Anyone use UV Filters on their digital SLR?

[aphex]

I've heard both good and bad things about them, and with my soon to be new D70, i wondered if i should get one.....

Should i? If so, which do you reccomend?

I would LOVE to keep all Nikon stuff, but its too expensive at $100 or so.

I did come across some Hoya HMC and Super HMC UV Filters for around $32... worth it?

 

[Anubis]

yes i use one on all my lenses basically to protect the front element, at real wide angles they can cause some vignetting if they are cheap, if you can get the thinner ones because they are less prone to this

Id get either Hoya or B&W


:thumbsup: for going with the D70, i take it you got the kit

 

[aceO07]

Don't get cheap filters. You can tell the difference when you look at the results.
I'm come to see Hoya and B/W as the main recommendations.

 

[jadinolf]

As said above. if nothing else, it protects your lens.

 

[iamwiz82]

Ihave them on my lenses because it's cheaper to buy a replacement filter than to replace the lense.

 

[Wallydraigle]

I'm a B+W man myself, but Hoya is good too. I don't use them all the time, just when I'm around sand or water or something. If the camera get's dropped there's a chance that the filter would break and scratch up the front element, and then I'd be out repair cost for the lens and a new filter. I always, without fail use a hood though. A hood will protect from all kinds of bumps and absorbs a lot of the impact if the camera gets dropped lens down.

 

[glen]

In lay terms:
What does the filter do?
What are the advantages?
What are the disadvantages?

 

[Wallydraigle]

Originally posted by: glen
In lay terms:
What does the filter do?
What are the advantages?
What are the disadvantages?

UV filters filter out UV light D). In hazy conditions sometimes you can get a little more contrast with the filter than without, though the effect is greater with film, because digital sensors are made not to respond much to UV light, and some of it is blocked by the AA filter in front of the sensor. UV filters also keep stuff from touching the front element of the lens you have mounted.

Advantages are UV filtering and protecting the lens.

Disadvantages are slight loss of fine details (though with good filters this is just barely noticable, if you're really looking) and possibility of shattering and scratching your lens, or getting bent and stuck on the threads. Good multi coated ones can be hard to clean properly as well.

Whether or not to use them is a hotly debated topic even among seasoned photographers. I just know what works for me.

 

[Doggiedog]

I put a Tiffen Skylight 1A filter on my 20D lens.

Did I make a mistake? I don't know much about filters.

 

[sohcrates]

i got CHEAP uv filters made by canon for my digital rebel. i don't know if its' true or not but i swear that images don't look as good with the uv filter on...probably cause it's CHEAP. that's the key word here. my buddy paid $30+ for some multi-coated uv filters for his canon 10d and always keeps them on, so i think they're not bad and they serve a purpose

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: Doggiedog
I put a Tiffen Skylight 1A filter on my 20D lens.

Did I make a mistake? I don't know much about filters.

no skylight filters do almost the same thing as a UV filters, actually i think they do less

 

[aphex]

The four main options im considering right now are;

Hoya HMC UV: $27.50
Hoya Super HMC UV: $32.50
Hoya Ultra Thin HMC UV: $40.50
Hoya Super Pro1 Ultra Thin HMC UV: $48.95

 

[Doggiedog]

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: Doggiedog
I put a Tiffen Skylight 1A filter on my 20D lens.

Did I make a mistake? I don't know much about filters.

no skylight filters do almost the same thing as a UV filters, actually i think they do less

Yeah. I didn't want to go full blown UV. Just enough to protect the lens really.

I used to use Kenko filters way way back but I didn't see any when I went looking for a filter.

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: aphex
The four main options im considering right now are;

Hoya HMC UV: $27.50
Hoya Super HMC UV: $32.50
Hoya Ultra Thin HMC UV: $40.50
Hoya Super Pro1 Ultra Thin HMC UV: $48.95

id get the Hoya Super HMC UV: $32.50, however if you are worried about issues at wide angles get the Ultra Thin for 40$

 

[aphex]

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: aphex
The four main options im considering right now are;

Hoya HMC UV: $27.50
Hoya Super HMC UV: $32.50
Hoya Ultra Thin HMC UV: $40.50
Hoya Super Pro1 Ultra Thin HMC UV: $48.95

id get the Hoya Super HMC UV: $32.50, however if you are worried about issues at wide angles get the Ultra Thin for 40$

Well, would i notice any problems using the 18-70 kit lens or possibly that highly touted 50mm?

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: aphex

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: aphex
The four main options im considering right now are;

Hoya HMC UV: $27.50
Hoya Super HMC UV: $32.50
Hoya Ultra Thin HMC UV: $40.50
Hoya Super Pro1 Ultra Thin HMC UV: $48.95

id get the Hoya Super HMC UV: $32.50, however if you are worried about issues at wide angles get the Ultra Thin for 40$

Well, would i notice any problems using the 18-70 kit lens or possibly that highly touted 50mm?

probibily not

and i like the 35mm f/2 on the D70 alot more then the 50mm f/1.8, after the crop the 50 is too tight for me

the 35 does cost about 3x what the 50 does tho

 

[aphex]

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: aphex

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: aphex
The four main options im considering right now are;

Hoya HMC UV: $27.50
Hoya Super HMC UV: $32.50
Hoya Ultra Thin HMC UV: $40.50
Hoya Super Pro1 Ultra Thin HMC UV: $48.95

id get the Hoya Super HMC UV: $32.50, however if you are worried about issues at wide angles get the Ultra Thin for 40$

Well, would i notice any problems using the 18-70 kit lens or possibly that highly touted 50mm?

probibily not

and i like the 35mm f/2 on the D70 alot more then the 50mm f/1.8, after the crop the 50 is too tight for me

the 35 does cost about 3x what the 50 does tho

Hmmm, but you think the UV Filter is worth it? Some people over at DPreview say not to bother, and just get a nice circular polarizer with my money....

 

[JEDI]

are these the filters that allow you to see thru people's clothes?

 

[Anubis]

everyones opinion is different, i use them because i HAVE banged a lens before and had to replace it and a filter would have saved it

polorizers are nice as well, but i rarley use the ones i have, they also cut the light by a stop or so when you use them + you can do whatthey do in Photoshop

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: JEDI
are these the filters that allow you to see thru people's clothes?

there is no such thing

 

[aphex]

Originally posted by: Anubis
everyones opinion is different, i use them because i HAVE banged a lens before and had to replace it and a filter would have saved it

polorizers are nice as well, but i rarley use the ones i have, they also cut the light by a stop or so when you use them + you can do whatthey do in Photoshop

do you leave yours on all the time?

 

[Anubis]

the uv filters? yes on most lenses, i dont on the 50mm and 35mm because the lens itself is recessed so much

 

[aphex]

Originally posted by: Anubis
the uv filters? yes on most lenses, i dont on the 50mm and 35mm because the lens itself is recessed so much

Should i stick with Hoya for the Circular Polarizer?

 

[Wallydraigle]

Hoya makes a good circular polarizer.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Nope, not yet. But I hear B&W is good.