Lens filters

While I'm on a roll with questions here, how about filters? I have a UV filter
on one of my lenses and a Skylight filter on the other. I consider them for
protecting the lens which is something I was told to do years ago. How does
either affect color and is one better tha the other for just leaving on the
lens? Thanks for all the replies so far.

wrote in message
...
While I'm on a roll with questions here, how about filters? I have a UV
filter
on one of my lenses and a Skylight filter on the other. I consider them
for
protecting the lens which is something I was told to do years ago. How
does
either affect color and is one better tha the other for just leaving on
the
lens? Thanks for all the replies so far.


After using filters for 30 years on film cameras I had a think and realised
that I had never actually damged a lens and since getting my first D-SLR 3
1/2 years ago I have only used CP and ND filters.

Auto White Balance will look after the colour anyway so perhaps if you are a
klutz orstil paranoid then get the highest quality clear "filter" you can to
protect your pride and joy.

On Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:59:43 +1000, Pete D wrote:

wrote in message
...
While I'm on a roll with questions here, how about filters? I have a UV
filter
on one of my lenses and a Skylight filter on the other. I consider them
for
protecting the lens which is something I was told to do years ago. How
does
either affect color and is one better tha the other for just leaving on
the
lens? Thanks for all the replies so far.


After using filters for 30 years on film cameras I had a think and
realised that I had never actually damged a lens and since getting my
first D-SLR 3 1/2 years ago I have only used CP and ND filters.

Auto White Balance will look after the colour anyway so perhaps if you
are a klutz orstil paranoid then get the highest quality clear "filter"
you can to protect your pride and joy.

In 55 years of taking photographs I have NEVER damaged a lens or filter,
because of this the only filters that I now possess are polarisers for
each of the lenses that I have.

If you treat your cameras and lenses with care damage is unlikely.
Remember that cameras and lenses are delicate instruments. Years ago
there was a fashion for carrying cameras in the erc. with the strap in
the hand leaving the camera almost touching the ankle - it used to make
me shudder whenever I saw someone doing it.

--
Neil
reverse ra and delete l
Linux user 335851

Don Stauffer in Minnesota wrote:

On Jun 15, 8:51 pm, wrote:
While I'm on a roll with questions here, how about filters? I have a UV filter
on one of my lenses and a Skylight filter on the other. I consider them for
protecting the lens which is something I was told to do years ago. How does
either affect color and is one better tha the other for just leaving on the
lens? Thanks for all the replies so far.

The effects on color between those two are pretty close. Further, the
change in color is less on the typical digital camera than on film,
because digitals are less sensitive to UV than are film cameras
(actually, the film is the sensitive element, but you know what I
mean :-) ).

Here's a graph showing fairly typical transmission curves for UV and
Skylight filters (and a few other types):
http://www.robertstech.com/graphics/images/filters2.gif
(The "Cloudy" filter shown in this graph is very similar to a Wratten
#81b)

--
Mark Roberts Photography & Multimedia
www.robertstech.com

Some people use protecting filters, some don't.

I don't use protection filters myself. Although, I do use a B+W UV filter
on my 50 1.2 prime, because it seals the front and adds dust/dirt protection
(on this lens the front lens elements extend/retract inside the lens
barrel).

It really is a personal thing. Generally, I think that a lens hood gives
better protection (as I found a long time ago when I didn't strap my camera
properly and it fell off my shoulder). Shattered the lens hood and
dislodged the mirror, but no damage to the lens. Of course, if you are
shooting in sandy/salty conditions, etc. I would use a protection filter.



wrote in message
...
While I'm on a roll with questions here, how about filters? I have a UV
filter
on one of my lenses and a Skylight filter on the other. I consider them
for
protecting the lens which is something I was told to do years ago. How
does
either affect color and is one better tha the other for just leaving on
the
lens? Thanks for all the replies so far.

schreef in bericht
...
While I'm on a roll with questions here, how about filters? I have a UV
filter
on one of my lenses and a Skylight filter on the other. I consider them
for
protecting the lens which is something I was told to do years ago. How
does
either affect color and is one better tha the other for just leaving on
the
lens? Thanks for all the replies so far.


For pictures it's better to take the filters off.
For protection, you could leave the filters on.

Protection ON
It's good to know when to take them off and when to leave them on.
Near water (especially salt water) and near sand it's better to leave the
filters on.
So in a boat or on the beach leave the filters on. Any situation where your
lens
can get contaminated you should leave the filters on. (Water, soap, dirt,
grit, sand).
(Dust is in general no problem for the lens).


Filter OFF.
In night scenes, often with strong lights in the scene leave the off. Or you
will
get reflections (point symetric) in the picture.

In strong contrast scenes leave the filters off, because it reduces the
contrast
sometimes, but not predictable. (So it can't be used to reduce the contrast
when
you actually want to reduce the contrast).

When the sun (or any other strong light shines on the filter) leave it of.
When using
not using the shade this can be quite often. When making pictures of the
sunset,
the sun is shining on the filter so you should leave it of then.

For the best quality leave the filter off. Theoretically for every picture
the filter will
reduce the contrast, allthough in most cases you won't notice and probably
can not even
be measured.

NEUTRAL
If the scene does not contain high contrast situations, the difference
between
leaving the filter on or off is very limited.

Ben Brugman

Mark Roberts wrote:

Don Stauffer in Minnesota wrote:

On Jun 15, 8:51 pm, wrote:
While I'm on a roll with questions here, how about filters? I have a UV filter
on one of my lenses and a Skylight filter on the other. I consider them for
protecting the lens which is something I was told to do years ago. How does
either affect color and is one better tha the other for just leaving on the
lens? Thanks for all the replies so far.

The effects on color between those two are pretty close. Further, the
change in color is less on the typical digital camera than on film,
because digitals are less sensitive to UV than are film cameras
(actually, the film is the sensitive element, but you know what I
mean :-) ).

Here's a graph showing fairly typical transmission curves for UV and
Skylight filters (and a few other types):
http://www.robertstech.com/graphics/images/filters2.gif
(The "Cloudy" filter shown in this graph is very similar to a Wratten
#81b)

Correction: Make that an 81a filter



--
Mark Roberts Photography & Multimedia
www.robertstech.com

"Neil Ellwood" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:59:43 +1000, Pete D wrote:

wrote in message
...
While I'm on a roll with questions here, how about filters? I have a UV
filter
on one of my lenses and a Skylight filter on the other. I consider them
for
protecting the lens which is something I was told to do years ago. How
does
either affect color and is one better tha the other for just leaving on
the
lens? Thanks for all the replies so far.


After using filters for 30 years on film cameras I had a think and
realised that I had never actually damged a lens and since getting my
first D-SLR 3 1/2 years ago I have only used CP and ND filters.

Auto White Balance will look after the colour anyway so perhaps if you
are a klutz orstil paranoid then get the highest quality clear "filter"
you can to protect your pride and joy.

In 55 years of taking photographs I have NEVER damaged a lens or filter,
because of this the only filters that I now possess are polarisers for
each of the lenses that I have.

If you treat your cameras and lenses with care damage is unlikely.
Remember that cameras and lenses are delicate instruments. Years ago
there was a fashion for carrying cameras in the erc. with the strap in
the hand leaving the camera almost touching the ankle - it used to make
me shudder whenever I saw someone doing it.

--
Neil
reverse ra and delete l
Linux user 335851

i treat my gear with care, but i'm a still a complete klutz. for that
reason, i've got b&w uv filters on all of my lenses. no other reason,
really; i've never seen much in the way of visual difference.

nick

Neil Ellwood wrote:
On Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:59:43 +1000, Pete D wrote:

wrote in message
...
While I'm on a roll with questions here, how about filters? I have a UV
filter
on one of my lenses and a Skylight filter on the other. I consider them
for
protecting the lens which is something I was told to do years ago. How
does
either affect color and is one better tha the other for just leaving on
the
lens? Thanks for all the replies so far.


After using filters for 30 years on film cameras I had a think and
realised that I had never actually damged a lens and since getting my
first D-SLR 3 1/2 years ago I have only used CP and ND filters.

Auto White Balance will look after the colour anyway so perhaps if you
are a klutz orstil paranoid then get the highest quality clear "filter"
you can to protect your pride and joy.

In 55 years of taking photographs I have NEVER damaged a lens or filter,
because of this the only filters that I now possess are polarisers for
each of the lenses that I have.

Shrug. I've found that just one windy day at the beach will leave my
filter coated with dried spray and salt dust. And river rafting will
invariably send splashes of river water everywhere.

YMMV.

--
Ray Fischer

Pete D wrote:
wrote in message
...
While I'm on a roll with questions here, how about filters? I have a UV
filter
on one of my lenses and a Skylight filter on the other. I consider them
for
protecting the lens which is something I was told to do years ago. How
does
either affect color and is one better tha the other for just leaving on
the
lens? Thanks for all the replies so far.


After using filters for 30 years on film cameras I had a think and realised
that I had never actually damged a lens and since getting my first D-SLR 3
1/2 years ago I have only used CP and ND filters.

Auto White Balance will look after the colour anyway so perhaps if you are a
klutz orstil paranoid then get the highest quality clear "filter" you can to
protect your pride and joy.





It isn't just about physical damage, it is to protect the lens and the lens
coating. If you have a filter, the lens does not get dirty and require
constant cleaning. Eventually a lens that requires repeated cleaning will
suffer some degree of degradation, while if a protective filter
deteriorates it is quick and inexpensive to replace. It also acts like
double glazing, offering improved protection against condensation, an issue
if some climates. I will never be without one after (many years ago)
damaging the lens coating on an expensive lens with internal condensation
while in the antarctic.

BlackShadow