Worth using UV filer?

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jonneymendoza

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Hi. is it worth using a uv filter just to protect your lens?

i heard some uv filters degrades IQ? is this true?

i just bought a £1800 lens and considering buying a uv filter to protect the lens glass.

However, i may just insure the thing and be done with it
 
It's one of those questions where differing opinions remain at loggerheads.
When people drop a lens with a filter on and it smashes they think the filter saved the lens - it probably didn't and that amount of force probably caused an alignment problem with the lens anyway.
Others will tell you how when an object hit the filter the filter broke and the bits of broken filter damaged the lens.
Others will claim the IQ is reduced because a lens front element is seriously expensive so unless the filter costs a fortune it must make the IQ worse. They probably never shoot through a window or display cage in a zoo either if that worried about IQ :)

Personal preference I say. I use lens hoods and no filters and two lenses have tiny scratches on, from cleaning ironically (teach me not to use a blower to get sandy grit off). I have yet to see any effect from the scratches. My guess is they only affect resale value.
 
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Just got a new lens myself as was wondering if I should pick up a uv filter for it.Don't want to spend a fortune but also don't want some cheap filter if it does effect picture qaulity.
 
For me the ONLY time I use a filter for protection is if I think there will be beer a-flying.
 
I use UV filters, only when the enviornment dictates. I tend to prefer to use the lens with the hood, and no filter if i can. The funny thing is, that Nikon do provide you with a built in protection glass on the front of the 300mm f2.8 VRII to protect the expensive lens coating on the front element, and the images i have seen from this lens are amazing!!!
 
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I always use a lens hood.

I will never use a UV filter.
 
It depends on the situation, for instance, my 17-40 is only weather sealed if there's a filter on the end, so if it;s raining I make sure I have a filter on.
 
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