[pentax360]

I haven't seen any test pics just some "samples" from the company.

If you haven't already put a review on Amazon, B&H, or Adarama, what do you think of them?

I'm most concerned about filter induced flaring and ghosting, I don't care how much UV it blocks, or sharpness (I've found all but the worst filters don't deteriorate image quality)

I read about some "self disassembling" which seems kind of off putting.

[Paul the Sunman]

I'm most concerned about filter induced flaring and ghosting, I don't care how much UV it blocks, or sharpness (I've found all but the worst filters don't deteriorate image quality)

So why do you bother with them at all? I gave up on them years ago; the good ones do nothing, the bad ones do harm.

[pentax360]

So why do you bother with them at all? I gave up on them years ago; the good ones do nothing, the bad ones do harm.

Because then I never need to clean my lenses, and it's a whole lot easier to clean a filter.

[From1980]

We've seen discussions like this a few other times here on the PF and elsewhere. For myself, I've had UVs and Skylights decades back but found them to be both an unnecessary expense and likely to degrade images. UV filters may at one time have had a role in limiting exposure to the low end of the spectrum when many black and white films were over-sensitive to near blue low frequencies. Also, skylight filters were likely used for the same reason with color materials and especially with slide films when color correction was critical. But there was always increased risk to image qualilty when having two more glass to air surfaces not originally engineered in the optical path increased the likelihood of glare and general degradation. Nowadays, any very small influence possible due to UV light not already handled by modern lens coating can easily be corrected in post-processing of digital images.
There are those who still insist on UV filters' value as protection more than anything and I respect that if their handling or shooting conditions are hazards to equipment that I don't experience. Cleaning though, from the comment above, still needs to be done to a filter with same careful and correct techniques as with a lens so as not to degrade the final image.

[Kerebron]

Nowadays, the only reason to use UV filters is when you shoot at elevations above 3000 m (10k ft), maybe 2500, with clear skies (direct sunlight).
As it comes to cleaning, I suppose that coatings on majority of lenses are superior to those on filters, which means they're easier to clean and harder to get dirty in the first place.

My two farthings.

[disconnekt]

UV filters are are mainly used when shooting film, not really usefull on digital that much (if at all).

[Bob 256]

UV filters are are mainly used when shooting film, not really usefull on digital that much (if at all).

I have never used UV filters for their intended (or advertised) purpose - even with film. I shot test scenes with and without and couldn't see any difference in normal use. However, I alway use a UV filter on all my lenses for the aforementioned reason of lens protection. I am sure to use filters with good coatings, and haven't seen any excessive flaring from such filters, though it can happen.

Each time a lens is cleaned, its front coating can incur small microscratches, especially if grit has been transferred to the lens. Over time, these are additive and can contribute to a degradation of the lens. Of course, there have to be quite few lens cleanings to have this happen. With a filter in place, it's not only easier to clean the flat surface, but if it becomes degraded, it can be easily replaced. It also serves as impact prevention and has saved my front lens element on a couple of occasions.

To sum up, film or digital makes no difference since it isn't the optical effect I'm after, but rather the mechanical use of giving a longer life to the lens behind it. If it does block UV, that's just icing on the cake.

[photolady95]

Save the money your money and buy something more useful, like a cleaning cloth, bulb blower, etc.