Finn,
This is a chicken or egg thing with people and seems to always raise the dander on someone's hackles.
I bought B&W filters for all my limiteds. A Hoya Pro is great too, but I really do not think you have to spend that much. If I am correct the Hoya Pro's are thinner filters 4mm vs 5mm. The Hoya HMC Super has the same exact coating process as the Pro series (five layers of multicoating front and back) only the ring that holds the filter is 5mm.
My lenses are always outside (except when they are not
) and the filter always makes sense. Last summer my DA 12-24 slipped out of my hands one day and scraped against a rock ruining the filter but saving the $800.00 lens. So, you be the judge. BTW, if filters suck so much life from a lens why use polarizer's or anything else?
Be wise...put a filter on it. A good one. If you can't afford a good one (you shouldn't have bought that 31
) get a $20.00 one and take it off when you are going to shoot that Pulitzer Prize winning photo.
Another reason to consider filters is that there is so much schmootz outside and it has a propensity for attaching itself to the front element. Even with 30 years of cleaning lenses...doing it right is a very time consuming task frought with danger. If you put a good filter on the front element you reduce the need for inadvertant dameage to the lens.
One further point. A good filter can cost more than a modest lens. The filter should be treated with the same care as your limited or any other highend piece of photographic equipment.
So, you have my permission to put a filter on it
Stephen
Last edited by SCGushue; 03-26-2007 at 05:08 PM.
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