UV Filters
Author
Discussion

dibbly dobbler

Original Poster:

11,492 posts

226 months

Monday 4th October 2010
quotequote all
Evening All smile

I am contemplating a UV filter for my shiny new 15-85 and wanted some advice:

a) Do you guys use them ?
b) If so what type as there appears to be a big variety of prices (are the dearer ones worth it ?)

Thanks, DD.

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

283 months

Monday 4th October 2010
quotequote all
I typicaly dont use any 'protection' filter (and the sensor already has a UV filter built on btw...) , tho I will throw one on in poor conditions or when shooting surfing etc.

The front element of a lens is usualy very robust.

If you buy one buy aproper multicoated decent priced one to minimise the IQ degredation you will suffer.

flat-planedCrank

3,697 posts

232 months

Monday 4th October 2010
quotequote all
Worms, can, opened wink

I've always used them, along with lens hoods. Many others say its pointless, but I've had stones kick up at motorsports events and hit the front of the camera - so I fit them on all of my lenses.

I've always bought the worringly expensive Hoya Pro filters - normally at the same time I buy the lens so the cost doesn't seem quite so bad biggrin No point spending all that money on the lens just to put some non-coated cheapo filter on the front...

As your 15-85mm will be EF-S you might get some vignetting if you don't go for one of the thinner rimmed (and normally more expensive) filters. Might be worth popping to a camera store and trying a couple to make sure smile






Edited by flat-planedCrank on Monday 4th October 21:01

dibbly dobbler

Original Poster:

11,492 posts

226 months

Monday 4th October 2010
quotequote all
RobDickinson said:
I typicaly dont use any 'protection' filter (and the sensor already has a UV filter built on btw...) , tho I will throw one on in poor conditions or when shooting surfing etc.

The front element of a lens is usualy very robust.

If you buy one buy aproper multicoated decent priced one to minimise the IQ degredation you will suffer.
Hi Rob - cheers, so basically they are purely for physical protection of the lens if the sensor itself deals with any UV issues ?

Sorry my IQ must have degraded substantially as I don't know what the last bit is about paperbag

Simpo Two

92,776 posts

294 months

Monday 4th October 2010
quotequote all
Actually that's something they didn't put on the famous 'Stages of a Photographer' graph smile

dibbly dobbler

Original Poster:

11,492 posts

226 months

Monday 4th October 2010
quotequote all
flat-planedCrank said:
Worms, can, opened wink

I've always used them, along with lens hoods. Many others say its pointless, but I've had stones kick up at motorsports events and hit the front of the camera - so I fit them on all of my lenses.

I've always bought the worringly expensive Hoya Pro filters - normally at the same time I buy the lens so the cost doesn't seem quite so bad biggrin No point spending all that money on the lens just to put some non-coated cheapo filter on the front...

As your 15-85mm will be EF-S you might get some vignetting if you don't go for one of the thinner rimmed (and normally more expensive) filters. Might be worth popping to a camera store and trying a couple to make sure smile
Ah - it's one of these is it!? Sorry I didn't know hehe

I am a klutz and would be distraught if anything happened to my new lens so I reckon I will be getting one. How about summit like this

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

283 months

Monday 4th October 2010
quotequote all
dibbly dobbler said:
Hi Rob - cheers, so basically they are purely for physical protection of the lens if the sensor itself deals with any UV issues ?

Sorry my IQ must have degraded substantially as I don't know what the last bit is about paperbag
Yes all digital sensors (wel bar the Leica M8, oops..) have a UV filter fitted otherwise blacks apear purple etc. Sometimes the UV levels can be quite high and an additional one (if the cameras own is weak) is appropriate, but rarely.

As to the second part - each air/glass interface can introduce abarations, softness, distortion, flare. A filter introduces 2 new air/glass interfaces.

Making the filter properly, coating it with anti glare coatings etc all improve the filter and reduce the chance of it affecting the image quality.

But it cant improve it so your realy looking at doing as little optical harm as you can.

And as above there are valid reasons/situations for using them, I just dont think there worth it most of the time.

dibbly dobbler

Original Poster:

11,492 posts

226 months

Monday 4th October 2010
quotequote all
RobDickinson said:
dibbly dobbler said:
Hi Rob - cheers, so basically they are purely for physical protection of the lens if the sensor itself deals with any UV issues ?

Sorry my IQ must have degraded substantially as I don't know what the last bit is about paperbag
Yes all digital sensors (wel bar the Leica M8, oops..) have a UV filter fitted otherwise blacks apear purple etc. Sometimes the UV levels can be quite high and an additional one (if the cameras own is weak) is appropriate, but rarely.

As to the second part - each air/glass interface can introduce abarations, softness, distortion, flare. A filter introduces 2 new air/glass interfaces.

Making the filter properly, coating it with anti glare coatings etc all improve the filter and reduce the chance of it affecting the image quality.

But it cant improve it so your realy looking at doing as little optical harm as you can.

And as above there are valid reasons/situations for using them, I just dont think there worth it most of the time.
Ah I see! Thanks for the wise words Rob thumbup

flat-planedCrank

3,697 posts

232 months

Monday 4th October 2010
quotequote all
Just to echo Rob's points - I don't use them cos I'm concerned about UV levels smile It's for protection.

Comes down to personal preference really, but if you decide to get one then get a good one smile


That filter you posted looks about right...

dibbly dobbler

Original Poster:

11,492 posts

226 months

Monday 4th October 2010
quotequote all
Cheers fpc - have ordered one smile

tinman0

18,231 posts

269 months

Monday 4th October 2010
quotequote all
dibbly dobbler said:
a) Do you guys use them ?
Purely for protection. And smashed one up last week, but it saved an expensive lens (for me) from a very expensive repair.

Worth every penny.

Simpo Two

92,776 posts

294 months

Monday 4th October 2010
quotequote all
RobDickinson said:
Yes all digital sensors (wel bar the Leica M8, oops..) have a UV filter fitted otherwise blacks apear purple etc.
You sure that's not an IR filter Rob?

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

283 months

Monday 4th October 2010
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
RobDickinson said:
Yes all digital sensors (wel bar the Leica M8, oops..) have a UV filter fitted otherwise blacks apear purple etc.
You sure that's not an IR filter Rob?
Ah sorry yeah it is IR for the M8.

Thunderace

759 posts

274 months

Tuesday 5th October 2010
quotequote all
dibbly dobbler said:
flat-planedCrank said:
Worms, can, opened wink

I've always used them, along with lens hoods. Many others say its pointless, but I've had stones kick up at motorsports events and hit the front of the camera - so I fit them on all of my lenses.

I've always bought the worringly expensive Hoya Pro filters - normally at the same time I buy the lens so the cost doesn't seem quite so bad biggrin No point spending all that money on the lens just to put some non-coated cheapo filter on the front...

As your 15-85mm will be EF-S you might get some vignetting if you don't go for one of the thinner rimmed (and normally more expensive) filters. Might be worth popping to a camera store and trying a couple to make sure smile
Ah - it's one of these is it!? Sorry I didn't know hehe

I am a klutz and would be distraught if anything happened to my new lens so I reckon I will be getting one. How about summit like this
The one you've linked to is a protector, not a UV filter. I have a Pro-1 protector on each of my lenses (mostly Canon Ls), apart from a Sigma 12-24 as it doesn't take front mounted filters. It's there to protect, I'd much rather be scraping crap off a £30-40 filter and ultimately replacing it than risk damaging the front element of a £1000+ lens. They only get removed if I want to use a different filter, like a polariser. I also always have the hood fitted. I'm sure that image degredation including extra flare is a possibility and measurable in a lab but with decent lenses and filters being used in the real world I've not noticed it.

RichTbiscuit

3,266 posts

200 months

Tuesday 5th October 2010
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Might be a silly question, but I'm assuming you can still fit a lens cap on top of the filter right?

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

283 months

Tuesday 5th October 2010
quotequote all
Yerp