An old but good article about filters

[kvbarkley]

Mike Johnston of "The Online Photographer" recently re-posted an article about *not* using protective filters with modern lenses, with examples:

http://www.steves-digicams.com/smp/02062005.html

I am posting it here to use as a future resource.

[John_SD]

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@kvbarkley wrote:

Mike Johnston of "The Online Photographer" recently re-posted an article about *not* using protective filters with modern lenses, with examples:

http://www.steves-digicams.com/smp/02062005.html

I am posting it here to use as a future resource.

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Interesting article, and as someone who does use filters (if I don't have a polarizer on, I've got a UV filter on), I found the following from the article interesting:

"There are a few exceptions. When you are shooting in actively hazardous environmental conditions, such as flying salty sea-spray or blowing sand, snow, or volcanic ash, it might be smart to use a protective filter that's easy to wipe clean. When you're in an an environment rich in ultraviolet, like at the top of a Swiss Alp, take a hot mirror filter along. Obviously, if you want to polarize the light, add a color, or cut the amount of light reaching the lens by a measured amount, don't hesitate to use the appropriate filter."

While I've never been to the top of the Swiss Alps or stared down an active volcano, I do spend a fair amount of time outdoors with my camera -- in the desert, at tidepools, in dense forests where it is easy to brush up against foliage, even in "pristine" city environments, I find that dust and various specks of debris can and will land on the filter. So I always keep one on. I don't want that junk hitting my lens. 

[Waddizzle]

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@kvbarkley wrote:

Mike Johnston of "The Online Photographer" recently re-posted an article about *not* using protective filters with modern lenses, with examples:

http://www.steves-digicams.com/smp/02062005.html

I am posting it here to use as a future resource.

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I'm legally blind in one eye, so my depth perception is poor.  That means that I sometimes get bologna fingers trying to put a lens cap back on a lens.  I use clear filters to protect my front lens element, which also keeps it clean.  

I've stopped using UV filters, because most of what they do can be simulated in post.  I've also been noticing that UV filters can seem to sometimes throw off my WB in my final images.  I had the habit of setting LR to "AUTO" white balance, and I would wind up with sequences of shots that have variations in WB frame one shot to the next.  I shoot outdoors over 90% of the time.  If you use a UV filter, use a grey card, too, which can get awkward.

But, using a grey card is only good for one specific shot.  So, I also turn off "Automatic White Balance", and dial in a setting so that it WB not change automatically, because sometimes I do shoot JPEGs.  I shoot RAW most of the time, so it shouldn't matter what color temperature is used when the photos are captured.  But, my jury is out as to what potential effect it could have on metering.  I know it shouldn't matter, but sometimes I'm not so certain.

[kvbarkley]

And a recent article about filters:

https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2017/05/yet-another-post-about-my-issues-with-uv-filters/

TL;DR; Cheap filters are bad.