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03-29-2009, 02:51 PM   #16
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QuoteOriginally posted by jaz Quote
I know it's been an often-repeated topic, filter vs no filter, but for me it's the protection value of filters that outweigh the loss of image quality. I buy quality filters. Wish I had the stones to go without them, though, but lenses just cost too much.

Regarding the hoods, I appreciate the confirmation about using them in low light, they seem to be even more important than I thought.
what are you protecting, exactly? if you drop your camera or lens and it hits the filter you are still likely to damage your lens. other than coloured filters for B&W film I only use a UV filter for dusty, windy or other hazardous environments. I don't see how a filter can protect your lens from damage. I agree it is easier to clean a filter instead of a lens, but again unless you are in a specific environment I don't see the point.

03-29-2009, 02:56 PM   #17
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Hi Jaz,

like Séamuis said, screw on metal hoods are pure luxury compared to the snap-on plastic nightmares. If you can get one with the matching snap-on lenscap for the front of the hood, you're in heaven .-) It's just snapcap off, snapcap on, and you can leave it off also cause the hood will protect your front lens very well.

This will probably only work on longer lenses or non-DA without vignetting, or you have steprings to remedy this. If you can catch some hoods, snapcaps and steprings on a second hand basis go for it, they are very useful.
Best, Georg (the other)
03-29-2009, 05:52 PM   #18
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QuoteOriginally posted by séamuis Quote
if you drop your camera or lens and it hits the filter you are still likely to damage your lens. other than coloured filters for B&W film I only use a UV filter for dusty, windy or other hazardous environments. I don't see how a filter can protect your lens from damage.
My wife once managed to smash a filter mounted on her 18-55 to smithereens without damaging the lens itself. We have no idea how she did it, though - one day she took the lens out the bag and found it that way. Probably the camera bag took a fall one day and she hadn't checked all her lenses to see if they survived. But she didn't have a lens cap on that lens, either, which surely would have protected the lens just as well as the filter if not better (no danger of shards from the cap scratching the lens).

So, with one smashed filter on an uncapped lens in several decades of combined camera ownership between us, and very few reports on this forum or any other of smashed lenses that a filter would have helped with - I think the actual danger of ruining a lens this way is rather less than people imagine. And given that you should be able to insure all your gear for under $50/year - and that will protect your lens again far more things than a filter (filter don't help with theft, for example, or dropping into a lake), I think there are far better ways of protecting your lens investment. And of course, unlike filters, insurance policies definitely do *not* have any adverse effect on image quality.
03-29-2009, 05:58 PM   #19
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Thanks, Marc. Is this through homeowner's insurance or other?

03-29-2009, 07:19 PM   #20
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I always use lens hoods on my lenses whenever possible. I've done it so long now it is just a habit. If there is any advantage in terms of protection or flare I want it. As stated above there is just no downside to using a lens hood.

Tom G.

Last edited by 8540tomg; 03-29-2009 at 07:50 PM. Reason: typo
03-29-2009, 07:51 PM   #21
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QuoteOriginally posted by jaz Quote
Thanks, Marc. Is this through homeowner's insurance or other?
It's a separate personal articles policy (through State Farm, same company that I have homeowners with). The problem with a regular homeowner's policy is that it places limits on coverage for items used outside the home, especially if used professionally. And the deductible is often too high to be worthwhile to use replacing a single lens. The personal articles policy I have is all risk everywhere (worldwide), no deductible.
03-29-2009, 08:06 PM   #22
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I guess there might be artistic reasons to not wanting a lens hood on, if it gives you a washed out, milky, or lens flare effect your after. Generally contrast is improved with one on.

I would always order a screw in lens hood for a lens without a hood, such as the FA 50 f1.4, a much better lens with a hood. (there is an article about this in the article section)

03-29-2009, 11:10 PM   #23
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I always use a lens hood, except for cases when it interferes with light from a flash. It serves two very valuable purposes - when I bump the lens into something, I chip the paint on the hood, not the glass on the front element. The second purpose is flare reduction. It really makes a difference. Honestly.
03-30-2009, 05:12 AM   #24
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I always use a lens hood, and neither for flare nor lens protection considerations most of the time.

I use one for the simple reason that it makes my camera sit level, which I need it to to for the sake of stability. It's normal resting place is on the console of my truck, resting on a little nonskid pad I've made for it. Having it sit level maximizes the area of the body that contacts the nonskid and prevents it flying around the truck when cornering.
04-02-2009, 12:19 PM   #25
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QuoteOriginally posted by jaz Quote
I know it's been an often-repeated topic, filter vs no filter, but for me it's the protection value of filters that outweigh the loss of image quality. I buy quality filters. Wish I had the stones to go without them, though, but lenses just cost too much.
You might be surprised at just how much protection a lens hood can offer. I have to admit that I'm not crazy about the plastic, bayonet-mount hoods because I can't fit a lens cap over the end of them, but a good, screw-on, metal lens hood works wonderfully well against wandering fingers.
04-03-2009, 08:11 AM   #26
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QuoteOriginally posted by 8540tomg Quote
I always use lens hoods on my lenses whenever possible. I've done it so long now it is just a habit. If there is any advantage in terms of protection or flare I want it. As stated above there is just no downside to using a lens hood.
At the risk of seeming a dittohead: DITTO. On all except a few of the wider lenses.

QuoteOriginally posted by WerTicus Quote
I guess there might be artistic reasons to not wanting a lens hood on, if it gives you a washed out, milky, or lens flare effect your after. Generally contrast is improved with one on.
For that Lomo look, one can always add a few scratched UV filters. Heh. Actually, I converted a PNS to Lomo-esque square format by taping over the lens a piece of thin cardboard with a square cut-out. Hmmm, I should modify my crappy plastic CP filter this way for the K20D. Yeah...

QuoteOriginally posted by Canada_Rockies Quote
I always use a lens hood, except for cases when it interferes with light from a flash... when I bump the lens into something, I chip the paint on the hood, not the glass on the front element.
Somehow, stuff and I always bump into each other. Sometimes that stuff is attached to me mate as we walk together, the K20D slung nonchalantly over my shoulder. It's a kind of magnetism. One little scratch on the front of my DA 18-250 is quite enough, thank you.
04-03-2009, 08:29 AM   #27
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QuoteOriginally posted by séamuis Quote
what are you protecting, exactly? if you drop your camera or lens and it hits the filter you are still likely to damage your lens. other than coloured filters for B&W film I only use a UV filter for dusty, windy or other hazardous environments. I don't see how a filter can protect your lens from damage. I agree it is easier to clean a filter instead of a lens, but again unless you are in a specific environment I don't see the point.
What about scratches or acidic/caustic moisture? I'm mostly worried about the lens coating, I guess. I try to take good care of everything but I'll take that 1% hit in IQ just for the sake of being extra careful.
04-03-2009, 08:43 AM   #28
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I use the cheap rubber ones (Sonia 3-in-1). They keep out the sun, and also fold up, protect the lens when bumped (I shoot out of doors mainly), allow you to use the lens cap, and it's no great $$ loss if it breaks or tears. My clumsy plastic Pentax had to be taken on an off to fit into the bag, broke on bumping and, would have cost about $35 to replace.
04-03-2009, 09:06 AM   #29
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QuoteOriginally posted by ILoveVerdi Quote
What about scratches or acidic/caustic moisture? I'm mostly worried about the lens coating, I guess. I try to take good care of everything but I'll take that 1% hit in IQ just for the sake of being extra careful.
the SMC lens coating is incredibly durable. much more so than Pentax would have you believe, and with the SP (super protect) coating on the DA lenses, even more so. if the coatings were that sensitive to the elements the old Takumar lenses would have never survived this long. especially the Super-Takumars which only had a mono coating. use a blower to keep major dust off the front element and use an appropriate cleaner every once in a while if it gets too bad. everyone has their ideas but I use Formula MC, and have never had a problem. I think you are being overly protective and I just don't see the reasoning. of course, like I said above if you are in an overly hazardous environment it would be a good idea to use a quality UV filter but for everyday use I just don't think its necessary.
04-03-2009, 11:39 AM   #30
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I only used uv filters when I had Leica M lenses, and added to each one a UV leica filter.

I did it not for photographics causes, but for the resale value of the lens (Leica M lens with little mark, less value to resale).

Now, I haven't any of them, I sold all, and then I only use in my cheaps CZJ and pentax M42 lenses goods hoods.
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