lens cap is fine for protecting the lens when it's not in use.