Protection / UV filters

[RuleOfThirds]

I now in photography world this is a hot debate. I normally don't use filters and use the sunshade as lens protection. Never had any scratches or issues. But with these massive Lumix hoods I'm contemplating to get a UV filter and use them without a hood. Any recommendations? Or should I just stick to my no-filter habit...

 

[Nevyn72]

Photo's I alsways make without a filter; for video in bright conditions I use variable ND's from K&F.

 

[dirk]

It is not an either/or.

I use always a UV filter on my Leica Q3 43 just as a protection. Cheaper to replace then the camera.

Sometimes I use UV filter on other lenses for protection too. Depends where I go (near a beach etc.)

But this does not replace a sunshade. A sunshade makes the image quality better.

 

[Nevyn72]

It is not an either/or.

I use always a UV filter on my Leica Q3 43 just as a protection. Cheaper to replace then the camera.

Sometimes I use UV filter on other lenses for protection too. Depends where I go (near a beach etc.)

But this does not replace a sunshade. A sunshade makes the image quality better.

But for video with a variable-ND a nightmare to use, so I only use the hood for photos

 

[Pete_W]

I now in photography world this is a hot debate. I normally don't use filters and use the sunshade as lens protection. Never had any scratches or issues. But with these massive Lumix hoods I'm contemplating to get a UV filter and use them without a hood. Any recommendations? Or should I just stick to my no-filter habit...

I managed to scratch the front element of my 24-105mm a few weekends ago.

It is small and towards the edge so it hasn't impacted image quality that I can see, but it's annoying. I don't know how it managed to do it.

So I'll probably get myself some UV filters now.

 

[RuleOfThirds]

Ordered this one:
K&F Concept 77mm Nano-X Mcuv
There is also an xcel version but has lower transmission. I saw one thorough test for this one and it seemed ok. 35€ is ok for testing out

I'm always a bit in doubt... they create a lens and coatings so it works the best it can, and you pay a lot, and then you just add a relative cheap extra piece of glass in front of your precision engineered lens.

 

[RuleOfThirds]

I managed to scratch the front element of my 24-105mm a few weekends ago.

It is small and towards the edge so it hasn't impacted image quality that I can see, but it's annoying. I don't know how it managed to do it.

So I'll probably get myself some UV filters now.

Did you use the lens hood when it happend ?

 

[Travis Butler]

Ordered this one:
K&F Concept 77mm Nano-X Mcuv
There is also an xcel version but has lower transmission. I saw one thorough test for this one and it seemed ok. 35€ is ok for testing out

I'm always a bit in doubt... they create a lens and coatings so it works the best it can, and you pay a lot, and then you just add a relative cheap extra piece of glass in front of your precision engineered lens.

Yeah, that’s the reason I’ve always resisted using UV filters.

LensRentals did several articles on filters, culminating in this test:

My Not Quite Complete Protective Filter Article

Well, I've written (with some misgivings because it has a tendency to create rioting in the streets) several articles about protective filters. Articles that say sometimes you shouldn't use protective filters, and others that say sometimes you do need to use protective filters, and most...

www.lensrentals.com

So I always take the filters off on lenses I buy at estate sales, because they’re usually decades old at this point and I don’t have a test rig like the LR people. ^^;;

On the other hand… I’ve seen a lot of filters coming off. Most of them are dirty. Some of them are absolutely filthy. And yet the front element behind them is usually in great shape… (To be sure, most of them didn’t have lens caps, either. )

 

[RuleOfThirds]

When I got my 24-105 from @Nevyn72 he also gave me a K&F nd/cpol combo filter. Also from the same nano-x line. Just shot 2 frames out the window with it and besides some warmer white balance coloring I couldn’t find any sharpness issues at 100% view on my high res iMac.

Circular polarisers have that yellowing effect always a little bit. Didn’t use it before and I like I could get all the glare out of my neighbours solarpanels with it. When on auto white balance there was no sharpness difference just the polarisation and bit more (nicer)contrast difference with that filter on. And at minimal ND of 2 stops ofcourse slower shutter.

So I’m quite confident that that uv filter, same brand , same product line will do just fine.

 

[thegardentool]

For my usage I've always leaned toward putting on UV filters onto lenses. I'd rather hope it scratches or breaks long before the front element on the lens.

 

[The Rigger]

I put UV filters on all my lenses because while I'm not a big ol' klutz, I do occasionally exhibit klutz-like tendencies.

Always have; always will. Lenses are expensive. And UV filters are not.

 

[Pete_W]

Did you use the lens hood when it happend ?

I normally do put the hood on when using the lens so I don't really know how it happened. I took a photo through a chain wire fence at one stage but the wire wouldn't have been able to touch the element with the hood on. So I am mystified by how I did it.