Originally posted by Aristophanes Not automatically, but the total knowledge of all those pros who have skin in the game is pretty compelling evidence for a good habit borne out of multiple experiences.
Your single opinion goes about 2".
Also, if a child's sneeze gets all over my lens, I would rater just unscrew the filter and clean that rather than the tedious and risky exercise of cleaning the actual front element. I try and NEVER touch the front and rear elements. Ever. It's bad optical karma.
Then name me some pro's that use an UV filter for protection, most i know actually don't use any.
I wonder who is right, the pro's with or without a filter...
With the later you're just being paranoid...
I wear glasses and they use the same kind of coatings a lens use, you've no idea what kind of hell they have been through
And for a year now i don't use any lens-caps any more beside for the rear element and there is still not a mark on them.
Originally posted by Spock First you say that modern lens front elements are virtually indestructible then you say they can be scratched by a broken filter. Sounds like you are contradicting yourself.
Also, you seem fixated on breakage of the front element rather than scratching or scuffing - which is my major concern - and which happens all too often to lenses. The fact that some people are not pedantic enough to notice minor wear or damage is neither here nor there.
Just basic science.
Most things that would hit your lens or filter are probably quite a bit bigger, branches and things like those larger things have a bigger contact area so that wouldn't be a problem.
Now a small rock for example or something with a sharp edge like shards from a broken filter have a far smaller contact area so they apply much more force, those will/can scratch your lens but won't break it.
And a blunt object won't break the front element to pieces, like the metal ball you see in the youtube video.
The metal ball wouldn't do any damage at all to a lens but imagine you put the filter on the first video on it...
Also the youtube video on the second page shows the lens really can take quite a beating, if you need to hit the lens with the back end off a hammer to get some scuffing i wonder what kind of things you do with your lens if you need more protection then that...
But it's your money, do what you like with it.
As for the A28/2, yeah that's indeed a problem but i at least don't see that 1mm piece of glass offer you any sort of real protection although the Hoya HD looks promising though.
The insurances here are luckily different, i'm sorry it isn't the same were you live.