Protection Filter

[Kroney]

I noticed that B&H sells the UV 0 protection filters in 34mm sizes (the thread size for my summar). I use one on my digital camera to keep my lenses safe, why not on my leica? Would it change the characteristics of my lens at all?

-Kroney

 

[ItsReallyDarren]

Depends on the person. Some people like to keep filters over their lenses to protect them from the elements. Others only use lens hoods. Some do both. Some don't use anything.

A UV filter might cause some flare or reflections when a strong light source is present.

I like to keep UV filters over my lenses. I take them off when I know the chance for flare is higher but put them back on. Using filters for protection I tend to use less lens caps since I know the front element is covered.

 

[John Shriver]

The only LTM lens I routinely keep a filter on is my Summitar, because it is soft-coated, and the coating is nigh-perfect. It would never stay that way without a filter.

If you buy as new lenses with no cleaning marks, and want to keep them that way to maintain resale value, you pretty much need a UV filter if you're going to use them.

There are, of course, optical costs to using a filter.

 

[pagpow]

I keep a filter on all my lenses -- except recently some with deeply recessed front elements. I do it for two reasons:

1) I once lent a lens to a friend, he dropped it. It hit the ground front first. The impact shattered the filter and deformed the filter mount, making it difficult to remove. Once removed, it became clear nothing else was affected.

2) I can clean the filter and not worry about cleaning marks or contrast killing crud on the front element.

Through much of my time, I have shot slides, never side by side comparisons w and w/o filter, but, for my eyes, anyhoo, shots looked fine, and better than the effects of overexposing the slides -- just to calibrate the magnitude of the effect.