[davef]

For the past 30 years I have always had a neutral filter (i.e. 1A, UV) on all my lenses. It was one of those things that we were taught early on and it always seemed to be logical. Like many, I have always wondered if there is any material impact to image quality and have occasionally removed one for critical shoots. Until yesterday, I have never wrecked a lens or a filter.

I was taking a walk in one of the local parks and stopped to change lenses and noticed what appeared to be a smudge on the filter protecting the 77. On closer inspection the coating on the filter was permanently damaged. I have no idea how it happened. I suspect it must have been poked by a stalk or branch but don't recall hitting anything. After I got over the frustration of toasting a perfectly good filter, I was certainly happy that I only had to replace the filter rather than the front element of the lens! Needless to say, the filters will now stay on for the next 30 (or however many) years. Dave