[Boofers]

What fun this is, I love it when the stories start to fly. I generally learn more with these stories then reading a book. In the early days for me, my brand new 20D with a new 50mm f1.4, which is ruffly twice the size of a f1.8 were walking behind the grand kids at Disneyland, very crowded. I was standing off to the side watching the kids and turned to move to another point, a woman carrying a little kid with a big spoon full of nutty peanut butter came walking bye brushing my shoulder. As I looked down at my camera I had around my neck, I saw the whole deposit of peanut butter on the front of my camera. I had only been in the park 15 minutes. I felt lucky that I had asked my brother in-law for advice when buying and using a lens. He had told me to use a UV filter for protection, of course I just unscrewed the filter and that was pretty much the cure. Sense I have been a case study of Infrared on my converted body, I understand the light spectrum better. I have come across a filter that says it blocks UV and IR light. Wouldn't this even be better then just one UV. I personally use a UV and if it comes off with a step ring or another filter, I just let it ride and put it back on later knowing that I might have better pictures if I'm shooting towards the sun. I have seen the extra glass show across the front of my pictures as extra flair. I have been testing different filters on my converted IR body after learning flexible control over the continuing light changes and I am looking forward to sharing the little changes I find out. Wow, that was long,,

[Willow5075]

Originally Posted by Markulous

Well, I never bother (probably welded on by now, like with MB's!) - and I usually stick the CP over the top (as it doesn't vignette)

Yeah my polarisers just screw on over the top - well now I know I can leave them on - all other comments noted re efficacy etc, I like the protection factor - 25 bucks is a lot cheaper to replace than a lense!

I have joined a "bricks & mortar" camera club so expect to be out and about in different weathers and situations so I look at it as insurance.

[TS Petrillo]

UV filters ultra violet light, offers mostly lens protection from dust etc. Don't think you notice the difference with your eye

[stupot]

The reason i use a filter as protection is living near the coast as i do i'm forever taking shots on or near the beach (Definitely no fair weather snapper). Now i clean my gear regularly and i take great care blowing off any sand and dust but all i needs is one grain to slip through my net and there I'll be polishing a nice grain of sand across my £1000 lens, OK so my gears insured but by the time i pay the excess and the time and effort to claim on my insurance only to receive vouchers for Jessops or the like i know I'd be out of pocket. Far easier to put a £30 UV filter on, job done.

As for image quality i'm really not convinced there's any difference to the human eye or my eyes must be duff because I've used my lenses with them on and off and i cant notice a thing. So it stays

[Les Meehan]

OK, for the 'protection of lenses' lobby, all I would say is please buy the highest quality filters possible to minimise any affect on image quality. I would be looking for the best optical glass with multi-coating from a respectable maker. If that happened to cost me 100 quid for each filter I would happily pay it knowing I was maintaining the integrity of the lens as well as protecting it. Then I would treat the front of the filter just like the front of a lens since any damage to the coatings of the filter WILL affect quality.

My last word on this one (who said thank goodness! )

Cheers

Les

[_MB_]

Originally Posted by Les Meehan

Then I would treat the front of the filter just like the front of a lens since any damage to the coatings of the filter WILL affect quality.

You should get a filter to protect that filter

[Les Meehan]

Originally Posted by _MB_

You should get a filter to protect that filter