Got an M9 -- What About Those UVIR's?

[Gary P]

Got an M9 last week and am experimenting with this beautiful camera. So here comes the stupid question.....can I leave the UVIR filters on my lenses, or will they adversely affect the color balance on the images? I would usually have a UV filter on a lens to provide protection for the glass unless the conditions didn't lend to having an extra plane of glass in front the lens element. I'm hoping the UVIR's I've bought over time can be left on for this.

Thank you.

Gary P

 

[TimWright]

Off they go.

 

[disambiguated]

Off they go.

Actually, they're fine on 50mm and up. The wider lenses should be kitted out with UV-only filters.

 

[Gary P]

Dang! I was afraid of that. Thanks for your insights.

Gary P

 

[GrahamWelland]

Expensive protection filters. You'd be better served selling them and picking up a collection of dedicated clear or UV/skylight protection filters instead.

 

[jonoslack]

Actually, they're fine on 50mm and up. The wider lenses should be kitted out with UV-only filters.

HI There
Actually, I disagree with this - you won't get the vignetting, but you will get a different colour response if you leave them on.

all the best

 

[panda81]

HI There
Actually, I disagree with this - you won't get the vignetting, but you will get a different colour response if you leave them on.

all the best

Can you help be more specific on which part you disagree with? The first part or the second part of his statement? Or both? Thanks!

 

[jonoslack]

Can you help be more specific on which part you disagree with? The first part or the second part of his statement? Or both? Thanks!

. . . erm - sorry, I'm a vague kind of a guy!

If you use IR cut filters on lenses wider than around 35mm then you are likely to get colour shifts in the corners. Also off balance colours.
if you use IR cut filters on lenses longer than around 35mm then you won't get colour shifts - but IMHO you will get slightly off balance colours.

As for using UV filters on wider lenses . . . Leica spend lots of effort on making their multi-coating perfect for the lens, if you add another lens with different multi-coating on the front, then you aren't going to be making the best of your lenses . . . of course, some people will disagree with this, but to my mind it stands to reason that it's best not to use filters unless you have to (i.e. with the M8).


Easier to simply not use them!

P.S. sod's law suggests that having said this I will now go and scratch one of my front elements

 

[jaapv]

I disagree about the out-of-balance colours. AWB should take care of that. And as for scratching - the only time I scratched a lens was when I broke a "protective" filter and a glass shard scored the front element. On an R-280 Apo-Telyt 4.0 too! Expensive protection...:angry:

 

[Gary P]

Thanks guys! I think I'll loose the UVIR filters as a "best practice" measure. As for going with not lens protection....jaapv I see the irony.....but perhaps I need a comfort level...... or maybe not.

I appreciate all of your comments.

Gary P