Filter question

[250Gimp]

This is probably a dumb question......

I have a UV filter on my lense now. Do I leave it on and put the other filters on, such as a circular polarizer or close up filter, or should I remove it and put each individual filter on?

Cheers

 

[cosmonaut]

No, take it off. It will cause dark areas around the picture. It's not a dumb question. I learned the hard way....
Cosmo

 

[Remi M.]

You will get viginetting as cosmonaut said. Also Circular polarizers and some other lenses have also block UV.

 

[fightheheathens]

i always leave my UV on no matter what. its just a part of my lens

 

[Torus34]

It's much cheaper to replace a scratched filter than a scratched front lens element. Since you have a circular polarizing filter, I suggest you put it on your lens and leave it there. While the UV filter will serve the same protective purpose, its effect on a picture is usually nil. The polarizer, on the other hand, will help many shots.

 

[fmw]

Stacking filters is usually a bad idea. Not only can it cause vignetting as mentioned above but it can also introduce contrast robbing flare. Leave the UV in place until you need another filter, then remove it, use the other filter and replace the other filter with the UV again.

 

[JTHphoto]

I used to leave my UV filters on all the time like fightheheathens, but over the last year or two i have been taking it off for all the reasons listed above... vignetting at wider angles, flare, etc.

Also, it seems to me the more glass you shoot through (especially if dirty or poor quality) the less your images will be sharp/clear.

If you use your close-up filter & the UV, you will get different results because the filter is further away from the lens, and it basically works like a magnifying glass.

 

[W.Smith]

Every added filter adds 2 refractive surfaces to the lens array: the front surface and the back surface of the filter. Every refractive surface increases the risk of glare and flare. I.o.w. use as few filters as possible.
Virtually every other optical filter also filters UV light (you don't get a tan behind a window!). I.o.w. a UV filter in combination with any other filter only increases risks and downsides, and doesn't add anything useful to the party.
So use UV filters by themselves only. Never combined with other filters.

 

[250Gimp]

Thanks everyone, I will be using one filter at a time.