Beginner Filters

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Clarko1

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John Clarkson
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Hi
Just took receipt of a 55-250 is usm , but filterless. After googling around for the best filter got very confused . A large school of thought is that uv filters are a waste of time as the new sensors filter uv on there own. The only real use is an elaborate lens protector.

Not at the stage where Iam concerned with polarising and clever filtration. Just want to keep my kit in good order.

Is a hood a good idea as well.

All help gratefully received.

Thanks
John
 
Hello John and welcome to TP.

You have probably read the UV filter debate - (a) it is a good protection because if something hits the lens front on, the filter takes the impact, not the front element, or (b) why put a piece of relatively inexpensive glass in front of a good quality lens and degrade the image quality. I don't know if there is evidence in favour of either opinion. I don't use a UV filter but I don't take shots where there is much risk of camera damage, barring me dropping the camera.

A hood is a good idea as it helps to block out light that could otherwise cause flare; for me the lens always has a hood. There might be a protective function too. If the camera is dropped and the lens with a hood hits the ground first the hood will take some of the impact, but whether it would be enough to protect the lens from damage is another question.

Dave
 
I think that there may also be an issue with one or two lenses that require a filter or some sort on the front to provide weather sealing - IIRC, for example the Canon 17-40 f4 L (adn probably any of the front-vented lenses - if in doubt check the manual for the lens... ) - HOWEVER, I must admit, I only use a filter in situations where the weather-sealing would be an issue - for example shooting seascapes on a windy day, or shooting with the camera following bikes on dusty trails etc... Otherwise, I stick a lens hood on for flare and / or impact protection and leave it at that.
 
I belong to the UV brigade and only use a hood in wet weather to stop the splatter on the glass. I shoot outside and am often clambering over gates or hedges and my camera does get knocked on occasion and one lens has mud on it at the moment.

I never buy a cheap one though - always 10-15% of the cost of the lens.
 
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For myself it is only in adverse weather conditions, along with lens hood.
When shooting near head on into driving rain or trackside, shooting motor racing, in the pouring rain always. Those cars throw up a huge ammount of spray which raipdly covers the front of the lens with water very quickliy. The first thing you notice is everything goes blurry when looking through the viewfinder.
 
I always use a hood, I cannot see any disadvantages except when you want to get the lens close to glass et.
I used to have UV filters on and took them off when not needed, I do not shoot in adverse conditions or near small children with sticky fingers so much now so I have the filters off and fit them when needed.
It makes me laugh when people go on about " why put a cheap bit of glass in front of a £1000 lens" and then suggest polarising, ND or grad filters.
Use when appropriate is the best advise that I got.
 
I use mainly just a hood, the use of filters as said above are really only for when they are needed and then they will be ND filters (more for my film camera's limited shutter speed) or CPL filters depending on what scene i am shooting etc.
 
I'm in the use a good rather than uv filter camp.

If you are going to go down the filter route at least get a good one.
 
hi john

is yours a 58mm filter thread..?..................if so i have two

Hoya 58mm HMC Sklight 1B
Hoya 58mm HMC UV (c)

quite good quality coated - will certainly do for a start
I'v been away some time - forgot the 'rulz' - so dont know if i can quote a price here - or if you have to PM me
@TheBigYin

be cheap anyway - just to cover P&P really
john
 
I have these on my lenses Hoya PRO1 Digital Protector

I'm in the camp of better to be safe than sorry, better to have a removable piece of glass on the front than damage the actual lens itself.
 
Hi all
Thanks For your info . I think I will just get a hood. Cheers for the offer yard bent.
John
 
Yardbent said:
I'v been away some time - forgot the 'rulz'
Click to expand...

John - for your future reference - it's quite simple really, we've now got a "freebies" section in the classifieds - you'd post them "on offer" in there, then you could link to them in a subsequent thread. Anything else wouldn't really be allowed within the rules on trading/classifieds etc. - even if it's a give-away.

anything you're not sure of, drop me a note in "conversations" and i'll explain it there to avoid derailing this thread further ;)
 
Never used a filter - small chip on front element and no idea how it got there so maybe I should now.
 
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