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I've never done a real test . . . but I can say categorically that the money I've saved by not buying filters is much much greater then the money I've spent having front elements replaced because they were scratched.For those who don't use filters because it degrades image quality, I wonder if they can tell from images whether or not they were taken with filters... It might be slightly more prone to flare, but I remember doing a quick test and concluded that if it flared with a filter, it also flared without the filter.
Meh.... money spent on filters is a moot point. When you sell, you pretty much get back what you put into them. Personally, I would rather replace a filter than the front element. Cost is one thing, but having to wait for Leica to do the work? Nah.. not worth it.I've never done a real test . . . but I can say categorically that the money I've saved by not buying filters is much much greater then the money I've spent having front elements replaced because they were scratched.
. . . . and I'd rather take the chance of spending money on a front element than reduce the quality of the image from a lens that I've spent lots of money on.
Just to really make myself seem eccentric, I rarely use lens hoods either - except for built in ones - because the light source is unpredictable, and if shading is needed to prevent flare a carefully placed hand is usually more effective.
When I sold camera equipment, in the dim recesses of time, selling the blinkered public on the value of using a filter to protect their valuable lenses was a mandate promoted by the boss. He explained it to me this way:Meh.... money spent on filters is a moot point. When you sell, you pretty much get back what you put into them. Personally, I would rather replace a filter than the front element. Cost is one thing, but having to wait for Leica to do the work? Nah.. not worth it.
In the end, it's personal preference.
Well, put it another way - I've never scratched a front element (I've dropped lenses and cameras, fallen over with them, had tripods collapse -all the usual stuff).Meh.... money spent on filters is a moot point. When you sell, you pretty much get back what you put into them. Personally, I would rather replace a filter than the front element. Cost is one thing, but having to wait for Leica to do the work? Nah.. not worth it.
In the end, it's personal preference.
Hah! depends on the lens hood for me - on the 28 'cron the lens hood changes a small and attractive lens into a horror show . . . which would be alright if it made much difference, but it doesn't and a carefully placed hand is usually better.Otherwise, common sense prevails. I always fit a lens hood because some protection from flare and casual contact with the other junk in my camera bag is actually worth having, even if I do have to add some shading with my hand to get the best results now and then. With an efficient lens hood, I need such extraordinary measures rather infrequently.
The hood for the Pentax DA14mm f/2.8 made a big lens into a huge mushroom. However, it provided a nice purchase for a protective foam rubber hood-hat, which thoroughly protected the lens in my bag when I carried it. The standard hood kept falling off ... !Hah! depends on the lens hood for me - on the 28 'cron the lens hood changes a small and attractive lens into a horror show . . . which would be alright if it made much difference, but it doesn't and a carefully placed hand is usually better.
On the other hand, there are a few lenses I do use lens hoods for protection, especially if the front element is dangerously exposed (WATE for instance)
Still, I do agree with your point here . . . but not filters . . . never filters!
Oh goody! A book full of numbers! ;-)http://www.schneiderkreuznach.com/pdf/filter/b+w_filter_handbook.pdf
Some useful information on types of filters, coatings, transmittance, and reflections.
I don't think you looked, because it is very graphical and explains the information clearly and concisely.Oh goody! A book full of numbers! ;-)
I've actually had that document for some years. It's still a book full of numbers. I enjoy such things, perhaps you don't understand that.I don't think you looked, because it is very graphical and explains the information clearly and concisely.
Flare is one story but image resolution is another. What you reference from my reply is the latter. If you see two images, one with filter, and one without, and tell them apart based on quality/resolution, I would be impressed.
In forty+ years of doing photography, I've not yet ruined a lens ... or a filter when I've used them. But even if you happened to ruin a lens once ... Why be so afraid?... I am not going to ruin a lens using it to take vacation shots, I keep a filter on it.
I think this thread is going to the same end as any other filter threads.In forty+ years of doing photography, I've not yet ruined a lens ... or a filter when I've used them. But even if you happened to ruin a lens once ... Why be so afraid?
I think the "filter as protection" mindset leads to more casual mishandling and damage through a false sense of security than being confident that you can handle and take care of your equipment without having these placebos in place to reassure you.