UV Filter Question

[pjerzy]

So this weekend i may be attempting to take pictures of a paintball team that i used to play for. What my question is for lens protection would you suggest to use or don't use a UV filter? I have read a few things on different places and i have heard to use them and not to use them. Just for a little help on how fast they travel, a paintball will be going about 300 fps, which is around 200 mph.

Thanks,

P

 

[KmH]

The glass in a UV filter is pretty thin, so it doesn't take much of an impact to shatter one. Just dropping a lens from waist high can do it.
Virtually all front lens elements are quite a bit thicker than a UV filter, and many are also backed by other glass that corrects for optical aberrations. Wide angle lens front lens elements are thinner in the middle than at the edges but are still quite a bit thicker than UV filter glass.

The acceleration of gravity is only 32 ft/sec.

You also have to consider that force increases as a square function of increasing speed. If you double the speed your quadruple (4x) the force. If you double the speed again the force has increased 16 times.

Standard Specification for Paintballs Used in the Sport of Paintball, specifies in requirement 3.3 that paintballs shall not weigh more than 3.5 grams. There is not a minimum weight requirement.

 

[Robin Usagani]

The glass in a UV filter is pretty thin, so it doesn't take much of an impact to shatter one. Just dropping a lens from waist high can do it.
Virtually all front lens elements are quite a bit thicker than a UV filter, and many are also backed by other glass that corrects for optical aberrations. Wide angle lens front lens elements are thinner in the middle than at the edges but are still quite a bit thicker than UV filter glass.

The acceleration of gravity is only 32 ft/sec.

You also have to consider that force increases as a square function of increasing speed. If you double the speed your quadruple (4x) the force. If you double the speed again the force has increased 16 times.

Standard Specification for Paintballs Used in the Sport of Paintball, specifies in requirement 3.3 that paintballs shall not weigh more than 3.5 grams. There is not a minimum weight requirement.

It is ft/sec^2.

 

[enzodm]

Here you will hear the same: some in favour, some not. Neverending debate.
If speed reference is for this, a paintball at that speed will crash the UV filter, and its splinters will break your front lens more than the paintball alone.

EDIT: I'm much slower in typing than a paintball

 

[enzodm]

...and for what regards quality issues, here a recent thread: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...1409-these-artifacts-some-sort-how-solve.html

 

[pjerzy]

alright thanks. that link really helped. i think i will just invest in a lens hood then.

 

[sleist]

I'd be less worried about the lens glass and more worried about paint gunking up the buttons of the cam or the focus ring of the lens.
Your profile says you shoot with a D50 - not a weather (or paint) sealed body.
I don't know, but I suspect paint splatter and not a direct impact to the lens glass would be the chief concern.
Unless your friends decide to shoot at you and not each other.