The great filter poll of 2010: UV/NC with vs. without

The great filter poll of 2010: UV/NC with vs. without

  • YES! Someone told me to protect my lens with a filter, so I have.

    Votes: 4 5.3%

  • YES! I am compelled to protect the front element of my expensive lens.

    Votes: 27 35.5%

  • YES! I know it may affect image quality, but better safe than sorry.

    Votes: 13 17.1%

  • YES! Supposedly it affects image quality, but I can't see it.

    Votes: 24 31.6%

  • YES! My lens was damaged, so now I always use a filter.

    Votes: 5 6.6%

  • YES! Actually, I see improved image quality with a UV filter.

    Votes: 2 2.6%

  • NO! Not only that, I have never even considered using UV filters.

    Votes: 9 11.8%

  • NO! My lens costs so much, so why put something in front of it?

    Votes: 4 5.3%

  • NO! There's no need; the danger is low and it degrades image quality.

    Votes: 10 13.2%

  • NO! Never, because it measurably affects image quality.

    Votes: 4 5.3%

  • NO! My lens was damaged, but I still don't use a filter.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • NO! Except for rare occasions, like one day out of the year.

    Votes: 8 10.5%
  • Total voters
    76
  • Poll closed .
No, because it measurably degrades IQ. I've never wrecked the front element of a lens in normal use, and filters cause all sorts of weird flare and reflections - even the expensive german multicoated ones.

You buy your lenses to take photos with - the photos are the main objective. Why possibly degrade that with something that isn't needed.

That being said I will use one if in really bad conditions - ie: mud/sand/ etc
 
fdigital said:
No, because it measurably degrades IQ.
Click to expand...

Measurably??? I have yet to see a filter have any effect. Can you show me some images that give me the occasion to measure any difference? Please? Thanks!
 
wlewisiii said:
Measurably??? I have yet to see a filter have any effect. Can you show me some images that give me the occasion to measure any difference? Please? Thanks!
Click to expand...

filters can cause all kinds of weird goings on. i learnt the hard way shooting an Oasis show one night.
 
wlewisiii said:
Measurably??? I have yet to see a filter have any effect. Can you show me some images that give me the occasion to measure any difference? Please? Thanks!
Click to expand...

I think 'ghosting' is one example of the effect of an always-on UV filter, though I have only seen when a lens (yes, a Leica lens) also shows flare. Not a show-stopper for me, though.
 
wlewisiii said:
Measurably??? I have yet to see a filter have any effect. Can you show me some images that give me the occasion to measure any difference? Please? Thanks!
Click to expand...

It don't happen all the time, but it will have an affect at a certain angle of lights, plus different brand of the filter.
As I remember there was a pic posted on the local forum, it is a sunset shots aiming directly at the sun, and the filter created a double image of the sun.
 
Visible proof that filters degrade images by flare:

http://www.lenstip.com/113.12-article-UV_filters_test_Heliopan_ES_72mm_UV-0_SH-PMC.html

Look at the second and third pair of pics.

FWIW, B+W MRC showed virtually no impact and Hoya HMC did better than SHMC. Draw your own conclusions...

Personally, I went from using B+W MRC filters all the time and no hoods, to hoods all the time and no filters. I used the filters only for protection, and the hoods did that for a lot less $$$.
 
I use a UV filter and a hood whenever possible - esp. on my more expensive lenses. A UV lens does produce reflections with stronger light sources (if it's bothersome it can be PS'd out) but I don't think it degrades the image quality (lose detail/distortion) per se. You can see these reflections turn up from time to time in some photos. However, I use a UV not so much to prevent scratches or damage to the lens. I do this more because of atmospheric grit that can accumulate, people sneezing, coughing etc... liquids spilling, etc. It keeps atmospheric dirt and goo off the lens - something a lens hood can't really do.
 
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I should mention that silver filters and chrome filter rings can also cause reflections in strong lighting that show up on your pics. It's rare, but possible.
 
I once did a test using all my Leica M lenses with and without BW UV MRC filters. The camera was on a tripod and the subject was a book shelf with a desk lamp with halogen bulb pointed at the camera and in the image. Thia was before I had a slide scanner, but as hard as I tried with a high magnification loop, I could not see any image quality difference in the center or corners and no additional flare or ghost images. As a result, I use this type of filter on all my lenses.
 
I tried a few of my lenses with and without the filter. Can't see any difference in the pictures. Not a scientific test by any means, but enough to convince me to keep them on.

Besides, how come we don't hear a lot of moaning about image degradation caused by the other kinds of filters?
 
I have no logic - I use no UV filters on my RF lenses, yet use them on all my AF SLR lenses. And my Zuiko lenses but not my other MF SLR lenses.

I do, however, frequently use ND filters on my RFs - that's for genuine photographic reasons (as is my use of circular polarising filters on SLR lenses).

I didn't vote, though. Because nothing really captured my personal illogic.

...Mike
 
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