SilverSport Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I was taught long ago to always have a filter on your lens to protect the front element of the lens and to keep stuff off the lens...I can't seem to find much about this today other than some say always and others say snake oil (reminds me of the interconnect/speaker wire controversy)...discussion seems to bring out the extremes and you never get the question answered... What say you??? I understand that placing more glass on the front of a nice lens might make it more difficult for that lens to see what it could have without the protective cover (and this is the main reason for my question...protection) but have heard that better quality glass makes the difference...I have used Tiffen in the past but have been told that is cheap and should move up to B+W or Hoya...thoughts and experiences would be appreciated... Thanks, Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I recall same thing and always had/have a filter in front of mine... if for no other reason, a potential barrier in case the lens were to meet a hard object and maybe sacrafice the filter instead of the front element. That said, I had some Zeiss lens and rather than simply buying any filter, went to the extra effort (and expense) of finding a Zeiss filter. If I recall correctly, I bought a 77mm filter for my 85mm 1.2 lens and paid something like $120 for it. This was back in ... oh, 1984 give or take a week. I'd say, if you DO put one in front, put a good one. I'd simply stick with same brand if possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesV Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I don't have any filters for my camera. Just like you mentioned you talk to some people and they live with them on the camera and others don't dare put them on. If you have some free time, like I know you don't, check out this forum. Just like here a bunch of great people willing to help you out with whatever questions you might have. James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverSport Posted January 10, 2009 Author Share Posted January 10, 2009 Hey James, Thanks...I had not seen that Forum before...thanks! Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesV Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Bill, No problem, don't get to discouraged if they don't answer you right away. It might be a day or so, unlike here a few minutes. [Y] James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I've always used filters on my lenses where practical (i.e., not practical on Leica M-lenses, though those have anti-UV coatings). It takes only one slip or bit of bad luck to crack the front glass element, and it might as well be a filter. I once apparently dropped a lens case with an expensive Nikon 300 f/4.5 ED lens inside and ended up with a cracked and broken filter but an OK lens! I always use straight UV filters, because they add NO color and do not reduce light transmission. However, be sure the filter is well-coated, to eliminate glare and keep good color contrast. While Nikon filters are expensive, you'll see almost no reflections from them, and the UV filter essentially disappears when you look through it. The designation for that filter is LC37 as I recall. I am a filter purist -- I don't use "skylight" or "warming" filters because they add a bit of amber or reddish color which is unnatural AFAIC. Some professional photogs use them because they like the "warmth." I also don't like polarizing filters, because they take the life out of nature photos. Many photog's use them because they appear to concentrate, or saturate, the colors. However, that's done by filtering out specular reflections from surfaces, which cuts out the glisten from leaves, buildings, people, etc., and I think that takes the life away from photos. Star filters can be useful if you want lights at night to show 4- or 6-pointed stars. Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sputnik Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 In addtion to reducing flare, using a lens hood is a good way to protect the front element without an extra piece of glass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 my 85mm 1.2 lens I'm jealous... I was happy to have a 1.8 85mm lens. What a wonderful piece of glass it was. Almost perfect for portraits. Went throughan awful summer with no airconditioning and high humidity, and ended up with mold inside the lens. I was told the cost to repair would be high. Basically the lens would be disassembled, all the lens' polished and recoated and put back togther. I still have a filter on my Nikon lenses. The little Canon doesn't allow, as the lens gets sucked into the camera. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 A UV filter is always a good idea to protect the front lens element without reducing light transmission. It also can cut haze due to the UV senitivity in film, and I suspect also for digital sensors. When I shot mostly film, I used several filters as needed to warm or soften a photo, compensate for the color temperature of artificial lighting, or to create a vignette effect. Most of those corrections and effects can now be done post capture on the computer (or by setting the color temperature in the camera when shooting). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted January 10, 2009 Moderators Share Posted January 10, 2009 UV lens and lens hood, just to be safe, no special brand as long as I can't see a difference with the filter on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 My wife's the expert pro level photographer in the home (she's the exec editor for a bunch of INI newspapers in S. Florida) and she always uses an UV or "skylight" on the end of her SLR's lenses to protect them. Some are pretty expensive (Nikon), but she swears by them for protecting the glass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay481985 Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 On my father's gear there was always a nikon filter on the lense and a zeiss filter on the hasselblad. I believe the nikon is a polarized and the zeiss is uv, filters are really cheap (even brand names) relative to the lense cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenderbender Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Only when try to achieve a specific effect in black and white....I almost never shoot color......my favorite series of lenses are the schneider XL's for large format....thay have threads on the rear element which are only 55mm instead of 105-120mm front element...much cheaper, and don't effect focus as much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Leaving a UV filter on can be a good idea for protection and UV reduction, but only use cheap filters on cheap lenses. Even B&W filters aren't all good. The single-coated ones available in Canada are as reflective as window glass. I use Pentax SMC filters on my lenses (which are all Pentax) and I hear that Nikon filters are good quality too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverSport Posted January 10, 2009 Author Share Posted January 10, 2009 I think I will be buying a UV/Haze filter to protect the sensor as well as the lens...I have seen prices with a W I D E range for this but seem to hear that the cheap ones are not worth it and the better ones are...the great ones best but VERY pricy (Zeiss, Leica, Nikon) Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I use filters with my Stereo Realist. Not just for filter but effect as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Cool camera! Is it easy to get the film processed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksonbart Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 If she ain't too pretty then I use the heaviest filter I can Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Shmoe Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 lol [:|] [D]=[Y] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Cool camera! Is it easy to get the film processed? It is just slide film which you can still buy. Then I have it processed but I cut and mount in stereo slides. I love the 3dimages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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