Filters on Great Lenses

redpigeons · 06-29-2009, 01:28 PM

In a market like Pentax lenses where everything is rare.
There is a good chance that one day your lens will be very much wanted by someone else (me?)
Its so annoying to finally find the lens that you want for sale knowing that the previous owner did not keep the lens in the best conditions

please be kind to the future owners of your lens

**G_Money** · 06-29-2009, 02:30 PM

Excellent point, redpigeons. I know some people hate the notion of any extra piece of glass between the lens and the subject, but I'd ask those people if they were to have the chance to buy a used lens would they prefer that the lens was used by the previous owner with or without a filter.

axl · 06-29-2009, 04:02 PM

Originally posted by redpigeons

In a market like Pentax lenses where everything is rare.
There is a good chance that one day your lens will be very much wanted by someone else (me?)
Its so annoying to finally find the lens that you want for sale knowing that the previous owner did not keep the lens in the best conditions

please be kind to the future owners of your lens

True, but I didn't buy into system to pass my lenses on... I'm keeping them until the bitter end or Iuntil I'll go blind...

BR

**ChrisPlatt** · 06-29-2009, 04:25 PM

Great lenses deserve great filters, so don't cheap around. I like the German brands.

I always using a yellow-green filter for black-and-white and a polarizer for color,
which allows me to neatly sidestep the UV/Skylight filter for protection issue.

Chris

tibbitts · 06-30-2009, 08:26 PM

There is no question that in some conditions, you'll probably be better off with a coated filter. But as for an uncoated filter affecting your typical photographs with your lenses, it's relatively easy (and inexpensive enough with digital) to experiment and decide for yourself.

Paul

Duck Dodgers · 07-06-2009, 09:37 AM

Originally posted by jem

Here is a UV filter test of a good selection of what is available - top, bottom and middle range - in UV filters. Bottom line is all filters have some effect on IQ. How much is acceptable is up to you to decide.

Wow. That's some fairly definitive results. Thanks for the link.

mithrandir · 07-06-2009, 02:38 PM

I use a hood and somehow my UV filter has a scratch on it. Glad it wasn't the glass that counts.

jem · 07-06-2009, 02:57 PM

Originally posted by Duck Dodgers

Wow. That's some fairly definitive results. Thanks for the link.

Yes, I like their thoroughness in showing how each filter performs under less than ideal conditions. Plus I’m a sucker for filter curves – comes from years of doing UV & IR measurements. I miss having access to a decent spectrophotometer. Maybe in next year's budget...

nanhi · 08-31-2009, 09:48 AM

Hi Pentaxians. I am surprised that the Pentax SMC Filters have been ignored in this thread.
I have a couple of SMC (Super Multi Coated) Pentax filters - UV, Skylight, Morning-Evening, Cloudy, and they are superb.
In fact I did some tests with the SMC Filters high up in the mountains of Darjeeling India, and I found improvements in the color balance with the filter on than off.
Did not see much degradation in sharpness either. Ofcourse shooting into the sun did cause extra flare.
Nanhi

B Grace · 08-31-2009, 10:17 AM

Several years ago I happened to stop in one of the local gear supply shops just after our big city newspaper had dumped all of their old Nikon film gear there including their manual focus prime lenses. Everything was battered, scratched and worn to the metal and the lenses had numerous scratches on the front elements. The effects of this damage were never readily apparent in the photos in the newspaper each day so a person can only wonder about the overall effect of damaged lens elements.

Sure, filters block light from the film/sensor and can add detrimental flare but I wonder if all of this really matters that much to the final image. Maybe the best benefit from using a filter would come when you drop the lens and the filter threads aren't damaged.

Ben_Edict · 08-31-2009, 12:42 PM

Originally posted by B Grace

Sure, filters block light from the film/sensor and can add detrimental flare but I wonder if all of this really matters that much to the final image.

It does matter. Just had a wedding shoot and used a lens, which I use not very often. I got heavy flaring in all the bride/groom shots, caused by a flash gun to the side of the couple - until I realized, I had forgotten to remove the UV filter on that particular lens (a Kenko/Hoya Pro1 Digital filter with very good coatings). After I removed the filter, the flaring was gone. All the images with the flaring are unusable. That could have been a disaster!

Ben

ilya80 · 08-31-2009, 12:59 PM

Using B+W MRC UV filters on most of my glass, with few exceptions that happened before i did a research on filters.

Never scratched or broke one but there had been a *LOT* of greasy fingertips on them

**Ash** · 08-31-2009, 01:49 PM

Here is a comprehensive FAQ and review on UV filters and how and by how much they degrade IQ, mainly dependent on the level of multicoating:

Canon Digital Photography Forums - View Single Post - Protective Filter FAQ

**alfa75ts** · 08-31-2009, 03:53 PM

Digital provides a new challenge for filters, the sensor surface is very reflective and reflects light back on the inner surface of a filter which in turn can be reflected back to the sensor.

A simple test is to take a shot of a bright object against a darker surface, the moon against the dark sky for instance. Set the object (moon) off center in the frame and take the shot (or use live view). Unless the filter is very good you will get a double (or more) image. This will be happening to some degree in all your shots.

06-29-2009, 01:28 PM	#16
redpigeons Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: NYC Posts: 943	Please watch up for your lenses In a market like Pentax lenses where everything is rare. There is a good chance that one day your lens will be very much wanted by someone else (me?) Its so annoying to finally find the lens that you want for sale knowing that the previous owner did not keep the lens in the best conditions please be kind to the future owners of your lens

08-31-2009, 09:48 AM	#24
nanhi Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Bangalore, India Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 469	UV Filters Hi Pentaxians. I am surprised that the Pentax SMC Filters have been ignored in this thread. I have a couple of SMC (Super Multi Coated) Pentax filters - UV, Skylight, Morning-Evening, Cloudy, and they are superb. In fact I did some tests with the SMC Filters high up in the mountains of Darjeeling India, and I found improvements in the color balance with the filter on than off. Did not see much degradation in sharpness either. Ofcourse shooting into the sun did cause extra flare. Nanhi

08-31-2009, 01:49 PM	#28
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	Extensive review of UV filter Here is a comprehensive FAQ and review on UV filters and how and by how much they degrade IQ, mainly dependent on the level of multicoating: Canon Digital Photography Forums - View Single Post - Protective Filter FAQ

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06-29-2009, 02:30 PM	#17
G_Money Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 598	Excellent point, redpigeons. I know some people hate the notion of any extra piece of glass between the lens and the subject, but I'd ask those people if they were to have the chance to buy a used lens would they prefer that the lens was used by the previous owner with or without a filter.

06-29-2009, 04:02 PM	#18
axl Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Nove Zamky, Slovakia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,183	Originally posted by redpigeons In a market like Pentax lenses where everything is rare. There is a good chance that one day your lens will be very much wanted by someone else (me?) Its so annoying to finally find the lens that you want for sale knowing that the previous owner did not keep the lens in the best conditions please be kind to the future owners of your lens True, but I didn't buy into system to pass my lenses on... I'm keeping them until the bitter end or Iuntil I'll go blind... BR

06-29-2009, 04:25 PM	#19
ChrisPlatt Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Rockaway Beach NYC Posts: 7,696	Great lenses deserve great filters, so don't cheap around. I like the German brands. I always using a yellow-green filter for black-and-white and a polarizer for color, which allows me to neatly sidestep the UV/Skylight filter for protection issue. Chris

06-30-2009, 08:26 PM	#20
tibbitts Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Oklahoma USA Posts: 2,196	There is no question that in some conditions, you'll probably be better off with a coated filter. But as for an uncoated filter affecting your typical photographs with your lenses, it's relatively easy (and inexpensive enough with digital) to experiment and decide for yourself. Paul

07-06-2009, 09:37 AM	#21
Duck Dodgers Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: in the 24½th Century! Photos: Gallery Posts: 439	Originally posted by jem Here is a UV filter test of a good selection of what is available - top, bottom and middle range - in UV filters. Bottom line is all filters have some effect on IQ. How much is acceptable is up to you to decide. Wow. That's some fairly definitive results. Thanks for the link.

07-06-2009, 02:38 PM	#22
mithrandir Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,895	I use a hood and somehow my UV filter has a scratch on it. Glad it wasn't the glass that counts.

07-06-2009, 02:57 PM	#23
jem Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 217	Originally posted by Duck Dodgers Wow. That's some fairly definitive results. Thanks for the link. Yes, I like their thoroughness in showing how each filter performs under less than ideal conditions. Plus I’m a sucker for filter curves – comes from years of doing UV & IR measurements. I miss having access to a decent spectrophotometer. Maybe in next year's budget...

08-31-2009, 10:17 AM	#25
B Grace Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Western Missouri Posts: 429	Several years ago I happened to stop in one of the local gear supply shops just after our big city newspaper had dumped all of their old Nikon film gear there including their manual focus prime lenses. Everything was battered, scratched and worn to the metal and the lenses had numerous scratches on the front elements. The effects of this damage were never readily apparent in the photos in the newspaper each day so a person can only wonder about the overall effect of damaged lens elements. Sure, filters block light from the film/sensor and can add detrimental flare but I wonder if all of this really matters that much to the final image. Maybe the best benefit from using a filter would come when you drop the lens and the filter threads aren't damaged.

08-31-2009, 12:42 PM	#26
Ben_Edict Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: SouthWest "Regio" Photos: Albums Posts: 3,309	Originally posted by B Grace Sure, filters block light from the film/sensor and can add detrimental flare but I wonder if all of this really matters that much to the final image. It does matter. Just had a wedding shoot and used a lens, which I use not very often. I got heavy flaring in all the bride/groom shots, caused by a flash gun to the side of the couple - until I realized, I had forgotten to remove the UV filter on that particular lens (a Kenko/Hoya Pro1 Digital filter with very good coatings). After I removed the filter, the flaring was gone. All the images with the flaring are unusable. That could have been a disaster! Ben

08-31-2009, 12:59 PM	#27
ilya80 Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Saint-Petersburg, Russia Photos: Albums Posts: 410	Using B+W MRC UV filters on most of my glass, with few exceptions that happened before i did a research on filters. Never scratched or broke one but there had been a LOT of greasy fingertips on them

08-31-2009, 03:53 PM	#29
alfa75ts Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Melbourne Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 1,356	Digital provides a new challenge for filters, the sensor surface is very reflective and reflects light back on the inner surface of a filter which in turn can be reflected back to the sensor. A simple test is to take a shot of a bright object against a darker surface, the moon against the dark sky for instance. Set the object (moon) off center in the frame and take the shot (or use live view). Unless the filter is very good you will get a double (or more) image. This will be happening to some degree in all your shots.