uv filter

Joined: 23 Sep 2005 Posts: 9

this will show my ignorance...
I want to get a uv filter for my lenses but don't really understand what size I need. Help me!

I have the canon
50mm
28-135mm

Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2005 2:38 pm

Are you looking for the screw on type? If so, the threads on the Canon 28-135 are 72mm. And for the 50mm they are 58mm. The thread size is printed on the front of the lens.

Check out B&H Photo for their selection of filters.

Joined: 18 Aug 2004 Posts: 375 Location: Nottingham, UK

Somewhere on your lens there should be a small O with a line through it a number and then mm - This is your diameter and the size you need.

Forgive me if there is no symbol but that's how I see it on my lens anyway.

Premium Member Joined: 29 Oct 2004 Posts: 5758

Just my humble opinion, but don't waste your money on a UV filter unless you're shooting in a sandstorm.

http://www.phototakers.com/forum/ftopic35112.html

Joined: 18 Aug 2004 Posts: 375 Location: Nottingham, UK

Interesting point there drpablo74, thanks for sharing.

Joined: 27 Oct 2004 Posts: 452 Location: Gloucester, UK

sunnybaby,

As you will see, there are two distinct schools of thought on the idea of using UV filters. One side says they are the invention of the devil and degrade the image, the other says they would rather take that chance and protect the front element of the lens from damage.
You pay your money and you make your choice.

Premium Member Joined: 29 Oct 2004 Posts: 5758

I wouldn't hyperbolize this debate in Keith's manichean terms.

The image degradation may not always be noticible or important; but on two lenses of mine that are both renowned and famous for their sharpness, color rendition, contrast, and lack of flare, it took me maybe 2 weeks of shooting to realize that they were ruining my shots. Perhaps not all are as attentive to such effects as I.

Regarding the damage to your lens, frankly nothing has ever touched my lenses, and I do a lot of shooting. Use your lens cap when you're not shooting and a lens hood when you are. And have a good UV filter handy if you're going to shoot in driving rain or blowing sand. Forget about UV filters filtering out UV light anyway -- none of it ever reaches your digital sensor anyway.

Joined: 23 Sep 2005 Posts: 9

thank you all for your replies. I appreciate you taking the time. The reason I wanted a uv filter was simply to protect the lens. Since we don't get a lot of snow or sand storms here in southern CA it sounds like the hood might be a better choice for me.
Thanks again.

Premium Member Joined: 29 Oct 2004 Posts: 5758

Glad to help, just remember to keep the lens capped and don't stick your fingers on it by accident. If you're shooting in misty, dense fog (which we got a LOT of when I was at a wedding on the beach in Malibu) a UV filter may be called for. The risk/benefit ratio isn't the same for all shooting conditions.

Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 10:46 pm

An uninformed wanna-be here....

OK, so I'm going to ditch the UV filter based on people much more informed than I. Thanks!

I've also been keeping a 81a warming filter on my 70-200 2.8 (per the store I bought the camera from... to make the digital image warmer). Is this filter even needed if I'm using RawShooter Pro and can adjust warmth?

Thanks!

Premium Member Joined: 29 Oct 2004 Posts: 5758

I think most would agree that the only useful filters that can't be emulated digitally are the polarizer, infrared, neutral density, and grad neutral density. The color filters, especially if you shoot RAW, are all things that you can do on the computer, and I'd argue with more flexibility. If you have a camera that can shoot in B+W then go ahead and play with color filters, but you'll still have more flexibility if you shoot in color and use the channel mixer (or a plug-in) to convert.

Moral of the story is capture as much information as possible when shooting a picture. This will give you the most flexibility when you fine tune your final product.

I'm not discouraging you from using your warming filter if you like its effect, and it would certainly make things look nice if you're shooting a sunset, or shooting with a flash, under cloudy skies, in a shadow, etc. But you can dial in the exact color temperature of an 81A filter in the computer, too...

Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2005 2:57 pm

Actually, I find myself shooting with a circular polarizer more often than not, so, I've picked up the habit of just leaving that on my lenses, only taking it off when I want to shoot without it, and replacing it when I'm done. This was sort of a sub-concious thing that developed, but, if you're worried about your front lens element, it does over you some protection.

Premium Member Joined: 29 Oct 2004 Posts: 5758

Funny, I actually do the same, and using a pricey polarizer I haven't run into the same flare problems as I did with the (pricey) UV filter.

Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2005 11:45 pm

Who makes a high quality circular polarizer? Make please if possible so I can google and research. Thank you!

Premium Member Joined: 29 Oct 2004 Posts: 5758

FatNakedGuy wrote:

Who makes a high quality circular polarizer? Make please if possible so I can google and research. Thank you!

Mine is a Hoya, but take note that they have several models -- mine was about $90. I had a $30 one before (also by Hoya) but it had a terrible green cast to it, so I replaced it. I think Singh-Ray makes a circ pol too, and they're the cream of the crop for the filters they make.