Filters, good or bad?

^^Gord^^

^^Gord^^

^^Gord^^

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Now I know I'm more than likely opening a can of worms with this post but I am intrested in people's views.

I personally put a UV filter on every lens I have, I don't think it makes any improvement to the image (I'm talking UV here and not CP or Haze etc) but I do think they offer good protection even to lens with hoods.

My question is do you lose any sharpness or IQ using a lens i.e. am I just putting a poor bit of glass in front of good glass?

Would I be better off just using a hood for my level of protection?

Discuss! :eek: :D
 
Good question, i have no clue about the answer other then saying, I wouldnt use a lens without a filter to protect the front element, and I would want to get pretty much the best filter possible. No point in using a cheapo filter which COULD compromise IQ.

I have been looking at filters for my new lenses and im getting the Hoya Pro1 series filters, my current concern is what do you do with a lens that doesnt taken a front mounted filter... :confused: the 300f2.8IS has a rear dropin filter, can you still get a front element protection filter or is it not required due to the huge lens hood?
 
if its got a big hood it doesn't need a filter for protection, but most people use a UV or skylight filter 24/7 because it acts as a filter lens should for blocking out UV rays and giving nicer tones to an image.

Pro-1 D filters do not affect image sharpness form what I have seen but I don't know if this goes for cheaper lenses too.
 
highly recomend the hoya pro 1 series for digital filters, got one on each of the canon lenses i have here, if only just for piece of mind that i would rather scracth the filter than the front element!!
 
Use a polarizer on the front of my 200, like the contrast boost and edge it takes off really really bright days.

Image quality seems fine and its just a regular Hoya filter straight from Hong Kong.

Tom
 
mrk, I don't think a Hood is enough protection (could just me being paranoid).
Like DreederOcUK and antc I feel a UV filter will protect the front element from scratches, bad weather and impact damage.

TomWilko, I'm considering a CP filter for Goodwood.
 
^^Gord^^ said:
TomWilko, I'm considering a CP filter for Goodwood.
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Good choice, will certainly clean up the windscreens and help with general glare a lot :)
 
I often wonder whether the quality of the filter will make a difference. I usually go for the cheapest Hoya filters, mainly because if I had an expensive 77mm one, then if I scratched it I'd be gutted :(
 
Raider said:
I often wonder whether the quality of the filter will make a difference. I usually go for the cheapest Hoya filters, mainly because if I had an expensive 77mm one, then if I scratched it I'd be gutted :(
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I'm always bought a filter in comparison to the cost of the lens I'm protecting. No point putting a PRO-1 filter on a £150 lens but if you have L glass then it starts to make sense.
 
Any comparisons out there of images taken with different quality Hoya filters?

Any good sellers on Ebay doing the high quality ones?
 
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DreederOcUK said:
the 300f2.8IS has a rear dropin filter, can you still get a front element protection filter or is it not required due to the huge lens hood?
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The big Canon primes have a meniscus front element which isn't an active part of the optical system. This element can be replaced at what I'm told is a very reasonable price (relative to the rest of the lens) should it become damaged - think of it as a factory fit filter.

^^Gord^^ said:
TomWilko, I'm considering a CP filter for Goodwood.
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The way the weather forecast is looking I don't see there being much glare to worry about :(
 
^^Gord^^ said:
For the last three 3 years I've had glorious sunshine, I'm keeping faith! :D
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Fingers are crossed here too, in the last 5 years there's only been 2 half days of showers and neither have been that bad. Cleared the wimps off the ropes though and made for some interesting shots - I have a particular favourite of Peter Hardman being his usual lurid self through the first turn in the Aston DBR1.

Forecast currently is for cloudy rather than wet thankfully.
 
Here is just a basic Hoya Filter on the end of my 70-200, not dis-pleased with the results :)

VW_Cup_Donington_Park_2006_023.JPG
 
The only filters I use are for effects, so colours with B&W, or a polarizer, IR or ND. Sticking a UV on the front seems like a waste of time, as the glass on lenses is very hard to scratch (look at all the examples with glass mint on ebay, and the condition of some of the barrels), and because the lenses I have a cheapish primes and wouldn't be the end of the world if they did get damaged.
If I'm going to the beach or something where the front is likely to get sand blasted and covered with salt spray then I'll put something on, but other than that careful handling takes care of them. Hoods and putting the lens cap on ***.
 
i never bother with filters for protection. had my old manual slr and 3 lenses for ages, my dad had it for years before me with no filters to protect the glass, never used caps on it either and never scratched an element yet. always store m new lenses with caps on though.
 
So can anyone recommend any people on Ebay that sell the high quality Hoya UV filters for not too much money? :)

Is that a competitor question? I guess if they only sell filters it's ok, right?
 
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