hrblaine

Dunno if they have what you need but the Hoya HD3 UV is a helluva filter. I have 'em on all my lens. Harry

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

You are correct. And the debate goes on. The direction and force will determine the severity of the damage and what kind of damage. A filter or lens hood does not do much for a 30 foot drop on to concrete. Good chance both the lens and body are "toast" along with the filter and lens hood.

But most of the "blows" to my cameras have come from around 45° to the edge of the lens. If the filter just cracks, it did protect the lens. But if it splinters, if the force is strong enough, the splinters can damage the front element of the lens. If it was a stiff plastic lens hood, where the plastic eventually breaks but does not splinter, there is less risk than with a splintered filter of damaging the front element.

My lenses have banged into walls, doors, fences, etc. and the lens hoods have managed to protect the front lens element of every lens I have owned for the last 47 years. Some of the lens hoods I have had to file down the damaged edges to prevent from cutting my hands. The worst damage was when I fell on my camera after tripping. The lens hood absorbed the force to the lens/filter while the back of my hand absorbed the force to the body. After I got up off my camera, the only damage was to the lens hood and not my filter (an expensive B+W Kaesemann polarizer) or the lens. The filter was stuck on the lens and could only be loosened up with more specialized equipment on the cruise ship. But a nail file took the sharp edges off the lens hood and the filter has never stuck again. If it had just been just the filter, it would have likely broken the expensive filter, splintered it, and damaged the front element.

I also do not recommend falling on one's camera. A camera does not fit one's body very well.

User ID

Pointless essay as applies to the thread. Applies to nothing going forward. I do sympathize with your sorry experience. Ive destroyed lotsa stuff over the years. The details dont matter. Schidt happens. Keep calm and carry on.

DI Seller Loc: Knoxville, TN

Yup.

User ID

Amen. Point by point. Word for word.

MrBob Loc: lookout Mtn. NE Alabama

Before becoming caustic, did you ever consider some folks have viewing problems and maybe caps help them, or as in this case , a simple mistake... Everyone jumps to unfounded accusations and want to roast someone.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

When you remove your filter,
that's when your photography will shine.
Then you can work on points for style.
Like the club tie, and the firm handshake,
A certain look in the eye and an easy smile.

fetzler Loc: North West PA

As is typical of Paul, Good advice here.

scsdesphotography Loc: Southeastern Michigan

I agree, my only difference is that I use a CPL on all my lenses and I put the lens hood on when I'm using the camera. In low light situations I may remove the CPL, but I always leave the lens hood on.

kb6kgx Loc: Simi Valley, CA

Typing in all caps is considered the text equivalent of shouting.

mikeflist

I don't use protective filters at all. just lens hood always, I find shooting through inferior glass or plastic filters make me wonder why I spent good money on expensive lenses. I have never scratched or damaged a lens with a lens hood on. Just my two cents.

tgreenhaw

I thought additional feedback is in order.

Because the objective is so much smaller than the lens barrel on this lens, the lens hood is not that big and very small when backward.

A good multcoated UV filter has little if any impact on image quality, unless shooting with bright lights or sunshine. In those cases, I take it off to avoid flare.

A protective filter keeps the objective like new. I think of it as a lens cap that I can shoot through and don't have to obsess about protecting and clean with utter care.

Thanks all for the thoughtful feedback and amusing banter.

JhnMhn

Thanks for your patient and gracious response to all the “amusing banter” that followed your original post.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

I have a simple checklist

Shooting in industrial and construction locations- there is are airborne particles, sawdust, metal filings, welding sparks, etc., PROTECTIN FILTER ON ()

Shoot food in industrial and restaurant kitchens. There are fumes for cooking, the danger of splattering frying fats and oils, steam, and sprays. and heat, etc., PROTECTION FILTER ON ()

Shooting around spraying water such as ocean surf, covering a foreground scene, water sports, PROTECTION FILTER ON ()

In-studio and most out-of0 doors portraiture. FILTER OFF (). In all the years I am working, I only had one kid projectile vomit on my camera!

Product shots, still life, etc., NO PROTECTIVE FILTER.

Landscape and exterior architecture- In rough terrain FILTER ON (), in most urban and suburban settings FILTER OFF ()

Lens shade- all the time- I can think of any occasion where I need to stay lig striking the lens. In the studio and on-site, I tend to like dramatic side and backlighting so the deepest lens shade possible is my usual approach. As for les protection? Yes, it can preclude finger smudges and certain scratches, however, if the shad is big enough and firmly mounted, it can exacerbate damage if the camera/lens is dropped or impacted against a hard surface.

These skinny filters. What is the big controversy? Unwanted vignetting is NOT usually caused by the poor light transmission in the edges of a clear high-quality filter. It IS caused by the rim or edge of the filter entering the light path at the periphery of the frame, thereby acting as a gobo. It may not be apparent in the viewfinder with the lens wide open but as the les is stopped down it will come into focus and cut into an appreciable portion of the image. It can more easily occur with a wide range of ultra-wide-angle lenses. Depending on the focal length, the design of the filter mount, the adapter rig, if any, and the (not advisable) stacking off multiple filters. Vignetting can also be caused by an inappropriate lens shade. A thing filter may or may not be requr for any particular setup and a filter of regular thickness may work. It depends on all of the aforementioned factors.

If you use high-quality optical glass and coated filters of the proper size for the application, they should not cause any interference or serious loss of IQ.

If you must have a rule of thumb. approach filter like medications. You need to weigh the benefits and possible side effects and make a decision.

Shootg in a war zone or covering a violent riot? well, the last the yoy need to worry about is gettg your lens scratched.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Are you really just 0.3% away from being the photographer you dreamed of being?