[shuttertalk]

Most people use a UV filter in front of their lens to protect it, but if it's a cheapo, all you're doing is putting another inferior element infront of your expensive glass.

This post really illustrates what a difference a $20 Quantaray vs a $70 B+W filter makes:

http://www.petapixel.com/2012/07/25/this...your-lens/


What brands of filters (if any) do people use and which ones do you find the best?

I've used mainly Hoya in the past but at the moment I've got a Kenko Pro1 on my main walkaround lens. Perhaps I need to do similar tests when I have time...

[matthew]

Interesting examples – but I'm sure that certain forums will now have threads about "filters with beautiful bokeh".

I use a clear B+W MRC filter on my Nikon 85/2.8, mostly to ensure that it keeps dust out of the intricate barrel, but if I didn't have one left over from when I owned my Olympus 35-100 I wouldn't have bought one for the purpose. But I thought that having a filter made sense for that Olympus lens, since it was so much easier to wipe rain and snow from it.

My two lenses for the Fuji GX680 came with UV filters – 85mm and 92mm – but I've taken them off.

… and I'll stop myself now, but the short version of my rant is that the idea of a "protective filter" is a false syllogism. I can elaborate, as my co-workers can attest, but I've promised them that I'll only do it on request from now on.

[shuttertalk]

… and I'll stop myself now, but the short version of my rant is that the idea of a "protective filter" is a false syllogism. I can elaborate, as my co-workers can attest, but I've promised them that I'll only do it on request from now on.

Please elaborate....

No seriously, I've been thinking of taking my filters off too but the general line bandied about is that you would rather have a scratched or dented filter than lens/lens element.

[Kombisaurus]

What Matthew said... x 1000
I'm jumping on the anti-filter bandwagon.

I've never scratched a lens. The only one I've dropped (face-first onto concrete) stuffed up the focus mechanism but left the optical elements still perfect.
Hoods do provide real protection and I use them when I can outoods. But I mainly use hoods because they improve IQ, rarely for protection. And I'm anti-filters because they can add heaps of flare and reduce IQ.

Of course, this only applies to UV filters. I'll happily use CP or ND filters where I want the look they can give me.

[EnglishBob]

All my filters are Hoya or B+W, I use them outside when I feel it's appropriate, Windy, lot of dust or smoke, shooting surfing etc. Always remove them shooting indoors.

[Pavel]

All my filters are Hoya or B+W, I use them outside when I feel it's appropriate, Windy, lot of dust or smoke, shooting surfing etc. Always remove them shooting indoors.

Bob, I do use filters, even though I am (more than) half convinced by Matthew. I did not have a good experience with Hoya. They use aluminum and I found them stuck a few times, having to use force to remove them. This does not seem to happen with brass. I use B+W by choice and Heliopan as an alternative if I have to.

[EnglishBob]

I've had a few stuck Hoya filters too, usually when I have left the camera in the bag for a few months LOL.

[matthew]

A trick for removing stuck filters: use a shoe. Press the tread of the shoe flat against the front of the filter, and use it for both grip and leverage. It's not guaranteed to work, and could cut a shallow circle into the tread of your shoe, but I've used it to take off a couple of filters that would otherwise have needed pliers to remove.

(Pliers almost invariably means breaking the glass.)

I will use filters that add to the image – I have a couple of C.Pol around here somewhere, two contrast filters for black and white photography to fit my Ikon lenses, and a couple of ND filters as well. All of them are B+W, but I've been impressed by Sigma's DG filters as well.

[NT73]

(Pliers almost invariably means breaking the glass.)

Ah! something that will break filters then.

Although I don't normally carry pliers around in my camera bag.

[EnglishBob]

I actaully use the backside of a drink coaster that has nice soft cork on it, press it flatly against the filter and slowly turn.

[shuttertalk]

Ok count me in the anti-filter movement... I'm removing my filters as of now.

Although it reminds me of a funny story when I was mucking around with my brother, and taking photos of him with my D50 and kit lens. He threw a soft bean bag at me but it hit the lens square on. It damaged something inside because the zoom mechanism was stuck can I couldn't budge it any more...

Good thing it was only a cheapie kit lens - managed to have some fun disassembling it...

[shuttertalk]

I took off my filters last weekend, and shot a birthday party and a lunch do with friends and I must say it was liberating!

Haha... I was a bit paranoid initially but soon got over it. I must say I haven't had time to pixel peep to see if there were any differences to IQ though...

[Pavel]

I have not been using filters on my fisheye and 14-24. Can I join the no filter bandwagon if I keep UV filters on all other lenses?

When I watch my wife handle the lenses, I am glad that there are UV filters on. I realy do not like the thought of removing fingerprints from the front element. Pray for a clean fisheye.

[matthew]

The more the merrier!
(Not that it's a competition or anything… )

I've been planning on comparing a couple of lenses for sharpness and character – purely for the sake of knowing their relative strengths – and thought that it would be easy enough to compare the effect of filters at the same time. Of course, I don't have filters that fit either of the lenses that I was planning on working with. Hello, drawing board, long time no see!

[dimercaprol]

I had UV filters on all my lenses. I bought a nice new Sigma 17 - 50 for my Sony alpha 300 a couple of weeks ago and took it for a short trip. Took some nice photos - without a filter for the first time.
I got back and to my horror found a scratch on the front of the lens. Only small and at the edge, but feel bad as it is brand new.
Never again. This lens now has a Hoya filter on it like my others. I'm more likely to sell the lens some day than make any serious money selling photos so I would rather protect the lens than gain a couple of pixels on a photo (by removing the UV filter) which are not noticeable on a computer anyway.

[PhotoPlay]

Probably we could protect our lens by having UV filter without affecting our images when we shoot it. This is when we used a MultiCoated Filter UV filter or any kind of filter. Ordinary filters have this hazy/cloudy effect on our image but when used a multicoated its like you don't have this kind of filter added to your lens. This is because multicoated filters are coated with the same coating does your lens have. So it really does not affect you image.