UV Filters

[Glen]

With the recent purcahse of the 24-105, I want to protect the lens(esp. Glass) from knocks scratches, so i swapped the Hama Ut 77mm filter from my 10-20 (not in use at the mo) and stuck it on the L.

What are your thoughts, firstly about slightly cheaper filters and secondly putting the slightly cheaper filter on to L glass, will I notice any quality issues?

 

[mfwild13]

I actually ordered a HMC Pro1 Digital UV to go with my 24-105 but as they were on an even longer wait I eventually cancelled it and decided to go bareback. I felt that the hood provides enough protection for the use I put it too.

I have previously suffered from flaring due to a Tiffen UV filter so personally wouldnt recommend cheaper filters but you will probably get away with it in most day to day use.

Having said all that I do have a Pro1 Digital UV on my 400mm so could swap it over if needed (both 77mm )

 

[P-E]

I always have a filter on my L glass along with the hood even though some will say I will have a slight loss in quality but I can't say I have noticed any difference with or without a filter on.:shrug:

Directly in answer to your question though....I personally would not put cheap filters on any glass (this is just my opinion).........I use either Hoya Pro multi coated but recently switched over to BW ones.

 

[Venomator]

I'm with P-E on this ... always a filter and always a good one !

Hoya usually ...

 

[CT]

I'm not a fan of filters, although I did go throught the filter fad years ago and needed a pack mule just to carry my filters around.

The multi coatings on quality modern lenses are applied to every surface of the lens and it's no doubt a big factor in their cost, as I'm sure it is with mullti coated pro filters. These coatings not only reduce flare, they significantly improve the ability of the lens to transmit light due to the coatings reducing diffracted light bouncing off the elements within the lens, so sticking a cheapo filter in front of good glass has to be compromising the lens somewhat, particularly when shooting into the light. These multi coatings also contain a UV coating so your UV filter isn't doing anything, other than protecting your lens, which of course is why you fit it, and in a hostile environment, that's the main consideration - quality issues being secondary.

 

[Steep]

I think I remember PeteMC (Cykey) once saying something like "If you spend hundreds or thousands of pounds on L glass quality, why would you want to stick cheap glass in front of it?"