Protecting your favourite lenses

[avian]

The last post by james who says his 43mm ltd has no filter got me thinking.

I wouldnt mind running a little poll, to see what you guys do with your shiney da*'s and fantastic limited lenses etc.

How many of you go without a filter all together in order to not have any extra glass in the way? How many slap on a decent UV filter and keep it on? And how many slap on a decent polariser and keep it on? (or any other variant).

[frank]

I use good quality filters on all my lenses except the two macro lenses (A50 and A100 macro). For me I don't see much IQ loss w/ a filer on.

[thePiRaTE!!]

I think there was a poll about this before somewhere, but I'm too busy to look at the moment.

Short story - I occasionally use a c-pol, ND or warmer as necessary for my results. Never just to protect.

[k100d]

just go naked the lens loves it that way

[dazman]

No UV filters for me. I did use high quality UV filters, but saw no benefit in using them. Always use a hood and have insurance for my kit. Use a CP or ND only when the shot requires it.

[Tom S.]

Every lens I own that will accept a filter has one. Not for 'protection' but to keep the lens clean. I'd rather clean the filter than the lens itself.

[J.Scott]

My lenses are wearing (as my Grandma used to say) their 'birthday suits' - naked as the day they were born! .... unless I want to filter light.

In my world filters are for filtering. I have a set of Cokin filters and at least a dozen threaded filters that are used if I feel the need to alter the light entering the lens.

[Magnus W]

Naked lenses here.

-- MW

[wlank]

Originally Posted by avian

I wouldnt mind running a little poll, to see what you guys do with your shiney da*'s and fantastic limited lenses etc.

How many of you go without a filter all together in order to not have any extra glass in the way? How many slap on a decent UV filter and keep it on? And how many slap on a decent polariser and keep it on? (or any other variant).

None, nada, zip, zero. Actually, I stretch the truth. I just went and looked and I do have a polarizing filter. Seems like I bought it for summer, outdoor, mostly beach shots. Can't remember ever using it, but I must have. Just too much trouble to mount and remove. J.Scott got it absolutely right: "filters are for filtering".

As for protecting the lenses, Pentax supplied all of mine with both front and rear lens caps, and hard cases for protection. I do use these.

[TaoMaas]

Originally Posted by J.Scott

In my world filters are for filtering. I have a set of Cokin filters and at least a dozen threaded filters that are used if I feel the need to alter the light entering the lens.

Same here. I don't use filters for protection. I DO keep metal hoods on all my lenses and I use lens caps over the ends of those hoods.

[audiobomber]

I have UV filters for all my lenses, but I would only pull one out if I expect a problem with haze. I always use a hood and/or lens cap for mechanical protecion.

The exception is the 18-250 that is permanently mounted on my K100DS. The K100 tends to get rougher use than my K20D, and my wife uses the camera sometimes, so I leave the UV filter and hood on all the time.

[macsta]

only recently have I been using UV filters as a few months ago I just noticed a very tiny scratch on my Pentax SMC-M 50mm f1.7 lens (lucky it was this lens) and although it does not effect the final image quality, it just pisses me off to realise its there! Better to be safe than sorry.

[Tom S.]

Originally Posted by J.Scott

In my world filters are for filtering.

Yup - and that's what mine do - they filter out dust, dirt and fingerprints.

[patrickt]

My lenses come with a nifty protective device called a lens cap. I use it.

[superfuzzy]

I use premium muti-coated UV filters, most of the time. When shooting with little light they come off to avoid reflective glare caused by the filters.

Lots of folks will tell you not to use filters, but I doubt they'll reimburse you for a scratched lens if an accident occurs.