I just read a posting about a dropped lens and immediately remembered the last, and hopefully last, time I dropped a lens.

It was a few years ago and it was an almost brand new Tamron SP 70-200 f/2.8 lens. I was removing the lens from its case and it somehow slipped out of my hands and landed face first at an angle on the pavement below.

I generally do not use UV filters when taking photos as they only add an extra layer of glass for the light to pass thru. But, when the lens is not in use I always put a UV filter on it for added protection.

The then $1500.00 lens hit the concrete with a nasty thud. I uttered a few four letter expletives then picked up my lens. The glass was cracked and the rim was bent at the point of contact.

I then removed the $10 UV filter that saved my lens, mounted the lens to the camera body and went about taking photos. On the way home I stopped at the local camera shop to pick up a replacement filter. The sales person tried to sell me some special quadruple coated specifically designed for digital cameras super deluxe UV filter for like $80 or some outrageous price. I said, just give me the cheapest one you've got, its only purpose is a companion for the lens cap.

I just read a posting about a dropped lens and immediately remembered the last, and hopefully last, time I dropped a lens.

It was a few years ago and it was an almost brand new Tamron SP 70-200 f/2.8 lens. I was removing the lens from its case and it somehow slipped out of my hands and landed face first at an angle on the pavement below.

I generally do not use UV filters when taking photos as they only add an extra layer of glass for the light to pass thru. But, when the lens is not in use I always put a UV filter on it for added protection.

The then $1500.00 lens hit the concrete with a nasty thud. I uttered a few four letter expletives then picked up my lens. The glass was cracked and the rim was bent at the point of contact.

I then removed the $10 UV filter that saved my lens, mounted the lens to the camera body and went about taking photos. On the way home I stopped at the local camera shop to pick up a replacement filter. The sales person tried to sell me some special quadruple coated specifically designed for digital cameras super deluxe UV filter for like $80 or some outrageous price. I said, just give me the cheapest one you've got, its only purpose is a companion for the lens cap.

Had there not been a cheap filter attached, the cost of replacing the damaged front piece would have far exceeded the cost of the cheap filter that took the damage.

The front piece is made of plastic. The cheap filter frame is metal. The metal bent upon impact. Had it not been there to absorb the impact, the plastic would probably have broken. There was a cap on the lesn, it just popped off on lmpact. The lens is fairly heavy and the concrete was very hard. There is no way there wouldn't have been damage to the front of that lens. The plastic front piece would have broken and possibly the front element would have been scratched.

I don't appreciate being called a Fool by someone who doesn't know me and wasn't present at the time the event occurred to witness first hand what took place. I'm not even partially mistaken because, I dropped the lens, I watched the impact occur, I picked up the lens and I saw the damage and yes, the cheap filter did exactly what it was there to do and all the videos and tests and opinions won't change that.

I just read a posting about a dropped lens and immediately remembered the last, and hopefully last, time I dropped a lens.

It was a few years ago and it was an almost brand new Tamron SP 70-200 f/2.8 lens. I was removing the lens from its case and it somehow slipped out of my hands and landed face first at an angle on the pavement below.

I generally do not use UV filters when taking photos as they only add an extra layer of glass for the light to pass thru. But, when the lens is not in use I always put a UV filter on it for added protection.

The then $1500.00 lens hit the concrete with a nasty thud. I uttered a few four letter expletives then picked up my lens. The glass was cracked and the rim was bent at the point of contact.

I then removed the $10 UV filter that saved my lens, mounted the lens to the camera body and went about taking photos. On the way home I stopped at the local camera shop to pick up a replacement filter. The sales person tried to sell me some special quadruple coated specifically designed for digital cameras super deluxe UV filter for like $80 or some outrageous price. I said, just give me the cheapest one you've got, its only purpose is a companion for the lens cap.

Had there not been a cheap filter attached, the cost of replacing the damaged front piece would have far exceeded the cost of the cheap filter that took the damage.

The front piece is made of plastic. The cheap filter frame is metal. The metal bent upon impact. Had it not been there to absorb the impact, the plastic would probably have broken. There was a cap on the lesn, it just popped off on lmpact. The lens is fairly heavy and the concrete was very hard. There is no way there wouldn't have been damage to the front of that lens. The plastic front piece would have broken and possibly the front element would have been scratched.

I don't appreciate being called a Fool by someone who doesn't know me and wasn't present at the time the event occurred to witness first hand what took place. I'm not even partially mistaken because, I dropped the lens, I watched the impact occur, I picked up the lens and I saw the damage and yes, the cheap filter did exactly what it was there to do and all the videos and tests and opinions won't change that.